Lightly Salted: 2019

This Catholic Life #1

After much planning, a lot of hard work and the support of bishops in Sydney, I am happy to say that we are launching a new weekly podcast, beginning this week. "The Catholic Thing is a show about Ordinary Catholics having a relaxed, informal, and genuinely searching conversation about current issues, the challenges and hardships of life and what light “the Catholic thing” brings to these things.

Each podcast would consist of a relaxed, informal conversation revolving around an item of interest (news, events, themes etc.). We will engage the audience (invite response, respond to contributors, answer questions).

May

Voting in the 2019 Federal Election.

I was recently asked if I would be posting a reflection on the candidates for the coming Federal election. To be honest, I was trying to avoid doing so. Not because there is nothing to say, but because people have become increasingly less able to engage rationally with discussion about politics (or religion, or even Marvel movies...) and I didn't want to become a lightening rod for the latest angry outbursts from irrational keyboard warriors.

In some ways this post will be easy.

Apr

Christus vivit - A reflection

The following is my reflection and a brief summary of the Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit promulgated 25 March 2019. I should provide fair warning that, while this document has much to offer, my reflection includes a slightly irreverent lament that Pope Francis does not seem to be a fan of brevity and clarity in magisterial documents.

TLDR: Read Chapters 1, 3, 4, 6, 9.

Prologue - Paragraph 1-4

4 paragraphs of preamble, and paragraphs 1-2 set the tone for the exhortation.

Mar

Jordan Peterson is good – just not God

Jordan Peterson is good – just not God

(First published in the Catholic Weekly - March 2019)

I am frequently sent articles, videos and news items by students and friends who seem to find Jordan Peterson inspiring and particularly good news for Catholics.

I have not been as impressed with him as others seems to be.

Feb

A prayer for justice

In the face of current legal cases that beggar belief, I returned to the words St Thomas Moore prayed after his unjust trial, as he was waiting to be executed.

Give me Thy grace, good Lord, To think nothing of worldly things; to set my mind firmly upon Thee; and not to be concerned about the words men say against me. ...

Feb

A layman's musings on the NSW Election

This post is my comment on the candidates for the 2019 NSW State election. It is in no way exhaustive, nor do I claim to be the least bit impartial. These are my observations as a voter, who happens to be a Catholic Christian.

For the benefit of those who prefer short answers, I offer a TLDR (Too Long: Didn't Read) after each entry. Even my full text is far too simplistic to be called a summary, so the TLDR is always going to be far too simplistic. Please read the rest.