Australia – Roundup 4 April 2020

Religions in Australia

On this page, we seek to give account of how different faith communities in Australia – in many states – are providing devotional and spiritual activities for their adherents in this time of Coronavirus – when places of worship in Australia have been closed by the government. There is much information here, more is welcome. Use our contact page if you do not find your community listed, and you wish to have your community’s offerings listed here.

Update: There are a number of new links added for Christian worship in languages other than English.


Hinduism:

All Hindu Temples and Shrines in Australia are closed as per the direction of the Government on 23 March 2020. Some temples continue daily puja behind closed doors and may be contacted for prayers and hommams. See here for more information.
http://hinducouncil.com.au/new/our-teams/member-organizations/

In India, many temples have live darshan. You may need to load Flash player to view some of these darshans. Some darshans are overloaded (and the server falls over); these provide links to Youtube downloads of darshan. Darshan is frequently offered between 4AM and 11AM (sometimes 8pm) IST.

Siddhivinayak Mandir Mumbai
– You can view the live darshan from this famous Ganesh temple here.

Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Varanasi
– You can view the live darshan here.

Ujjain Mahakaleshwar Temple
– You can view the live darshan here

Shirdi Sai Baba Temple
– You can view the live darshan of Samadhi Mandir here.

Unjha Umiya Temple
– Goddess Umiya in Gujarat – You can view the live darshan here.

Tulja Bhavani Temple
– Live Darshan from Tula Bhavani Mandir can be found here.

Somnath Temple
– You can view the live darshan here.

Jagannath Mandir, Ahmedabad
– You can view the live darshan here.

Kolhapur Mahalaxmi Temple
– You can have live darshan here.

Jyotiba Kolhapur
– You can live darshan of Jyotiba here

Baba Baidyanath Temple, Deoghar
– You can view the live darshan here

Sarangpur Hanuman Temple
– Live Darshan Here
If Darshan is not available, download from this page.

Pune Dagdusheth Ganpati
– Live Darshan Here


Mother Meera:

This is Mother’s message for the current situation:

“Don’t be afraid, stay calm and pray!”

Due to the current situation around the Corona Virus, we had to cancel many Darshans. Instead, Mother Meera is holding meditations on Livestream to which you are cordially invited. Their motto is: Meditation with Mother – wherever you are

The Livestreams will take place every day at 7:00 p.m Central European Time starting Friday, March 13th.

Mother Meera Darshan, Germany
– Live Darshan here


Ammachi’s Amritapuri Ashram

Ashram is closed. Amma has given a message and youtube video. See https://religionsforpeaceaustralia.org.au/?p=10159


Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference

Update: Resources for Palm Sunday are now online. They include both a short and long version of the Gospel, prayer resources and more:
https://bit.ly/ACBC_PalmSunday

For more liturgical resources for Holy Week and mass online:
https://bit.ly/ACBC_PrayAtHome

For up-to-date COVID-19 protocols from different Australian dioceses:
https://bit.ly/ACBC_coronavirus

Liturgy of the Hours

Cairns is live-streaming the Liturgy of the Hours:
https://www.cathnews.com/cathnews/37588-cairns-livestreams-liturgy-of-the-hours


Melbourne Catholic
Daily Mass Schedule:
Monday – Friday, 1pm
Saturday, 8am*
Sunday, 11am
Masses are livestreamed daily from St Patrick’s Cathedral.
Link to all livestreaming: http://melbournecatholic.org.au/Mass

Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney
Archbishop Anthony Fisher will celebrate Mass live-streamed on Sunday at 10:30am: St Marys Cathedral, Sydney The Mass will be available online via this link: https://www.stmaryscathedral.org.au/ as well as directly streamed to the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney Facebook page.

Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane
Full webcast schedule for Holy Week and afterwards.
See webcast schedule here: https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/multimedia/web-cast-schedule/
On Demand webcasts: https://brisbanecatholic.org.au/multimedia/on-demand-web-casts/
Facebook has notices and updates. https://www.facebook.com/archbne

Catholic Diocese of Darwin
Sunday Mass 
Online link: http://www.darwin.catholic.org.au/video
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darwindiocese/
Daily reflections from the Bishop on Facebook

Sunday Mass: Celebrated by Bishop Charles Gauci, Mass will be broadcast each Sunday at 9am on Aboriginal TV Channel 4, Larrakia Radio 94.5FM, Australian Indigenous Radio VAST913, National Radio 2400, Radio Channel 401 &403 and Aboriginal Melbourne Radio 3KND.

Catholic Archdiocese of Hobart
Live Stream of Palm Sunday Mass on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFfcSO5ay8M
Streaming begins at 10:20am (daylight saving is over)


Good Friday:

Catholics around Australia will be able to watch Easter services at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney live on national television.

The Seven Network will stream The Lord’s Passion at 3pm on Good Friday and Easter Sunday Mass from 10.30am across the country on Channel 7 and on Prime 7 in regional areas, and live-streamed on 7plus.


Anglican Church Southern Queensland

Links to 27 Churches providing live streaming
https://anglicanchurchsq.org.au/livestream/

Anglican Parish of Gosford

You can follow Father Rod Bower’s sermons and services on Facebook Live


St Mary’s Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church

St Mary’s Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church Sydney, Seven Hills, is livestreaming prayer and worship
https://www.facebook.com/stmarys.church.sydney/videos/217821909455522/


Baptist Union of Victoria

Online Baptist Church Services
https://www.buv.com.au/news/online-baptist-church-services


Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh

Melbourne Shwetambar
Melbourne Jain Sangh (community) advises that the Temple is closed for the duration of the Covid-19 emergency.
http://www.msjs.org.au/


Syro Malabar Eparchy Melbourne

Syro Malabar Eparchy of St Thomas the Apostle, Melbourne

Daily Masses (Holy Qurbana) offered online, Live, Malayalam language:
he following schedule will be followed:
Sundays at 10.00 am and 5.00 pm(AEDT)
Weekdays at 10.00 am -5.00 pm (Monday-Saturday)(AEDT)
Shalom TV : https://syromalabar.org.au/watch-live/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Syro-Malabar-Eparchy-of-St-Thomas-the-Apostle-MelbourneAustralia-1491181514523271/


greek orthodox archdiocese of australia

Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia

Streams services using Facebook live.


Uniting Church Australia

Uniting Church Vic Tas
The Uniting Church in Australia Facebook page will host livestreamed worship from around the country from Palm Sunday.
https://www.facebook.com/UnitingChurchAu/

An overview of Live Streaming in the Uniting Church of Australia is found here: https://assembly.uca.org.au/news/item/3158-livestreaming-on-assembly-platforms

This page has the planned livestream services upto the end of May.

Uniting Church Services in Languages other than English

If you want to experience worshipping God on Sunday with congregational leaders who speak languages other than English, here is the list:

Mascot Wesley Uniting Church (Tongan)
https://www.facebook.com/mascotwesley.unitingchurch.7/videos

Tonga Parish Media
https://www.facebook.com/tpmuca/

Gospel Hall Melbourne UCA (Chinese)
https://www.facebook.com/ucaucghm/?ref=br_tf

Taiwanese UCA Brisbane (Taiwanese)
https://www.facebook.com/taiwanuca/

St Albans (Filipino) UCA Melbourne (English)
https://www.facebook.com/stalbansunitingchurch

St Andrews UCA Melbourne (Indonesian)
http://saguc.org.au/

GKI Perth UCA (Indonesian)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRx8jTTkDBI&feature=youtu.be

Hanbit UCA Melbourne (Korean)
Youtube: Hanbit Korean church of Melbourne

Uniting Church NSW
Churches that livestream their services
https://nswact.uca.org.au/covid-19-information-for-presbyteries-and-congregations/livestream-options-for-worship-during-covid-19/


Executive Council of Australian Jewry – National Bulletin #2

Executive Council of Australian Jewry Logo

Jewish community organisations and leaders across Australia have intensified their efforts to manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Jewish institutions, families, individuals and, most especially, the elderly and vulnerable. We recognise with deep appreciation the continuing work being done by the Jewish community roof bodies in each State, the Crisis Management Teams of the Community Security Groups, shules, the Day Schools, the aged care sector, the welfare sector and volunteers, and commend them for the high sense of responsibility they have demonstrated.
Read National Bulletin #2 here

To download this statement in PDF format, click here.

 

Shabbat Guidance for Jews in time of Coronavirus


Brahma Kumaris
All Locations Closed Due to COVID19 Until Further Notice.

A Message of Hope and Courage during Current Times | Sister Jayanti |

 


Buddhists:
Dhammanet – Youtube
Lokanta 717 service daily. Several times daily. Youtube link

 


Albury Wat (Albury Buddhist Monastery

Albury Wat
The health and wellbeing of the community is our top priority.
In order to help slow the spread of COVID-19 we decided to turn our regular Sunday service to be online service on facebook live. Every Sunday, April 5 – June 28
https://www.facebook.com/events/517491935601123/

Start 10.00 am
10.00am Dhammachak Chanting
10.18am Meditation
10.45am End of the online service


Melbourne Buddhist Centre

Melbourne Buddhist Centre
Thursday Nights at the Melbourne Buddhist Centre
Thursday Nights Dharma Zoom Event
26 March, 7.30-8.30pm,
‘Itir’s’ Journey to Ordination

Thursday nights go online! Zoom in to hear Itir talk about her journey to Ordination. This will be our first live streamed talk with opportunities for Q&A.The talk will start promptly at 7.30pm. Please follow this Zoom link to join us:

Please go to this page to obtain the Zoom link – Zoom is now using passwords. Contact Melbourne Buddhist Centre for more.

Melbourne Buddhist Centre will soon start a comprehensive online service. See more here

Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple Western Australia – 佛光山西澳道場

Online English Dharma Chanting Service
For Global FGS and Buddha’s Light Members
New Video: 4/4 (Saturday), 7:30pm (GMT+8)
This Week’s Speaker: Venerable Dr. Juewei
Topic: My Dharma Reflection of the Coronavirus
Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/pg/FGSWesternAustralia/posts/?ref=page_internal


Quakers Australia (Society of Friends)

Australian Quakers
In response to the Coronavirus disruption, changes have been made to the planned Easter Family Gathering 2020. Firstly, the Easter Family Gathering will take place on the platform zoom.us and be available to anyone with internet access. We will be inspired by Yearly Meetings around the world who are sharing ways to have community around cancelled events. We will be forging new ways to meet and eat together, to share activities, listen to stories and exchange ideas. Read more here.
For other updates and changes to Friends Meetings during the Coronavirus lockdown, please go here.


Cragieburn Gurudwara

Cragieburn Gurduara
NO ATTENDANCE AT GURUDWARA!
Live streaming of Parkash
https://igurudwara.com/craigieburn/live-streaming-from-gurudwara-sahib/
See Main Page for Diwan times.
Guru sewa is being done in collaboration with Khalsa Foundation:
Cragieburn Gurduara Khalsa Foundation


Sikh Volunteers Australia

Sikh Volunteers Australia is calling out to all International students struggling during the coronavirus crisis. Free food delivery or collection available in three city councils area. Please see attached poster for more information. Food delivery has been extended until 20 April.

Sikh Volunteeers Australia

Sikh Community Brisbane
Brisbane Sikh Temple

Sikh Community Brisbane - Guru Sewa
Will deliver food to the needy within 25 kilometre radius from the Eight Mile Plains Sikh Temple. Ring orders through upto 2pm.
Those people who wish to donate please Donate, we need Rice, personal necessities, (Toilet Roll, paper towel, hand wash soap or liquid, tissue box). There is a free food pickup service – particularly for vegetarian foods. See Facebook for more information.

Please Note – We have only vegetarian food and This project is for every community especially to self-isolated people due to Coronavirus, elderly people or anyone who need it so please don’t hesitate we will try to help as much as we can .

We will keep update all information.
Stay Safe Stay Strong Stay Kind
Contact: 0432710523,    0430 501 168,    0430 103 025


South Australia
Proposed Prayer Vigil for Climate Healing

An ecumenical and interfaith prayer vigil
Tuesday, 7 April 2020 6:00pm -8:00pm
North bank of the river, Karrawirra (Park12)
(Near the University Footbridge)

We invite people from all faith communities to gather at 5.30pm in the city; either at a place significant for your own faith, or near the plaque at the Sri Chinmoy Peace Park opposite the Women’s and Children’s Hospital on Sir Edwin Smith Avenue, North Adelaide.

Each community is invited to bring a flask of water, symbolizing our connection with the divine according to our own tradition; and to wear clothes
distinctive of our various traditions.

From these places we will walk quietly to meet together at 6pm by the river near the University footbridge, at the landing place near the boat sheds.

There we will observe some silence, be Welcomed to Country by a Kaurna elder, and join in a circle to pray. There will be a symbolic pouring of water into a single vessel. This will then be poured into the river by the Kaurna elder, symbolizing our prayers for healing of our common home. There will be time to reflect together and hear a few words by Dr. Deidre Palmer, president of the Uniting Church.

Download a Flyer for this event


Uniting Church: Canberra Region Presbytery

Canberra Region Presbytery
Canberra Region Presbytery that there has been teleconferencing among leadership and announces, inter-alia,
Weekly Cycle of Prayers and Devotions
See Also, Week9 Weekend Prayers
Livestreaming of Worship around Australia
See also, Uniting Church in Australia Facebook


Hobart Mosque

Mosque Access Suspended Temporarily
The Federal Government of Australia has announced some further measures to stop spread of coronavirus and closing the places of worship is one of them. We have also received the latest statements from the Australian National Imams Council (ANIC) regarding this. Jumna at MCOT is suspended.

After having a discussion among the committee members, TMA have decided to suspend the Five Daily Congregational Prayers at the Hobart Mosque until further notice. Please increase Istighfar during this crisis. May Allah swt protect us all from this calamity and allow us to resume our worship in the Masjid soon
See Facebook for notice.


Sydney Bahá’í Temple

In accord with the directions of the Government, the Sydney Bahá’í Temple is closed. Online worship is in consideration. Watch this page for news. Meanwhile,
Virtual devotions are being offered by the Bahá’í House of Worship for North America every day, same time, same place…. live at 1:30 pm U.S. ET, 12:30 pm CT, 11:30 am MT, 10:30 am PT on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BahaiTempleNorthAmerica/

Australian Baha'i Community


Global Call to Creatives
United Nations and Flattening the Curve

United Nations - Call to Creatives
“For the first time, the United Nations is launching an Open Brief to creatives everywhere to help spread public health messages in ways which will be effective, accessible and shareable. Together we can flatten the curve.

This isn’t a single campaign. We are looking for a multitude of creative solutions to reach audiences across different cultures, age groups, affiliations, geographies and languages. We are asking you to extend your imagination, raise your ambition and lend your support and ingenuity”

With the coronavirus spreading to all corners of the world, the United Nations is enlisting the help of creatives around the world in areas not yet overrun by the disease to avoid or minimize the outbreak.

The United Nations, in its ‘Global Call to Creatives: An Open Brief from the United Nations’, states that it needs help “translating critical public health messages into different languages, different cultures, communities and platforms, reaching everyone, everywhere”.

“We need to meet people where they are, with a stream of fresh, innovative content which drives home the personal behaviors and societal support needed today. We are equipping you with WHO-provided knowledge and messages to spread,” said the call to action.

The UN is launching this first-ever open brief to creatives everywhere to help spread the public health messages in ways which will be effective, accessible and shareable.

The UN called out six key areas of activation it hopes to hit with its ‘mini-briefs or episodes’: personal hygiene, social distancing, know the symptoms, myth-busting and do more, donate.

Each brief lists the areas of focus, inspiration, existing UN assets and the tone it would like creators to use. For instance, for physical distancing, it states maintaining a six-foot distance from others and having people stay at home. For inspiration, it lists balcony concerts, social distancing matches and a ‘Together, At Home’ concert series toolkit.

In concluding, it notes the formats needed – video, graphics, audio, activation and solidarity ideas – plus the platforms it will be spreading information and the languages needed.

“We plan to amplify and share the best responses to this brief as widely as possible,” states the brief. “We’re moving fast and we hope you can too. By following the WHO key messages and sharing them truthfully and effectively, you can help Flatten the Curve yourself.”

Those who want to join the effort are asked to fill out a form on Google Forms, or contact StrategyHub@UN.org.


Gathering Together While Apart

Trifaith Logo
Friday, April 3
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM CST
Online Gathering
Click here to register.
Featuring acclaimed author and facilitator Priya Parker, “Gathering Together While Apart” will discuss our sudden shift away from in-person gatherings, exploring how we can create intimate, meaningful opportunities for connection during this unpredictable time.

During this hour-long conversation, Priya will share creative, real-life examples of people convening while #TogetherApart. She will invite participants to think through how to be intentional, effective gatherers who create magic between people during a time of social distance.

Whether planning online worship services, a virtual family Seder, or an upcoming staff retreat, learning the Art of “Gathering Together While Apart” is one of many ways we can work together to prevent a loneliness boom during the coming months.

Raed more here


There is much information here, more is welcome. Use our contact page if you do not find your community listed, and you wish to have your commumnity’s offerings listed here.


 

Religions in Australia