RfPA

Western Australia: Himalayan Buddhist group Drukpa’s prayers answered after Council approves plans to allow worship

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Drupka Shrine Wanneroo, WA

A spiritual and religious group in Perth’s north who have been praying for a permanent home for nearly a decade have been granted their wishes.

The City of Wanneroo agreed unanimously at its July meeting to approve Drukpa Australia’s plan to start worshipping at its newly acquired 1626sqm property at Mangano Place.

Under the approval, the religious group must operate only with a maximum of 10 people on weekdays and no more than 68 people on site on a weekend — the latter down from 76 as first proposed.

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Reporting Prejudice Related Violence: reporting is the key to change

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Reporting Hate Crime

Many people from minority communities have experienced incidents motivated by prejudice in Tasmania. However, very few incidents are reported.

People who are victims of prejudice motivated incidents may be seriously impacted, but they are not sure what to do about it. This workshop explains what these incidents and crimes are under Tasmanian law, how they can be reported to authorities, and what to expect if you report them.

The workshop will also explain why reporting these incidents and crimes is the key to change.

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PRAYERS and MEDITATIONS on Hiroshima Day

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Hiroshima Day Prayers and Meditatons


Religions for Peace Asia in collaboration with Religions for Peace Australia invites all people of faith to join in prayers and meditations for the anniversary of Hiroshima Day. Participants and prayer leaders will come from Korea, Japan, Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia. This will be a Zoom event on Sunday 6th August 2023. Times are given below.

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Victoria bans display of Nazi Hakenkreuz symbol

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swastika ban in Victoria
The Nazi Hakenkreuz symbol is the most widely known Nazi symbol. The distorted version of the Swastika, the Nazi Hakenkreuz symbol, has become a symbol of the Nazi party and its heinous crimes against humanity. Neo-Nazi groups still use this Nazi symbol to intimidate and incite hatred and violence against the Jewish community and other diverse groups. This is fundamentally incompatible with Victoria’s multicultural and multifaith society, which is why as of December 29 2022, it is a criminal offence to publicly display the Nazi Hakenkreuz symbol in Victoria. More information and exceptions to this rule are given herein.

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2023 Bishop Michael Putney Lecture

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Bishop Michael Putney Queensland Churches Together along with Brisbane Roman Catholic Council for Ecumenism & Inter-religious Relations invite you to join us for the 2023 session of the: Bishop Michael Putney Memorial Lecture Series titled, Mission in Context: Deep Resonances Between WCC and Roman Catholic Perspectives, a hybrid event, face to face and livestream on Tuesday, 15 August 2023.

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Support for Constitutional Recognition

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YES, supporting VOICE
In 2020, Religions for Peace Australia amended its Constitution to include support appropriate recognition of the spiritualities of the First Peoples of Australia. In this wise, Religions for Peace Australia wrote to the Prime Minister in August 2020 calling for a Voice to Parliament, a Makarrata Treaty and a Truth Telling Commission. On this page, we provide our reasons for support of the Constitutional Recognition Referendum.

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Brisbane: Holocaust museum opens in St Stephen’s Cathedral precinct

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Remembrance
Remembrance: Holocaust survivor Peter Baruch with Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge at the opening of the Queensland Holocaust Museum. Photos: Joe Higgins

“NEVER again” – that was the message holocaust survivor Peter Baruch wanted to ensure lived on through the opening of the Queensland Holocaust Museum beneath Penola Place in St Stephen’s Cathedral precinct today.

Mr Baruch was only one and a half years old when Nazi Germany invaded his home-country Poland in 1939.

His parents decided to leave Poland while the rest of his wider family stayed. “We survived; they all perished, every one of them,” he said.

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Tasmania: Jews welcome visit from a former Israeli Chief Rabbi

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Hobart Synagogue
Hobart Synagogue
Tasmania, Australia’s smallest state in both population and size, is home to about half a million people. It is best known for its rugged terrain, its breathtaking natural beauty, and its unique animal species — including the Tasmanian devil and the now-extinct thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger.

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Let’s talk about: Technology in spiritual care

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Centre for Ageing and Pastoral Studies (CAPS)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.

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Tasmania: July 2023

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Tasmania Logo

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.

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