Pacific Island Elders and former Heads of State H.E. Anote Tong and Hon. Enele Sopoaga, have reacted to the election of Anthony Albanese as the new Australian Prime Minister.

Solemnity of the Ascension of the Christ

Today’s feast is about being sent to ‘find God in all things.’ It is not about Jesus’ absence, but his presence everywhere. It is also about how we are present in the world pointing through our engagement to his compassionate heart and the power of the Spirit. Jesus’ ascension connects the life of Jesus and the mission of the Christian community. It marks of a new kind of presence – one mediated to the world through the lives of people.

Sixth Sunday after Easter

Stuart Rees recently wrote: ‘In the grinding weeks of an Australian Federal election, something needs to happen to change the language, to prompt debate, to craft vision, and even generate excitement. That something could be the goal of peace with justice.’ (Stuart Rees ’Reporting about Ukraine: peace difficult, war easy,’ Pearls and Irritations, April 20, 2022). There is increased cynicism and abuse in the electioneering as we saw in debates between the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader with fearmongering, lies, name calling, misinformation, dirty tricks, and media ’gotcha moments’.