Des Cahill has been Chair, Religions for Peace Australia, since 2001. At the recent 9th Asian Conference of Religions for Peace General Assembly, Des Cahill was elected Moderator of the Asian Conference of Religions for Peace, unanimously, by the 22 member nations present. In this article, Maria Minto Cahill – wife of 44 years – gives an account of the history of Emeritus Professor Desmond Cahill and Religions for Peace Australia.
Emeritus Professor Desmond Cahill
Multifaith and Interfaith History of Australia
Religions for Peace Australia presents an overview of the Multifaith and Interfaith History of Australia, delivered by Emeritus Professor Desmond P. Cahill, OAM. This presentation commences with the history of the Macassans visiting Australia and their interactions with indigenous peoples. Colonialisation and European settlement and the dismissal of indigenous presence and spirituality in this land is related.
Racism in times of Covid-19
Religions for Peace Australia presents Racism in times of Covid-19, an account of racism and extremism in times of pandemic. This video – delivered by Emeritus Professor Desmond Cahill, OAM, touches on many bases and causes of racism generally, in addition to addressing far-right extremism in Australia, which has undoubtedly contributed to this issue.
Australia: The High Court and Cardinal Pell
Religions for Peace Australia has not taken one side nor the other about the legal processes Cardinal George Pell has been involved. Visitors to this website will be aware that we took a multifaith approach to the Royal Commission and covered the progress and investigations of the Royal Commission into all religions. We have 105 articles on the Royal Commission from a multifaith perspective on this website.
The Chair of Religions for Peace Australia, Emeritus Professor Desmond Cahill presented evidence on the impact of clerical culture to the Royal Commission itself and as part of World Interfaith Harmony Week in 2018, gave an appraisal on Clerical Culture, Religious Organisations and the Royal Commission Report.
Prof. Cahill also presented “And What Would God Think, Rebuilding Pastoral Health and Integrity after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse” to the Health and Integrity Conference conducted by the major religious orders and clerical groups in Melbourne. At present Prof. Cahill is working on a book on the Theology of the Child. We take no side on the decision of the High Court of Australia regarding Cardinal Pell. In this article, we share the observations of the ABC’s Religious Affairs reporter, Noel Debien.
Bangladesh: World Peace through Interfaith and Intrafaith Dialogue
In Dhaka on November 27th-28th 2018, Religions for Peace Bangladesh sponsored an international seminar on World Peace through Interfaith and Intrafaith Dialogue in association with Religions for Peace Asia. It was attended by about 140 religious and interfaith leaders together with religious scholars and researchers from Bangladesh and international attendees from Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.
