Celebrating the wonder and the mystery of Christmas
Christmas, the feast of the Incarnation, the feast which celebrates the Messiah coming into our messy word, is also a feast celebrating me and my humanity, writes Patty Fawkner SGS.
In developing diversity competence skills we make space for difference
As the cultural environment is enriched by diversity and diminished by uniformity, so the glue that binds us together is honouring and understanding our differences, writes Sister Patty Fawkner SGS.
Bearing witness is intrinsic to the path of reconciliation and healing
The First Nations Voice to Parliament is an opportunity for us to bear witness to the crimes, the cruelty and misguided policies of the past, writes Sister Patty Fawkner SGS.
It takes courage for us to be loving critics
“Pity the leader caught between unloving critics and uncritical lovers.” These words were spoken by John Gardner, a senior government official in US President Lyndon Johnson’s administration, writes Patty Fawkner.
Loving God, teach us the prayer of neighbour love
Through prayer, we stand in solidarity with our neighbour. When we pray the Our Father, we don’t fly solo, we pray it on behalf of humankind, writes Patty Fawkner SGS.
What is it about women and the Church?
During the Second Assembly of the Fifth Plenary Council of the Australian Catholic Church, we learnt from experience that synodality is not for the faint hearted, writes Patty Fawkner SGS.
Independents change the game through listening, dialogue and consultation
Following last month’s Federal election, are there lessons for the “official Church” in the rise of the independents who listened to the concerns of their communities, asks Patty Fawkner SGS.
As Christians we are called to create a community of radical inclusion
A “preferential option for the other” is at the heart of the Gospel, and what it means to be Christian, while also offering a fresh way of thinking about love.
On Anzac Day there is a time for poetry, a time to speak, and a time to keep silent
Disturbing images and stories ascend from the ashes in Ukraine. We are heavy-hearted and disturbed by the horror, the brutalisation, and the overwhelming sorrow of war, writes Patty Fawkner SGS.
Structural change within the Church is needed in the fight for justice
The Plenary Council is an opportunity to amend structures of governance, language, and preaching, which would make a difference to all members of the People of God, writes Patty Fawkner.
Resisting the impatient desire to reform other people
Minding my own business does not mean that I don’t care about others. But this is different from thinking that I know what is best for them, writes Patty Fawkner.
It’s not easy being Christian, let alone being Catholic
Being faithful to the Gospel comes at a cost but regaining the respect of others in the public sphere should never be the end game, writes Sister Patty Fawkner SGS.