briefs

 

pathways, March 2009

 

 

The Australian Mission Network will host a theological lecture series in coming weeks to be presented by visiting lecturer and author, Divine Word Missionary priest, Fr Steve Bevans.

 

Fr Bevans (pictured) is a Professor of Mission and Culture at the Catholic Theological Union, Chicago, USA.  He has authored Models of Contextual Theology, Constants in Context:  A Theology of Mission for Today (with Roger Schoeder SVD) and Evangelisation and Human Freedom (with Jeffrey Gros SSC).

 

Currently, he is Visiting Professor of Theology at Yarra, Theological Union, Melbourne.

 

The MISSION has a CHURCH - responding to God's call in today's world will be offered in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne between March 26 and April 30.

 

Two sessions will be held in Brisbane, on March 26:  at Holy Spirit Care Services, Beams Rd, Carseldine, between 3.30 and 4.30pm and then at the Francis Rush Centre, Charlotte St, Brisbane, from 7.30-9.30pm.

 

One lecture will be held in Sydney, on April 2, at the Catholic Institute of Sydney, Albert Rd, Strathfield, from 7-9pm.

 

Two sessions will be held later, in Melbourne:  on April 29 at Sacred Heart Church, Bell St, Preston, from 7-9pm and on April 30 at Yarra Theological Union, Albion Rd, Box Hill, from 9.30am-12.30pm.

 

 

 

 

Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) has formed a national committee from its annual meeting in Melbourne earlier this year.

 

Sr Stancea Vichie MSS (pictured) has taken over from Sr Pauline Coll SGS as the chairperson. Other members are: secretary, Sr Mary Mooney CSB, treasurer, Sr Janet Palafox IBVM, NSW representative, Sr Suzette Clark RSC, Qld representative, Sr Pauline Coll SGS, Vic representative, Ms Christine Carolan.

 

Although Western Australia and South Australia were represented at the annual general meeting, they did not feel the time was right for them to be on the national committee.

 

In all, 26 ACRATH members met at Templestowe (Melbourne) to plan, helped by the facilitation of Sr Therese Power RSM.

 

As well as serious discussion on a draft document "Rules for ACRATH", the meeting also took time over the $250,000 Federal Government grant received late last year.

 

ACRATH was formed late in 2004 at the invitation of the Union of International Superiors' General for religious congregations to work against trafficking in persons. At a National Assembly in Perth, 2007, it received the official support of Catholic Religious Australia.

 

 

 

 

The President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Philip Wilson, today called on all Catholics to offer special prayers for Pope Benedict XVI and for Church unity, as part of their Lenten observances this year.

 

Archbishop Wilson said that Pope Benedict's recent letter to bishops regarding the Society of St Pius X was a deeply personal and moving account of the pontiff's deep desire to take all possible steps to work towards Church unity.

 

The Pope's letter referred to the recent heated discussion which erupted both within and outside the Church, in the wake of Pope Benedict's decision to lift the excommunication of four bishops who were illicitly consecrated in 1988 by Archbishop Lefebvre.

 

In his letter, the Holy Father spoke of his regret that the gesture of reconciliation had been overshadowed by revelations about the unacceptable position of Bishop Richard Williamson with regard to the Jewish Holocaust. He accepted that more rigorous Internet checking would have alerted the Holy See to Bishop Williamson's views.

 

"The Holy Father's letter was a uniquely personal plea for understanding," Archbishop Wilson said. "It contains both humble acknowledgement of mistakes made, as well as a deeply human insight into the suffering felt by subsequent attacks on him."

 

Archbishop Wilson said he had written to Pope Benedict on behalf of the Australian Bishops,  assuring him of prayerful solidarity and support, and thanking him for his letter which he was sure would achieve the Pope's stated desire of contributing "to peace in the Church."

 

 full text of the MEDIA RELEASE 
full text of the PAPAL LETTER 

 

 

 

 

Caravaggio: Outcast and Believer - Exploring Caravaggio's continuing appeal as an artist who is engaged with worldly experience and with the claims of the spirit will be the topic of a public lecture in Melbourne later this month.

 

The lecture will be delivered by Patrick McCaughey (pictured), a former director of the National Gallery of Victoria. Now resident in the United States, he continues his active contribution to the arts in Australia. As Fellow of the State Library of Victoria, he edited Bert & Ned: The Correspondence of Albert Tucker and Sidney Nolan (Miegunyah Press, the State Library of Victoria and Heide Museum of Art, 2006). He is currently director of the Festival of Ideas which will be held at the University of Melbourne in June 2009.

 

Caravaggio: Outcast and Believer will be held at The Oratory, Newman College, 887 Swanston Street, Parkville on  Monday, March 30, from  5- 6pm

 

Entry will be free but books are essential: agehrig@academiccentre.stmarys.newman.unimelb.edu.au  or phone 03 9342 1614.  The lecture will be presented by the Allan and Maria Meyers Academic Centre of Newman College and St Mary's College, the University of Melbourne and the State Library of Victoria