Sharing our Space - Multi-faith Healing Conference (21 September)

Organised by the COMMON (Centre of Melbourne Multifaith and Others Network)

Held: 21st September 2008: 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Venue: Aboriginal Advancement League, 2 Watt Street, Thornbury, Victoria

Flyer for the event (click on the images to enlarge):

Multi-faith Week 2008 - Melbourne (21 - 27 September)

Organised by the COMMON (Centre of Melbourne Multifaith and Others Network).



Flyer for the event (click on the image to enlarge):

2009 Young Catholic Women’s Interfaith Fellowship - Applications Invited

Applications are now being accepted for the 2009 Young Catholic Women’s Interfaith Fellowship.

The fellowship is available to Catholic women aged mid 20’s to mid 30’s to:

- be skilled in leadership, theology and principles of interfaith dialogue
- work towards the building of religious and peaceful coexistence and
- provide models of encounter, dialogue and cooperation within and among religious and spiritual communities.

A Flyer is now available for you to download and distribute.

Download Interfaith Fellowship
Brochure Application Referee forms.

To discuss any aspect of the program contact Ruth Durick osu on 02 62019864 or fellowship.opw@catholic.org.au
(This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it)

Cardinal Tauran: "Religions Are Factors of Peace"

Dialogue Council President Addresses Rimini Meeting
By Mirko Test

RIMINI, Italy, AUG. 28, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Religions are factors of peace, and if they inspire fear, it's due to actions of those who have betrayed their faith, said the president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.

This was the message Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran communicated Monday at a colloquium on peace at the Rimini meeting organized by the Catholic lay Communion and Liberation movement. The annual meeting is under way through Saturday.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and Amre Moussa, secretary-general of the League of Arab States, also took part in the discussion.

In his intervention, Cardinal Tauran specified that "religions are factors of peace," but that the paradox lived today is that "religions inspire fear because of the actions of some believers who have betrayed their own faith."

"The injustices, sicknesses, wars of all sorts is not fate, but the consequence of all our egoism -- personal and collective -- our ignorance, our unacknowledged errors, our inability to draw teaching from experiences, positive and negative, of the past," said the cardinal.

"All religions invite their followers to compassion," he continued. "A believer cannot be indifferent in face of the man who suffers or is the victim of someone stronger than he is."

Cardinal Tauran told the audience that the best strategy for peace begins with education in the family and in schools. He also encouraged religious leaders "to point out [...] the right way."

Prayer

The cardinal noted how often the spiritual patrimony of prayer, which brings together faithful of different religions, is underestimated. "This is why I believe the we believers have the mission to be protagonists of a real and concrete 'pedagogy of peace.'"

He said this pedagogy consists in ensuring the "primacy of the human person over the state and over the economic organization of society; special attention to justice; rejection of war as means to resolve the controversies between states; primacy of law over violence."

Cardinal Tauran emphasized the importance of interreligious dialogue that respects mutual identity and specificity, and the common effort of all the faithful in "mobilizing consciences so that men will finally understand that some cannot be happy without the others, and certainly that some can never be happy against the others!"

"In the end," he continued, "suffice it to remember that God continues to say to Abraham's children: 'Do not kill,' 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'

"Your religion is not genuine if you do not wish the other what you wish for yourself," the cardinal added.\

Cardinal Tauran said the message of peace is one which humanity needs, especially the youth. "To these young people, too often heirs without inheritance and builders without models, we must give or give back the pleasure of living and of living together."

NCCA President accepts position as Lutheran Seminary Principal

The President of the Lutheran Church of Australia, Rev Dr Mike Semmler, announced that last Monday, 25 August, Rev John Henderson has accepted a call to be the Principal of Australian Lutheran College, the tertiary institution that prepares pastors, teachers and lay workers for ministry in the LCA.

Pastor Henderson is currently serving as the General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Australia, a post which he has held for the last seven years. At the last General Synod of the Lutheran Church of Australia, Pastor Henderson was also elected as the Vice-President of the LCA.

The Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne has had many occasions in the past seven years of working with John, and wish him and his family every blessing for the move to Adelaide and the new role in his community.

Position Vacant: VCC Chief Executive Officer

The Victorian Council of Churches is seeking to appoint a Chief Executive Officer to work within the vision and mission of this Council of 19 member churches, relating not only to all Christian traditions but with the leadership and communities of other faiths and the wider community.

The successful applicant will be a committed church member, have a clear understanding of the ecumenical movement and the theological perspectives which inform it, and exercise administrative and organisational skills.

For full position description, click here.

Meet "The Imam and the Pastor" (Brisbane 8 November)

ADVANCED NOTICE:

Now you can meet the men behind the film:

Nigerians Imam Muhammad Ashafa and Pastor James Wuye, formerly bitter enemies, now advocates of a fear-free, hate-free society, will share experiences of their journey from vengeance and killing to healing and forgiveness.

Saturday 8 November 2008 from 9 am - 12 noon
Daintree Room, Riverglenn Conference Centre,
Kate St, Indooroopilly

Program will include a shortened version of the powerful film "The Imam and the Pastor" followed by short talks by Imam Mohammad and Pastor James and with time for questions and dialogue

We warmly invite you and your colleagues to this Forum and kindly ask you to mark it in your diaries.

We will forward further details later.

Donation of $10 per person to cover costs
For more information contact: Brian and Lorna Lightowler, Initiatives for Change, 61 Moordale Street, Chapel Hill 4069 Tel 07 3378 0357

Can Spirituality Help Make the Good Society? - VCCE (17 September)

Victorian Council of Christian Education

Can Spirituality Help Make the Good Society?
Education for citizenship and transforming society (Galatians 6:10)

Venue: VCCE, Adams Lane (via Dow St) Port Melbourne 3207 (free car parking on site)
Date: Tuesday 17th Sepember 2008
RSVP: 10th September 2008 (for purposes of catering)

Program:
12.00 Lunch and Welcome
12.30pm Con Apokis
1.00pm Questions and Discussion
1.20pm Drinks break
1.30pm VCCE AGM

Con Apokis recently returned from Assisi, Italy attending The Highland Institute for American Religious and Philosophical Thought (5th International Conference). The Conference title was "The Impact of Worldviews - Secular and Religious - on the Sustainability of Democracies". Con was the only Australian present. His paper explored the different role Spirituality plays in Religious and Secular people, with particular reference to men's experience, in worldview formation, social involvement and social transformation.

Contact: Con Apokis. Phone: 9646 3572 Email: office@vcce.org.au

Dear Young Friends - The Holy Father's Addresses and Homilies from World Youth Day

Exactly one month has passed since Pope Benedict XVI celebrated the World Youth Day Mass at Randwick racecourse.

To mark the occasion, Dear Young People, a collection of all of the sermons and addresses given by Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to Australia, was published in Sydney yesterday.

Dear Young People contains 96 pages of text and 8 pages of colour photos. It sells for $12.95. Copies can be obtained from religious book centres. For more information see: http://www.stpauls.com.au/publications/catalog/product_info.php?.

Please note: The Holy Father's addresses are available on the Vatican Website. Of especial interest will be the following:

Meeting with representatives of other religions in the Chapter Hall of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney (July 18, 2008)

Ecumenical Meeting in the Crypt of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney (July 18, 2008)

Interfaith Youth Pilgrimage

On Sunday 13th July, a significant interfaith event took place in Melbourne. To coincide with the visit to Melbourne of 25,000 international pilgrims en route to World Youth Day in Sydney, the youth of various religious communities in Melbourne came together "on pilgrimage to one another" in order to make a joint committment to peace.

Twelve communities were represented in this event: Baha'i, Christian (Protestant and Catholic), Muslim (both ICV and AIS), Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Brahma Kumaris, Sathya Sai, Sikh and Indigenous. The event was jointly planned by young people from these communities.

Early in the afternoon, each community group met together in their own locations in various places around the city of Melbourne, in order to discuss together the themes of peace, pilgrimage and interfaith relations from their own faith perspective. The Catholic pilgrims gathered in St Patrick's Cathedral where they were addressed by Bishop Christopher Prowse.

Each group then journeyed "on pilgrimage" to Federation Square, walking behind specially made banners which, upon arrival at the square, were used as the backdrop for the gathering space. In all, about five hundred young people were gathered for the event. A break in the weather meant there were plenty of passersby also attracted by the event.

As we came together, we walked through smoking eucalyptus leaves - a local indigenous ceremony of purification and welcome.

Our MCs were Br Gautam Chaitanya of the Hindu faith and Ms Inaz Janif of the Muslim faith. The program was in two sections. After a welcome to the land by local indigenous elder, Aunty Di Kerr, the first section consisted of chants in original languages from the sacred writings of four groups relevant to the theme of peace. Deepna Benoit chanted in Sanskrit from the Hindu tradition, Freeman Trebilcock chanted the Buddhist "Four immeasurables" in Tibetan, Caroline Mense and Ms Lipson read the "Sim Shalom" and other prayers from the Jewish prayer book, and Hafiz Muhammed Sezgin chanted from the Koran.

Before the second section commenced, we were addressed by our guest speaker, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez, the Catholic Archbishop of Tegucigalpa in the Honduras and the president of Caritas International. Following the Cardinal's address, Shyamini Naidu, a young Hindu Year 12 student, sang "You Raise Me Up". Many of the pilgrims in the assembly joined in singing this well known and stirring song.

The second half of the program consisted in the presentation of four "intentions for Peace". Jag Shergill, from the Sikh community, presented an "Intention for Love"; Amelia Ghofrany and Kylie Payman from the Baha'i community presented an "Intention for Unity"; Anish from the Mar Thoma Christian community presented an "Intention for Forgiveness", and Tristan Mungatopi of the Indigenous community presented an "Intention for Reconciliation". In response to each intention, the Crowd responded enthusiastically with the refrain "For the Sake of Peace!"

The event concluded with the speakers and readers taking branches of gum leaves into the crowd, where everyone took a leaf as a reminder of their involvement in the pilgrimage and of their own committment to peace.

For the complete service order of the catechesis in St Patrick's Cathedral and the text of Bishop Prowse's address, for the powerpoint presentation containing the full program and script at Federation Square, and for access to photos and video of the event, please click here.

Gesher 2008 Launch (17 September)

The Council of Christians & Jews (Vic) Inc.

THE LAUNCH OF GESHER 2008

Guest Speaker: BARNEY ZWARTZ (Religion Editor - “The Age”)

“RELIGION AND THE MEDIA”

With entertainment from
UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE (WAVERLEY) CHOIR

Wednesday, 17th September 2008 at 7.30p.m.
Wesley College, Elsternwick Campus:
5 Gladstone Parade, Elsternwick, 3185 (Melways ref: Map 67 H5)
Enter from Trevelyan Street. Plenty of parking in nearby streets.
Disabled access available by arrangement with the CCJ Office.

Entry $10 including supper (kosher)

If you plan to attend please let the CCJ office know
Tel: 9817 3848 Email: ccjvic@bigpond.net.au

Start of Ramadan (1 September)

The Islamic Council of Victoria has issued the following statement:

The Islamic Council of Victoria has been advised by the Victorian Board of Imams that the first day of fasting for the holy month of Ramadan will be Monday 1st September, 2008. The first Tarawih prayer will therefore commence the night before on the August 31st.

The Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission wishes all our Muslim readers a blessed and holy fast.

EIC-AIS Iftar Dinner (9 September)

Invitation to all Melbourne Catholics to attend EIC / AIS Iftar Dinner

5:45pm (for 6pm start) Tuesday 9th September, 2008
Cathedral Lansdowne Room, Cardinal Knox Centre
383 Albert Street, East Melbourne

The 2008 EIC/AIS Iftar Dinner takes place under under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Australian Intercultural Society. It is an opportunity to celebrate the good relationship that has developed between our two organisations, and at the same time to strengthen that relationship.

The month of Ramadan is holy to the Muslim community. The most prominent event of this month is the complete fasting from all food and drink practiced by most observant Muslims. Every day during the Ramadan, Muslims around the world get up before dawn to eat the "Suhoor" meal. They break their fast at sunset with the "Iftar" meal. Since Ramadan is a time of giving and sharing, there is also a social aspect involved - the preparing of special foods and inviting people for the Iftar meal.

In that spirit, this year we are celebrating our relationship with the Australian Intercultural Society with an Iftar dinner at the Cardinal Knox Centre on Tuesday 9th September. In that spirit, this year we are celebrating our relationship with the Australian Intercultural Society with an Iftar dinner at the Cardinal Knox Centre on Tuesday 9th September. Our guest dinner speakers will be Bishop Michael Putney, the Chair of the ACBC Bishop's Committee on Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, and Professor Ismail Albayrak of Australian Catholic University.

Please RSVP as soon as possible for catering purposes to David by email (ecum@melbourne.catholic.org.au) or by phone (9926 5708). If emailing or leaving a message, please give your name; the parish, community or institution you represent; and your return phone number.

VII International Abraham Conference - "After Sorrow: Reconciliation, Responsibility and the Abrahamic Tradition (19 October)

The VII International Abraham Conference

AFTER SORROW: Reconciliation, Responsibility and the Abrahamic Tradition

Earlier this year, the Australian Government declared an apology to the “stolen generation” of Aboriginal Australians on behalf of Australia. Yet even after this landmark event, much still needs to be done. Delicate and careful considerations are needed from all parties. A strong and sensitive approach to reconciliation must be taken if we are to share this land.

The Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam need to listen to and work together with indigenous voices to recognise injustice and to explore common traditions of reconciliation and moving forward in a new direction. The Abraham Conference provides a practical way forward for people of all faiths and backgrounds to become aware of our responsibilities and thus work towards reconciliation.

Abraham’s monotheism represents and symbolizes the basic value of providing humans with a space for freedom and responsibility before God and other human beings.

The seventh Abraham Conference will take place at the Central Hall of the Australian Catholic University, ACU National.

Date: 19 October 2008
Time: 7:00 - 9:00pm
Venue: Australian Catholic University, Central Hall, 22-24 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy - Melbourne

Click here to download Flyer

AIS/EIC conversation - And the AIS Newsletter link

From the Australian Intercultural Society's E-Dialogue Newsletter for August:



Muslim - Catholic Conversation

The relationship between Catholics and Muslims continue to strengthen with various joint projects and activities. As part of the Memorandum Of Understanding between the Australian Intercultural Society and Catholic Interfaith Commission, Melbourne Catholic Archdiocese, a conversation was held between Muslims and Catholics on the theme of 'Sacrifice of Abraham'.

Abraham is an important figure in the monotheistic religions of the world. Judaism, Christianity and Islam all trace their roots back to Prophet Abraham. Followers of these faiths have recently been increasing their efforts to establish interfaith dialogue, mutual understanding and joint projects that would built strong bridges between these three faiths. Catholics and Muslims of Australia have already established a solid relationship by signing a MOU that would see the two faiths participating in many significant joint projects. The Muslim-Catholic Conversation program was an event to discuss the many common grounds which the two faiths could work on.

The Speakers at the event were Fr John Dupuche, CIC and Prof Ismail Albayrak who holds the Fethullah Gulen Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic relations.

For all articles in this month's E-Dialogue, click here: Australian Intercultural Society's E-Dialogue Newsletter for August

Catholic Interfaith Committee Chair John Dupuche on Encounter this Sunday night on ABC Radio National

Encounter - Adventures in Inter-religious Dialogue

Sunday 31 August, 7.10 am, and Wednesday 3 September, 7.05 pm, and Thursday 4 September, 4.00am. Series Producer: Florence Spurling
Producer: Margaret Coffey

A Catholic priest, a yogi and a Tibetan Buddhist monk set up house together in Melbourne; in Britain, the Dalai Lama visits a community of Christian friars and the Dalai Lama has a blunt message to Christians about the importance of prayer and meditation. These adventures in inter-religious dialogue defeat all the stereotypes.

"Painting the Torah": Guided Floor Talk

By the Artist Victor Majzner

Victor Majzner will conduct a guided tour of his current exhibition, uncovering the mystic symbolism of his work and describing the personal journey that led him to these artistic interpretations of the Torah.

A unique opportunity to delve below the surface of his remarkable works and ask questions of the artist.
bookings essential

7 September at 5pm
Jewish Museum of Australia

Floor Talk is free with Museum Admission

Adult $10
Family $20
Concession $5
Students $5

Museum hours Tuesday to Thursday 10am-4pm
26 Alma Rd St Kilda 3181 Victoria
2 minute walk from tram stop 32 on St Kilda Rd (Routes 3 or 67)

Interfaith Youth Pilgrimage Photos (July 13)

Here are the photos of the Interfaith Youth Pilgrimage (Photography by Sam Okun of Progressive Photography) which the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission of Melbourne organised on Sunday at Federation Square in Melbourne for our Days in the Diocese program.

Lots of help from lots of people, including youth from Hindu, Buddhist, Bahai, Muslim, Jewish, other Christian, Indigenous, Brahma Kamari, Sathya Sai, and Sikh communities.

The event was a committment to unity, forgiveness, reconciliation and love for one another for the sake of peace on behalf of the youth of the different faiths.

Cardinal Rodriguez was excellent as our main speaker. The pilgrims really got into the spirit of the thing and added joy and life to the event.

You may purchase copies from the website. A video is coming soon.

Green Interfaith Group (July 21)

Dear Friends,

As some of you may be aware I am working on a project with Rabbi Jonathan Keren-Black to start up an interfaith group in Melbourne which focuses on ecological issues, we have provisionally called it 'Green Faith.'

Attached are an information letter explaining the impetus for this project and a flier promoting our first meeting to be held on Monday 21st July 2008 8pm at Temple Beth Israel, 76 Alma Rd. St Kilda.

We are hoping to gather together people from specific faith backgrounds or a less definable spiritual perspectives who are interested in how we can work in an interfaith context to develop responses to environmental problems and grow with each other through this work as spiritual beings and active community members.

This is something of an experimental meeting, we know that ecological interfaith networks are operating in Sydney, USA and UK and that ecology is of growing concern to spiritually minded people here in Melbourne. There is no eco-interfaith network underway here in Melbourne as far as we know. We are very open to allowing the structure and issues of the group to evolve according to the interest of the community.

I would therefore ask your assistance in sharing this idea to your community/network. If you know anyone who might be interested in this type of group please forward these attachments to them.

Please email or call me if you have any questions, details below.

Kind Regards

Elyse

Centre for Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies
Monash University
ph: 90770181
mob: 040 88 88 334
ejrid2@student.monash.edu

Green
Faith
Box 430 Harp Road East Kew 3102: email ejrid2@student.monash.edu

Dear friends

As you may be aware, the theme for the Melbourne based Parliament of World Religions, 2009 has been decided upon as: Make a World of Difference: Hearing Each Other, Healing the Earth. This is an exciting theme as it reflects the growing awareness among faith communities of the important connections between positive intercultural relationships and understanding, and positive ecological practices. Globally, and especially in multicultural and ecologically unique Australia, we are called upon to pool our diverse cultural resources to generate more peaceful and sustainable ethics socially and environmentally. Community organisations and networks internationally, such as the US based Green Faith network and the rapidly expanding Interfaith Power and Light organisation are taking up this call by forming ecologically focused interfaith networks that use our shared earth as a common ‘ground’ for understanding and action on social and environmental justice issues. In Australia, the Sydney based Faith Ecology Network have been active at a
grass-roots level on various issues of this kind including climate change, safe foods and water. The Climate Institute, based in Sydney, is in the process of establishing an umbrella support network for this work across Australia, which has recently been incorporated as the Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC). In view of these developments, we believe that it would be a timely and important step to establish an interfaith and ecology network or organisation in Melbourne to work with and under this umbrella.

We have conducted some background investigation into this idea through communicating with and gaining advice from several sources. These include the Climate Institute ARRCC project coordinator, Dr. Miriam Pepper; the director of Green Faith New Jersey, Rev. Fletcher Harper; the coordinator of the Sydney Faith Ecology Network, Anne Lanyon and a management committee member for the Parliament of World Religions (PWR), Helen Heath. Their advice has culminated in a plan to contact key members of various faith groups in Melbourne who are well connected in their communities and invite them to join a group we would at least provisionally call ‘Green Faith.’ This representative group would form a planning committee to plan a launch event as well as prepare a submission to the PWR to run a presentation at the November 2009 Parliament. The PWR is very interested in this possibility as it is important that there is a local community response, input and sustainable ‘legacy’ to the event. The advice we have been given indicates that successful networks of this kind can develop as a result of a major event like the PWR, that acts as a catalyst for a community engagement, and that the formation of community networks is an effective way of sustaining the social energy and motivation generated by these events after they have passed.

We are seeking the support of your organisation in this endeavour and you can assist through your communication networks. We hope you will be able to promote this idea to people you think may be interested in joining a planning committee or attending an initial meeting to discuss its formation and purpose. We attach a flyer for you to distribute to help us find suitable volunteers.

Kind Regards

Jonathan Keren-Black and Elyse Rider

An initative of JCMA and the Faith Communities Forum of Victoria

‘A CAUTIOUS EMBRACE’ - Jewish Christian Conference on Deitrich Bonhoeffer (November 28-29, Kincumber, NSW)

A Christian-Jewish conference reflecting on the discipleship and legacy of Dietrich Bonhoeffer to be held at St Joseph’s Spirituality & Education Centre, Kincumber, NSW on 28-29 November 2008.

‘A Cautious Embrace’

Since the 1960s, when Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life and theology started to become widely known through the editorial and biographical work of Eberhard Bethge, Bonhoeffer has been of interest to Jews and Christians with a concern for post-Holocaust interfaith relations.

Interestingly, Jewish writers seem to have discovered Bonhoeffer’s interfaith significance before Christians. As early as 1960, prominent Jewish scholars noted that Bonhoeffer was one of the modern theologians about whom Jews ought to care. Stephen Haynes, in his paper ‘Jewish Responses to Bonhoeffer’ (November, 2007), delivered at the International Bonhoeffer Society, considers Bonhoeffer’s Jewish reception must be described as ‘a cautious embrace.’

University of Newcastle, NSW.

Registration and general inquiries: Luisa Wragge Ph: (02) 49217755 Fx: (02) 49217907
Luisa.Wragge@newcastle.edu.au

A ministry of the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle

Conference inquiries: Fr Stephen Moore (02) 4938 9313 gresfordparish@bigpond.com

Click here to download flyer with full program

SBS to cover World Youth Day

Program Publicity: Issue date Tuesday 1 July, 2008

WORLD YOUTH DAY 2008

The 10th international World Youth Day in Sydney, the largest youth event in the world, will also mark the first visit to Australia of Pope Benedict XVI. This is the first Papal visit to Australia for 13 years.

With an influx of an estimated 125,000 international visitors; 8000 volunteers; 2000 clergy; and global media representation, the eyes of the world will be on Sydney during this significant time.

More than a happening for the world's Catholics, World Youth Day is open to young people from all faiths and aspires to engender a sense of belonging, and a desire to contribute in a positive way to creating a better world.

For Australians who are unable to make it to Sydney for the World Youth Day events, SBS Television will provide live coverage of the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI, the Opening Mass, the Papal Mass at Randwick and the Stations of the Cross.

There will also be a daily Highlights package covering the Journey of the Cross, Catechesis sessions, and the Pilgrim’s Walkabout. SBS Television’s coverage will give viewers who are unable to make the journey to Sydney the opportunity to participate, in spirit, in this momentous event.

Schedule of SBS Television’s coverage:

Tuesday 15 July
2:30pm – 3:00pm
Highlights: Journey of the Cross

3:00pm – 6:00pm
LIVE: Opening Mass of Welcome – celebrated by Cardinal George Pell, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, and Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko of the Vatican.

Wednesday 16 July
5:30pm – 6:00pm
Highlights: Opening Mass of Welcome

Thursday 17 July
2:00pm – 5:00pm
LIVE coverage of the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI

5:00pm – 5:30pm
Highlights: Cathechesis session

5:30pm – 6:00pm
Pilgrim’s Walkabout – Part 1

Friday 18 July
2:30pm – 3:00pm
Highlights coverage of the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI

3:00pm – 6:00pm
LIVE coverage of the Stations of the Cross beginning from the steps of St Mary’s Cathedral and ending at Cockle Bay, Darling Harbour.

Saturday 19 July
5:30pm – 6:00pm
Highlights: Stations of the Cross

Sunday 20 July
9:15am – 12:30pm
LIVE coverage of the Papal Mass from Randwick Racecourse

12:30pm – 1:30pm
Highlights of the Papal Vigil

7:30pm – 8:00pm
Highlights of the Papal Mass

Monday 21 July
5:00pm – 6:00pm
Highlights of the World Youth Day Celebrations

SBS Radio will also cover World Youth Day with LIVE event broadcasts in English and live crosses in language from Hyde Park, Barangaroo, and Randwick. SBS Radio’s flagship youth program, Alchemy will provide daily reports from the world’s visiting youth to get their take on World Youth Day in Sydney. Live outside broadcasts will also supplement the week of programming in a range of languages.

SBS’s online platform sbs.com.au/worldyouthday will have extensive coverage of the World Youth Day celebrations through news stories, video highlights, photo galleries and multimedia packages, including slideshows and a roster of high-profile bloggers, as part of a vital portal to encourage comment and discussion on the events.

http://www.sbs.com.au/worldyouthday will also stream the four main LIVE televised events, in addition to the Evening Vigil on Saturday 19 July at 6:00pm.

For further information on SBS Television & Online coverage please contact either:
Jo Parker SBS Communications Manager on (02) 9430 3796 / 0413 676 136 or Kathryn Hibbert Senior Communications Specialist on (02) 9430 3785.

For further information on SBS Radio’s coverage, please contact:
Sophia Spinelli Communications Manager for Radio on (03) 9949 2111

Interfaith Youth Pilgrimage (July 13)

Interfaith Youth Pilgrimage now has a face book group page thingy. (I don't understand all this new age stuff, but the kids do!).

Check it out at: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=23614319702

Or, check out the full details on the Days in the Diocese Website.

Victorian Shared Values Day 2008 (July 20)

Sunday, 20th July, 2008
1.30pm-8.00pm
Melbourne Town Hall, Cnr Swanston St and Collins St, Melbourne

Three events in one Day!

Victorian Interfaith Networks Annual Conference - 1.30 PM
Victorian Shared Values Symposium: “What is Truth?” – 3.00 PM
Holy Melbourne Concert 2008 – 6.30 PM (doors open 6.00 PM)

Download Flyer

Embrace our nation’s diversity with the First Victorian Annual Conference of Interfaith Networks and an open forum on the values Australians of all faiths and cultures have in common, the unique, inspiring and uplifting Holy Melbourne Concert 2008 will follow. The opening of the day will be marked by a Respect Ceremony by Reg Blow, Koori Elder and by Tony Lupton MP, representing The Hon. John Brumby MP, Premier of Victoria.

Organisers: Unity in Diversity Inc. and Harmony Foundation Vic. Inc.
Websites: www.multifaithnetvic.net.au/events-detail.php?event_ID=91 www.holymelbourne.com Ph. 0414-467-502

Message of former Premier of Victoria, Mr Steve Bracks:

“I commend the organisers, the Harmony Foundation Victoria and the Unity in Diversity Association, for their commitment to the spiritual and cultural traditions of all Victorians, and I congratulate the many sponsors and artists who have contributed their time and talent in support of this event.”

Victorian Annual Conference of Interfaith Networks 1.30 – 3.00 pm, Supper Hall
The first annual conference of representatives of interfaith networks of municipalities and regions in Victoria aims at sharing experiences, working out best strategies for interfaith networking, events for the general public, liaison and synchronising regional events. It aims to enhance continuous collaboration between interfaith networks and maintaining annual conferences. The participants will come from around 20 Victorian interfaith networks.

Victorian Shared Values Symposium: “What is Truth?” 3.00 - 4.30 pm, Supper Hall
The Symposium represents a transpersonal model for community education in shared values. A panel of experts will provide rare insights into the values of major faith communities. Commencing with creation stories by Reg Blow, Koori Elder, a panel of representatives of 5 faith communities will present their teachings on the topic: Professor Ismail Albayrak, Rev. Lorraine Parkinson, Senior Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan OAM, Rabbi Meir Shlomo Kluwgant and Brahmacharini Nivedita Chaitanya, with Nicholas Coleman, moderator. A public discussion will follow on how the common threads in these beliefs are applicable to our modern society. The presented material is produced in the form of a kit, to serve as an educational tool.

Holy Melbourne Concert 2008, 6.30 – 8.00 pm Main Hall
This multicultural musical event features authentic traditional sacred chants, songs and instrumental music of various faith communities. Presented as one continuous musical unit, the concert ends with performers and audience singing the unity song, accompanied by the grand organ, complete with Federation bells… The program consists of songlines in original Koori languages, Chinese Buddhist chants, Jewish and Christian choir music, Qawalli style Muslim singing, and Hindustani style violin and organ music. 15 original traditional instruments will be used. Musical Director and Chief Conductor: Andrew Wailes, Organist: John Atwell, Producer and Director: Marta Balan, performers: Tye Brothers, Murali Kumar, Sridhar Chari, Yun Yang Temple Chanters, Wang Zheng-Ting, Colour of Unity, Central Shule Choir, Brett Kaye, Holy Melbourne Singers 2008, Andrew Wailes, Chaski - Music of the Andes. Broadcaster: 3MBS radio. The opening address will be delivered by Commissioner Elleni Bereded-Samuel, the representative of the Victorian Multicultural Commission.

Sponsors and supporters: The Hon John Brumby MP, Premier of Victoria, Victorian Multicultural Commission, City of Melbourne, Ian Potter Foundation, Monash University, 3 MBS radio, Living Now, Bharat Times, AMES, Ian Steed’s School of Music, JCCV, ICVV, VCC, CCJV, BCCV, Buddhist Foundation of Australia (Vic.) Inc., Hindu Foundation of Australia, Museum of Vic., Infinite IT Solutions.

"Rome, Constantinople and Canterbury. Mother Churches?"

Here are some really interesting podcasts from a conference held at St. Vladimir's Seminary entitled, "Rome, Constantinople and Canterbury. Mother Churches?" As you can see, the program is packed with good speakers. I have only listened to Hilarion Alfeyev's presentation so far, but it goes to the heart of the matter. For more on the subject, I also recommend a paper which I have just put up (with permission) on our Commission website by Adam DeVille called "Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Primacy: A Plea for a New Common Approach".

Thursday June 5, 2008
Metropolitan Philip-Canon 28 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council
Bishop Keith Ackerman-Authority:Magisterial, Confessional or Conciliar?
Rev. J. Robert Wright (paper read by Fr. Paul Clayton)-Primacy in the Anglican Tradition
Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon-Holy Scripture and the Evangelization of America
Friday June 6, 2008
Fr. John H. Erickson-Primacy and Primacies in the Orthodox Church
Fr. Richard John Neuhaus-Reconciliation Between East and West
Bishop Hilarion (Alfeyev)-Primacy and Catholicity in the Orthodox Tradition
Fr. Warren Tanghe-Primacy, Authority and Communion
Panel Discussion - Where Are We So Far?
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Fellowship announcement by Fr. Stephen Platt and a greeting and remarks from Archbishop Rowan Williams of Canterbury (delivered by Canon Jonathan Goodall from the office of the Archbishop
Metropolitan Kallistos-Primacy and the Pope
Igumen Jonah Paffhausen-Primacy and Eccesiology

Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Primacy: A Plea for a New Common Approach

(Adam A.J. DeVille is an Assistant Professor of Theology at the University of St. Francis in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and editor of Logos: A Journal of Eastern Christian Studies.)

(Originally published in Ecumenical Trends, Volume 37, No. 4, April 2008)

It is obvious that the forces of division land destruction, both natural and supernatural, do not desire the success of the official international dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic Church. Whenever the dialogue is on the verge of making progress, it is waylaid by some unforeseen secondary issue. Consider the history.1

...In fact, in both 2006 and 2007, Hilarion has put his finger on a crucial difficulty and major lacuna in Orthodox ecclesiology that has been identified as such for many centuries, but perhaps most acutely in the last eighty-five years.8 There is no consensus on primacy in general or on particular forms of primacy, such as universal primacy, papal primacy, or the primacy exercised by Constantinople. In the face of such a lacuna, Bishop Hilarion argued that “the Orthodox participants are not authorized to ‘invent’ an ecclesiological model for the Orthodox Church similar to the one existing in the Roman Catholic Church in order that the Patriarch of Constantinople could occupy a place like the one the Pope occupies in the Church of Rome.”9 In another article, Hilarion was even more explicit in saying that Orthodox-Catholic dialogue “would be possible only if an ecclesiological model in which the Patriarch of Constantinople occupies the place of an ‘Eastern Pope’ is not imposed on the Orthodox Church.”10 According to Alfeyev, “there has been no such a model in the Orthodox Church, and for instituting it at least the Pan-Orthodox Council is required and the consent of all local Orthodox Churches.”11 Such a seeking of consensus, he said, should take place first “within Orthodoxy and after it, if possible, between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.” Such a seeking of consensus is necessary because among the Orthodox Churches there is a very considerable divergence of understandings of what primacy is in general, and what any particular “primacy” exercised by Constantinople may legitimately entail. As Hilarion said, some Orthodox “rather regard this primacy as purely honourable, while others give certain coordinating functions to the patriarch of Constantinople and see him as highest court.”12

Hilarion is right on all these matters. The real issues about Constantinople’s role, its canonical status and the historical changes pertaining thereto, the relationships between it and the other Orthodox patriarchates and Churches in general, and the larger question of primacy, are all far from clearly settled in Orthodox ecclesiology or, especially, practice.13

What I want to draw attention to is a possible method for settling them. I want to suggest that, pace Alfeyev and Kasper, Orthodoxy does not need first to sort out its own “internal” understanding of universal primacy and the role of Constantinople in order next to come to a consensus between Orthodoxy and Catholicism on the question of papal primacy. I want to suggest, rather, that Orthodoxy and Catholics do this together because universal primacy, which is to say papal primacy, is an open question for all Christians, and we need each other to solve this problem....

For the entire article, click here.

Pilgrim Walking the World for Christian Unity

Inviting People to Join in Praying For One United Church

ROME, JUNE 17, 2008 (Source: Zenit).- At 4:01 p.m. every day, people around the world (in their respective time zones) stop to pray "for one" -- for one united Church.

The initiative was begun by Australian Samuel Clear. But Clear was not satisfied with recruiting just family and friends for the 4:01 prayer crusade. So he decided to start an around-the-world pilgrimage seeking Christian unity, called "walk4one." He's been walking for some 11,000 miles -- since beginning in Brazil in December 2006, inviting whomever he can to pray for a united Church.

Clear began in the eastern-most point of the Americas. A Web site and blog keep his followers aware of his progress; he's currently in Spain and will be back in Australia for this summer's World Youth Day.

Clear told ZENIT how he decided to walk around the world to pray for unity. Though he has a degree in mechanical engineering, he spent five years in his native Australia as a missionary.

"In that time in Australia I began to see a lot of division within the churches. Particularly as a Catholic missionary I was being batted around the head quite seriously for not being 'Christian,' because I was Catholic," Clear explained. "But a lot of the problems that people had with me being Catholic weren't true; they were founded on half truths.

"There're a lot of problems. What really struck me, though, was [the conversion of] a Pentecostal and an evangelical man who became Catholic. And both of them lost their friends and family because they became Catholics and their friends and family believed they had dishonored Christ.

"In that moment, I guess I kind of glimpsed the pain of Christ at the broken Church and I couldn't let it rest. It just kept eating at me and as much as I tried to forget it, it [got] to the point where I had to do something."

I need you

It was through prayer that Clear decided what he would do: "I was kneeling down in Mass one day and just prayed: 'Lord, love to help you, but sorry, mate, you're on your own. I can't help you.' And once I had shut up, once I was quiet, I just felt the Lord saying: 'You know, Samuel, you're right. You can't fix it, but I can. I need you to pray.'"

Clear had already begun the 4:01 prayer initiative, but as he noted on the walk4one Web site, "I began to get frustrated at not being able reach more people outside my immediate friendship group."

"That's been the mission," Clear told ZENIT. "I just pray, pray for unity and that invitation to pray for unity got to the point where I was looking at a map one day and I thought I could just walk. I really wanted to not just pray for unity but to extend the invitation to pray for unity.

"So I took a year of planning and meeting with my bishop and meeting my director of the mission where I was working and eventually we came to the decision where I would do it. […] So I sold what I had and started walking.

"I walk and pray, simply. And then I stop in all churches along the way: Orthodox, Pentecostal, Protestant, evangelical, and extend the invitation to pray
for unity."

--- --- ---

On the Net:

walk4one: www.ymt.com.au/walk4one/index_2.php

[Interview by Claudia Soberón; writing by Kathleen Naab]

“From Sound to Silence” (July 11)

Meditate to Music from the Faith Traditions of the World

Friday 11th July 1-2 pm
Pilgrim House of Prayer
St Augustine’s Church
Bourke St (between Spencer St and King St), Melbourne

Program:

1. Opening comment on interfaith relations in Melbourne

2. Music

o Indigenous: Conrad Ross, didgeridoo
o Hindu: Ilya Komesaroff , Sitar
o Jewish: Annette (cello), ‘From Jewish Life’ by Ernest Bloch
o Muslim: Rasheeda (and others), chanting

3. a period of stillness after each item.