Greetings of peace! The most beautiful gift we can give one another is the gift of peaceful thoughts, words and actions, especially at a time when peaceful interactions may not be the norm. Peaceful interactions build social cohesion, creating the glue that holds our communities together.
The most beautiful gift we can give one another is the gift of peaceful thoughts, words and actions, especially at a time when peaceful interactions may not be the norm. Peaceful interactions build social cohesion, creating the glue that holds our communities together.
Please consider this an invitation to save the date for the Religions for Peace Australia AGM in person and online, 12 June, 6.30-8.30pm AEST. Our guest speaker will be Anthea Hancocks and her topic: “Social cohesion and faith communities.” See details for AGM and our annual Discussion Day below.
Holy Days in May 2024
| Date | Observance | Faith/religion |
| 19 May | Pentecost | Christianity |
| 23 May | Vesak | Buddhism |
| 24 May | Declaration of the Bab | Baha’i |
| 28 May | Ascension of Baha’ullah | Baha’i |
Tasmanian Chinese Buddhist Academy of Australia
Bathing Buddha Ceremony
We cordially invite you to join us at the 2568 Bathing Buddha Holy Ceremony, hosted by our Academy on Sunday, 19 May. The event will be held in person and online.
The Bathing Buddha Festival is an important festival of Buddhist purity. According to many Buddhist scriptures, the Great Holy Sakyamuni Buddha descended upon this Saha world and was born to Madam Mayadeva in the Lumbini Grove in Ancient India. He was bathed in the ambrosia of the nine dragons from the nine heavens. Therefore, commemorating the birth of the Buddha is traditionally known as the Bathing Buddha Festival. Bathing the Buddha in holy ambrosia represents a pure holy celebration.
Date: Sunday 19th May, 2024
(12th day of the fourth month of the Lunar Year of Jia Chen, 2568th Buddhist calendar year)
Time: 10 am to 12 pm Australian Eastern Time
In person venue: 1st Floor, 77 Collins Street, Hobart, Tasmania
Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81550706801
Meeting ID: 815 5070 6801
May we celebrate the Buddha’s holy birthday together and bathe in the Tathagata’s altar with reverence.
May we transform the three karmas to the three tantras, and attain Buddhahood in the current lifetime and deliver sentient beings.
RSVP: email: tcbaa.rsvp@gmail.com phone – 0451 837 983
Symphony of Peace Prayers
Everyone is welcome to this online event to be held on 19 May 2024, 11.00-1.00pm
https://byakko.org/event/symphony-of-peace-prayers-3/
Laudato Si’ Week 19-26 May
On Care for Our Common Home (Pope Francis, June 2015)
This week is a reminder about the urgency of the Laudato Si’ message and the need for both personal and cultural transformation and needs to ecological and climate crisis.
Seeds of Hope: Laudato Si’ Week, 19-26 May, celebrates the anniversary of Pope Francis’ landmark encyclical on caring for creation. This global celebration unites Catholics in listening and responding to creation’s cry, rejoicing in the progress we have made in bringing Laudato Si’ to life and intensifying our efforts for education and action.
Individually, as a group or community, you are invited to join the Catholic Earthcare community through which you will learn how to better care for creation. On joining, you will receive a free Australian Guide to Laudato Si’ Action Planning as well as other supporting resources. Join Catholic Earthcare now, here: https://www.caritas.org.au/LSAP-Guide
An Australian educator internationally grounded in ecological conversion and integral ecology, Jacqui Redmond, will be the guest at Weaving an Integral Ecology Together, hosted by the Bellerive/Lindisfarne Parish Laudato Si’ Steering Committee.
When: Saturday, 1 June, from 9:30/10 am – 3:30 pm
Where: Corpus Christi Catholic School Hall, Bellerive.
Cost: donation.
Further information: luch.brighella@catholic.tas.edu.au
Registration: online at Google Docs
Sacred Conversations
You are most welcome to join us on the last Saturday of every month, from 2 to 4pm at the Bahai Centre of Learning 1 Tasman Highway Hobart.
We are an interfaith/interspiritual group dedicated to providing a place and a space which enables people of diverse backgrounds and belief systems to come together in a spirit of peace, love, and unity.
Next meeting is on Saturday 25th May: Special guest will be John Kamara, Tasmania’s 2023 Australian of the Year.
If you can’t attend in person, feel free to use our Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6401673016
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions. Email:julianmcgarry@gmail.com, phone: 0401673016
Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
Did you know that your super may be the biggest part of your carbon footprint?
The ARRCC Divestment Group has produced a 7 point list (based on over 4 years training & exploration in the area) with easy to use linked resources for individuals to reduce, especially the carbon footprint of their finances.
To find out more & explore the links come to our free 75-minute online session on either
Wednesday 5th June 2024, 12.00 – 1:15pm AEST ACT/NSW/TAS/VIC/QLD, (11:30AM SA/NT), (10AM WA) or
Thursday 6th June 2024, 7:30 – 8:45pm AEST ACT/NSW/TAS/VIC/QLD, (7:00PM SA/NT), (5:30PM WA).
Please register prior to the workshop at https://www.trybooking.com/CRCKG to receive the zoom link.
Sessions run by Jamie Thom & Sue Ennis from the ARRCC Divestment Group
You can read more here
Dances of Universal Peace
Full Moon Sing
When: Saturday 25 May, 6pm for shared meal and 7pm for Kirtan with Sangita
Where: Pat Murnane Hall, 188A Lenah Valley Road, next to the RSL, Lenah Valley.
You are invited to sing and chant this full moon at the hall near the RSL in Lenah Valley.
We will start with a shared meal – please bring some delicious vegetarian food to share. Basic kitchen facilities are available at the hall.
Sangita will then lead our Kirtan. If you would like to offer a song, poem or other inspirational contribution, you are welcome to do so. You can also just come to enjoy singing and chanting, to offer instrumental accompaniment, or simply to listen. There is space to dance as well.
Please feel free to bring musical instruments, flowers, and items for the altar or to beautify the hall.
Bring a cushion if you would like to sit on the floor, which is wooden. There are chairs available.
Cash donations are needed to cover the hall hire – $10 suggested. Please have the donation money handy when you arrive. This event is not specifically a fundraiser, but excess funds will be used to facilitate future events or sent to charity.
Parking is available in the RSL car park, the hall is just above, accessed by steps and a ramp. You can also park in Lenah Valley Road or Athleen Avenue – be aware that Athleen is quite narrow and is used by buses. There is level parking by the hall entrance for only 1 or 2 cars, accessed via Athleen Avenue.
Please don’t come if you have a cold, cough etc, etc.
Enquiries: phone Chando on 0419553717 or Claire on 0427334119
Migrant Resource Centre
The Walk: Walk against racism and targeted violence.
Religions for Peace Tasmania Branch supports The Walk: Step Up Together!
In June, Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania’s Chair, Tasmania’s previous Preier, the Hon Peter Gutwein, is walking 350 kilometres in seven days to raise awareness and funds to support a more inclusive and harmonious lutruwita/Tasmania.
Peter’s journey will start on June 9 at the MRC Tas Burnie office and end on June 16 at the MRC Tas office in Glenorchy.
The Walk: Step Up Together will highlight the importance of Tasmania’s migrant and refugee communities and the value they bring to the wellbeing of our State both socially and economically and aims to bring attention to the increase in anecdotal reports of racism in the State.
“Migrant Resource Centre Tasmania is seeing an alarming increase in anecdotal reports of racist behaviour in our communities, which is unacceptable,” Peter said.
The Walk aims to generate a positive conversation across Tasmania that showcases the diverse communities, cultures and faiths that live and work here.
“We know that diverse and inclusive communities are more innovative, creative and productive, and racist behaviour not only causes immense trauma to individuals, but also hurts our State significantly,” said Peter. “We’re encouraging all Tasmanians to step up for The Walk together. Because when we step up together, we step forward together.”
On each day of the walk Peter will be joined by people from migrant and refugee backgrounds who will share their stories about how they came to be in Tasmania and how they’ve made our island home.
The Walk is calling on Tasmanian organisations and individuals to step up together and raise funds to help MRC Tas increase support for a more diverse and compassionate Tasmania.
Donations can be made here: https://www.givenow.com.au/thewalk
Religions for Peace Australia Annual General Meeting 2024
Religions for Peace Australia will conduct the Annual General Meeting at the Centre for Christianity and Culture, Canberra, on Wednesday 12th June, 6:30pm-8:30pm AEST (6:00pm SA/NT 6pm, 4:30pm WA)
The Guest Speaker: Anthea Hancocks who will speak on “Social cohesion and faith communities”
Anthea is the CEO of the Scanlon Foundation and the Scanlon Foundation Research Institute. She has an extensive background in strategic planning, business development, community service, education, communications, and relationship and services marketing through senior leadership experience in private, ASX listed, government, professional services, academia and not for profit organisations here and in the US. Anthea is Chair of Welcoming Australia, Chair of the Monash Migration and Inclusion Centre, a Fellow of Monash University and Chair of the Huddle Advisory Committee and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
The following day, Thursday 13 June, there will be the Annual Discussion Day, a day of planning and development of activities. All welcome.
Please register for either the Zoom or In Person event on this Trybooking link https://www.trybooking.com/CRTET
Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre:
Calm Abiding Meditation
Meditation has a proven record in its ability to improve health, awaken happiness and give a clear perspective on life. It enables you to identify the real causes of unhappiness and recover from stress, anxiety and tension. It is a very important skill to develop in these difficult times.
Calm Abiding Meditation, also known as Shamatha, is to single-pointedly concentrate on the breath or other suitable object of meditation. It is a natural process that helps you to focus better on ordinary tasks and make you become more relaxed and peaceful. This Buddhist technique of mindfulness has attracted much interest from modern scientific fields such as psychotherapy and cognitive behaviour as well as sport training.
This course will be led by Emilia Della Torre, who has years of experience teaching the course.
The course involves a sequential set of teaching sessions that go for 1 hour a week. It will provide you with a complete introduction to help you establish a daily meditation practice. If you are already an experienced meditator you will come away with a good understanding of the principal characteristics and the finer points of the Buddhist approach to single-pointed concentration.
Please note: For people experiencing mental health conditions, meditation is not a substitute for professional clinical treatment. In particular, meditation may be harmful for people experiencing Complex Trauma, PTSD, significant Substance Dependence or Psychotic Disorders. If in doubt, please seek advice from a psychologist or psychiatrist before booking your place.
In keeping with a 2,500-year-old tradition no fee is charged for this course. You are invited to give a donation to express your appreciation of the course and to support Hobart Buddhist Meditation Centre in continuing to make the Dharma available.
Email info@hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
Website www.hobartbuddhistmeditationcentre.com
Vaisakhi Mela .. Punjabi Spring Festival
Maggi Storr provides some reflections on the recent Vaisakhi Mela .. Punjabi Spring Festival.
Recently as members of Religions for Peace, Aunty Kris Schaffer and I were invited guests of the Punjabi Society of Tasmania to celebrate Vaisakhi Mela, the Spring Harvest Festival, combined with New Year Festivities which focuses on unity and abundance. Those qualities overflowed at the Bridgewater Civic Centre when the Punjab community came together on Saturday April 20.
We talk about cultural diversity here in Tasmania but rarely do we participate in their festivities. Sure, we meet the Punjabi taxi driver, the Nepalese carer working in a nursing home or lick our lips after a Malaysian lunch, and that can be where our contact stops, so to be included in the joy of this cultural experience lifted my spirits and gratitude to the contribution the Punjabi community is making to the life of Tasmanians, and their commitment to continue to celebrate and share their dancing, singing and stories that enrich their lives.
We were greeted by Hemant Khama, President of the Punjabi Society, with warmth and grace and shown to our seats. I watched him welcome and greet Her Excellency the Governor and husband and the Lord Mayor of Brighton, happy they had agreed to join in the festivities.
After welcoming speeches, the dancing began, from the smallest child dressed in traditional costume to older members of the community, the colours and joy from everyone was wonderful. I felt rather drab in my dark trousers and maroon top, but that did not stop me ‘seat dancing’ to the music.
Members of the Punjabi community were recognised for services rendered and certificates presented by Her Excellency. University students were applauded and Elders respectfully celebrated, a quiet minute to remember Deepinderjeet Singh who drowned near PW1 in January blended with the sentiments of the afternoon.
The food was delicious, coupled with the happy welcome atmosphere, I felt honoured to have been included in the afternoon festivities.
I had not been to the Bridgewater Civic hub before, with Child and Family Centre, Library and Service Tas. facility, all surrounded by lovely native gardens, most planted by community members supported by Aunty Kris Schaffer, was very heartening, for sometimes the news coming from Bridgewater can be negative but I felt harmony and pride of place.
We may not aware how our lives are touched by all who live in nipaluna Hobart, lutrawita Tasmania, but we are and I felt very grateful to have celebrated with the Punjabi Community.
Chabad
Explore the Possibilities
Ever since we moved to Tasmania 13 years ago, we always had a larger vision for the Jewish community. Dreams of making Judaism accessible to all.
No matter the distance, we bring Judaism to every Jew in Tasmania, with love and acceptance. A place where every person who walks through the door feels like they are coming home. Where our Jewish heritage is not only recognized but celebrated.
Chabad of Tasmania has just secured a new property in Launceston, brimming with opportunities for growth and expansion!
This home will be able to accommodate current and future guests for Shabbat dinners and the Tasmanian Jewish community at large.
As we look toward our expansion, we need you to help further Jewish life in Tasmania. You are the one who makes it possible.
Thanks to our generous matchers, your donation will be doubled. You may donate here.
Our work relies on the generosity of people like you. The Jews of Tasmania will thank you.
Join us in ensuring the continuity of our shared Jewish heritage for generations to come.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Rabbi Yochanan & Rochel Gordon, Launceston
Interesting Links:
Faith leaders, PM calling for respect, community harmony | SBS News
Broken Bridges: schools interfaith program closes – The Jewish Independent
The Palestinians and Israelis who won’t give up on one another – The Jewish Independent
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are bound to fail if parties ignore the religious dimensions of the conflict – ABC Religion & Ethics
Religion: The test of faith is to remain grateful in trying times
Uncovering the history of the Sikhs who fought with the Anzacs in WWI – ABC Asia
Anthony Albanese celebrates Sikh Vaisakhi in Melbourne | news.com.au
‘The issues are universal’ says the team behind animated short film ‘American Sikh’ set to screen at the MIAF | SBS Punjabi
The stories of Australia’s Muslim Anzacs have long been forgotten. It’s time we honour them (theconversation.com)
Teilhard: Visionary Scientist (Trailer, Youtube)
Australian Institute of Family Studies report shows religious family violence a hidden problem (theage.com.au)
The church stripped bare: high rate of domestic abuse among Anglicans exposed
In peace,
Terry
Convenor Religions for Peace Tasmania Branch
Convenor, Faith Communities of Tasmania
Phone 6272 6521
