Seventh Sunday of the Year February 23rd, 2020

Clint Eastwood’s 1992 movie Unforgiven, like many others, saw revenge being perpetrated on ‘evil’ people because ‘they have it coming.’ Who do we see as an enemy? Is it the neighbour whose cigarette smoke drifts into our yard or throws weeds across the fence? Is it the person with an astonishingly low level of self-awareness, humility, or restraint? Is it the one in power whose racist and misogynist rhetoric threatens vulnerable people? The identity of an enemy can be blatantly clear or very subtle.

The Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education (ERC) in partnership with the Iraqi Australian University Graduates Forum (IAUGF) are planning to organise Iraq Now Panel Discussion to reflect on the current situation of human rights in Iraq. The panel aims to raiseawareness about Iraq’s current security situation, human rights challenges, minority issues, political instability, refugee rights and returnee difficulties.

Sixth Sunday of the Year 2020

For some time there has been within the Church a robust discussion, if not conflict, between what being a follower of Jesus entails. The two sides seem to speak different languages. It seems, to quote Fr Brian Stoney, that there is a choice: do you want to be good or be a follower of Jesus. There are people who believe that life needs to be rule based, conforming and top down. The status quo needs to be preserved. Others focus on a Jesus-centred, heart-centred approach of mercy and compassion that allows for mistakes and growth.