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Regulars
Friday, 20 November 2009
To call Shlomo Sand's book "challenging" would be an understatement. The challenge begins with the English title: it goes further than a literal translation of the original Hebrew, which would be "When and How Was the Jewish People Invented?" What is undoubted is that what Sand is attempting to expose has wide appeal: it is unusual to find a book by a university academic labelled "International Bestseller". - Emma Klein, The Tablet
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Regulars
Friday, 20 November 2009
The path to nationhood for the East Timorese people was never going to be easy. After a few centuries of oppressive colonial rule by Portugal, including Japan's occupation during World War II, the East Timorese suffered Indonesia's brutal 24 year occupation and the killing and starvation of over 100,000 people. - Stephanie Thomas, The Bilum
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Regulars
Friday, 20 November 2009
Marymount Mercy Centre is a spirituality centre owned and operated by the Sisters of Mercy of Parramatta situated in Castle Hill, a north-western suburb of Sydney.Marymount provides a beautiful venue for its present purpose of sponsoring the New Life personal and spiritual renewal programs, a Conference Centre, and a Retreat location.
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Regulars
Friday, 20 November 2009
We must consider the impact legalising euthanasia would have on institutional, governmental and societal levels. We need to explore not only the practical realities, such as the possibilities for abuse, that allowing euthanasia would open up, but also, the effect that doing so would have on important values and symbols that make up the intangible fabric that constitutes our society. - Margaret Somerville, MercatorNet
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Regulars
Thursday, 19 November 2009
We live today in a highly polarised world and within highly polarised churches. The bitterness, mean spirit and lack of respect that characterises much of our political, ecclesial, and moral discourse today is not normal and is far from healthy. We shouldn't delude ourselves in thinking that it is healthy or, worse yet, in the name of truth or justice or God, try to rationalise our lack of respect for those who think differently than we do. We aren't holy warriors, just angry people with a highly selective compassion. - Fr Ron Rolheiser, ronrolheiser.com
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Regulars
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Biblical Hebrew is an enigmatic language. According to Jewish tradition it's the Holy Tongue, employed by God when He spoke the world into being. This edition of Encounter asks "how has the language of Torah shaped Jewish thought and what does it say today, to Jews and non-Jews alike?"
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Regulars
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Did Jesus ever say "Mum, I wish it wasn’t so hot?" Did He ever say "It’s too wet to go to school today?" Did He ever sleep in when He shouldn’t have? Did He ever kick his dirty clothes under the bed instead of putting them in the laundry basket? - Bill Farrelly, Marist Messenger
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Regulars
Thursday, 19 November 2009
The Seminary of the Good Shepherd serves men who are in formation for diocesan priesthood for the Archdiocese of Sydney and a number of dioceses from the province of New South Wales and beyond. It was opened in Homebush in 1996 by Cardinal Edward Clancy following the closure of the historic St Patrick's, Manly which had served as the archdiocese's seminary from 1889 to 1995.
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Regulars
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
A prophet is someone who listens attentively to the word of God, a contemplative, a mystic who hears God and takes God at God's word, and then goes into the world to tell the world God's message. So a prophet speaks fearlessly, publicly God's message, without compromise, despite the times, whether fair or foul. - Fr John Dear, National Catholic Reporter
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Regulars
Wednesday, 18 November 2009
This film is an impressive comedy-drama about crooked siblings that had its world premier at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, 2008. It tracks two con artists, the Brothers Bloom, from childhood to adulthood; the brothers fake various exploits through their life mostly to bring them profit. - Peter W. Sheehan, Australian Catholic Office for Film and Broadcasting
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