RfPA
Let’s talk about: Technology in spiritual care
Drawing from her extensive experience of using technology in her role as a Spiritual Wellbeing Coordinator, Beaté Steller will share insights from her book, Tech-connect – Staying Meaningfully Connected in Aged Care (2017), where she developed a spiritual care program using technology to connect a resident unable to attend her grandson’s wedding. This webinar is part of a series of continuing education sessions planned for 2023 by the Centre for Ageing and Pastoral Studies (CAPS) in conjunction with the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.
Tasmania: July 2023
Greetings of peace!
This week, in Australia, we have been celebrating NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC stands for National Aboriginals and Islanders Day Observance Committee. The National Executive of Religions for Peace Australia has decided on the advice of Senator Pat Dodson to support the Yes vote in the Referendum on the First Nations’ Voice to Parliament.
Religious Short Film Prize
The Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture 2023 Spiritus Short Film Prize aims to contribute to a vision of hope and the common good for Australia. Entries close: 11:59 pm (Pacific Time) 31 August 2023.
ACT: Interfaith Dialogues: Faith and the Democratic
The Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture and Bluestar Institute are presenting an evening of interfaith dialogue, hosted by renowned political journalist, Paul Bongiorno. Our four faith speakers – Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu – will come together to discuss the topic of faith and democracy. This event will present on 12 Jul 2023 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm, at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Barton, ACT.
Human rights lawyers highlight flaws in NSW Government’s approach to Religious Vilification
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR) has highlighted serious flaws in the New South Wales Government’s Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Vilification) Bill 2023 (the Bill). The Bill seeks to include religious vilification as an offence under the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. Under the Bill, it would become unlawful to publicly invite hatred towards or severely ridicule a person or group because of their religious belief, affiliation or activity.
Archbishop Makarios of Australia Addresses Drug Abuse
SYDNEY – June 26 has been designated by the United Nations as a day for informing and raising awareness about drugs, a major scourge of modern society. Archbishop Makarios of Australia devoted a homily to this serious topic. The Archbishop said:
“Data published by the international organization regarding the spread and consequences of the trend overwhelms people’s hearts with feelings of profound pain.
“Every day, more than 1,350 of our fellow human beings pass away from drug abuse.
Tasmania: Meet the Westerners finding belonging in Islam, the world’s fastest growing religion
A few weeks ago, about 100 Muslim brothers surrounded father and schoolteacher Lincoln Randall at Launceston’s Masjid Mosque as he took his Shahada — a statement of faith taken on entry into the religion.
But if you’d told him six months ago that he’d become a Muslim, he said he probably would have laughed.
Born into a non-practicing Protestant family, Mr Randall said that while he always believed in God, Christianity just didn’t sit right with him.
Brisbane: Holocaust Museum Opens
Holocaust survivor Peter Baruch is seen inside Queensland’s first Holocaust Museum and Education Centre in Brisbane, Friday, June 30, 2023.(AAP Image/Darren England)
The new Queensland Holocaust Museum, the state’s first museum to be dedicated to the Shoah opened on Friday, June 30, honouring more than 200 Holocaust survivors who made Queensland their home.
Victorian Anti Semitism Report
The Victorian Anti Semitism Report examines the key incidents, trends and ideologies driving the growth in antisemitism, which is becoming more threatening and visible, and also reviews the key far-left and far-right groups operating in Victoria, the impact of Covid-19 on these organisations and their leaders in Victoria and nationally. Finally, the report describes, in general terms, the state of rising antisemitism globally to provide the direction in which Australian and Victorian antisemitism may be heading.
The importance of allyship in responding to targeted violence and discrimination
At the Annual General Meeting of Religions for Peace Australia (18 June 2023), Professor Nicole Asquith of the University of Tasmania gave one talk on the importance of allyship in responding to targeted violence and discrimination. This talk gave an overview about targeted violence in Australia, and then focus on the importance of allyship in responding to hate, prejudice and violence.
Australia’s Ambassador to Holy See: Women diplomats in Vatican a ‘formidable group’
Marking the annual International Day of Women in Diplomacy, Chiara Porro, Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, speaks of the challenges and rewards of the job and of the crucial perspective women bring to international relations.
