Letters

Australia's new Prime Minister

Arnold Jago

Contents - Nov 2013 - Buy a copy now Editorial: Pope Francis' call to holiness - Peter Westmore Human rights: Zoe's Law and the right to life - Eamonn Keane News: The Church Around the World Culture: Cardinal Pell: defend religious freedom - Cardinal George Pell Schools: The future of Catholic education - Archbishop Timothy Costelloe Youth: Emmanuel Community: youth ministry powerhouse - Br Barry Coldrey Interview: G.K. Chesterton's cause for sainthood - Dale Ahlquist Marriage: Humanae Vitae: for an excellent love - Anne Lastman Marriage: English bishop warns on same-sex marriage law - Bishop Philip Egan Letters: Pope misrepresented - C. O'Driscoll Letters: Australia's new Prime Minister - Arnold Jago Letters: Three to get married - Cedric Wright Letters: Total love - Madge Fahy Letters: Clutching at straws - Anne Lastman Letters: Finding balance - Walter H. Kirk Books: Mighty Be Our Powers: How Sisterhood, Prayer and Sex changed a Nation at War - Gabrielle Walsh (reviewer) Books: WHO NEEDS GOD?, by Barbara Stockl with Christoph Cardinal Schönborn - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: THE CRAFT OF CATECHESIS, by P. Wiley, P. de Cointet and B. Morgan - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Support: 2013 Fighting Fund Progress Report - Peter Westmore Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Bishop Anthony Fisher: Do you want to be a saint? - Bishop Anthony Fisher

Australia's new Prime Minister, Tony Abbott, in his first Parliamentary speech in 1994 quoted these words from the Bible: "What shall I return to the Lord for all his goodness to me?" ( Psalm 116, verse 12). Excellent.

Psalm 116 goes on to say: "I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people."

All Australian people (except fundamentalist atheists) will be praying that Mr Abbott will receive the graces needed to do just that.

On another matter, the media were recently quoting Pope Francis as "criticising the Church on rules".

The Pope had said that priests should focus on being merciful and welcoming rather than insisting only on divisive issues such as abortion, same sex marriage and contraception.

Does this mean the Pope is about to back away from the Catholic Church's established position on the sanctity of human life and family values?

Not at all. Pope Francis has since then gone on to denounce today's "throwaway culture" that justifies disposing of lives by abortion, forcing doctors into situations where they are called upon not to respect life.

He said, "Every child that isn't born, but is unjustly condemned to be aborted, has the face of Jesus Christ, has the face of the Lord."

ARNOLD JAGO
Mildura, Vic.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 26 No 10 (November 2013), p. 14