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Regulars
Thursday, 09 September 2010
Joseph, his second name, had been shortened to Joe for the sake of
coolness. He had lived with his first name, Ciarán, and several hundred
variations of it for long enough. On a recent holiday camp, he had
decided that until further notice he would be ‘Joe’. But there is a happy
ending.
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Regulars
Wednesday, 08 September 2010
When I first heard that Mary MacKillop was born in Fitzroy I felt an immediate link: after all I barracked for Fitzroy. To my child’s mind it seemed as though the Church was giving its seal of approval to football.
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Regulars
Tuesday, 07 September 2010
Earlier in the year Tony Abbott remarked that no matter what the government does, some people will opt to be homeless. This was part of a fairly nasty exchange about whether homeless people should be blamed for their predicament. Perhaps unsurprisingly one of the most insightful voices in that public discussion came from John Falzon, CEO of St Vincent De Paul’s National Council. He noted that, ‘Everyone has a story. And they don't happen in limbo. They happen in the context of developing social and economic structures.’
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Regulars
Monday, 06 September 2010
In line with the new-orthodoxy, some Catholics speak exclusively of the 'sacrifice' of the Mass. There is something dislocated about such an idea, no matter how well intentioned. It is because of this dislocation that all too often the Mass has become a tired performance piece at best, and a corrupted tool of exclusion and esotericism at worst, serving the interests of sterile form and incantation.
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Regulars
Friday, 03 September 2010
On her way to the airport, a friend of mind noticed an elderly man struggling up the hill. He was pushing a large trolley laden with suitcases, and was exhausted. She decided to go and see if he needed a hand. When she eventually arrived at the airport, she heard the last call for her flight, but got to the gate just as the doors had closed, and was forced to buy another ticket for the next flight.
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Regulars
Thursday, 02 September 2010
On a recent Q&A on ABC1, the philosopher Peter Singer argued in favour of euthanasia for the severely disabled. His attitude was typical of the utilitarianism of modernity. This was that because it is increasingly difficult to make sense of suffering, suffering must be avoided.
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Regulars
Wednesday, 01 September 2010
Twelve months ago I had the awe-full experience of “seeing” my unborn
grandchild through the wonder that is an ultrasound scan. While the
technician measured the baby’s head, peered into the mouth, our eyes adjusted to the shades of grey, streaked
and blotched by black and white, that took us into the world of the
baby in the womb.
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Regulars
Tuesday, 31 August 2010
I was trying to explain to someone why a particular media release sent by an organisation would not actually make a story for CathNews. I danced around the point for a while, which made the person on the other end of the line more and more confused.
Eventually, I managed to choke out: 'Well, it’s not very well written.’
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Regulars
Monday, 30 August 2010
I’m taking a very big risk in revealing that my favourite
television at the moment is Channel 9's The Farmer Wants
A Wife. I’m a priest, celibate and comfortable with that, so I’m not wanting to be part of the program, I can
assure you. I’m intrigued at how I’ve been attracted to this program.
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Regulars
Friday, 27 August 2010
As someone who has recently retired, it was with newfound sympathy that I watched presentations appearing on the TV seeking a better deal for the aged. Many older people live with a silent, crippling fear. The cost of food, medical care, electricity and housing are a constant worry to them and in many cases social security payments remain inadequate to sustain a decent standard of living.
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