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Australian churches collectively raise billions of dollars a year – why aren’t they taxed?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dale-boccabella-15706">Dale Boccabella</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ranjana-gupta-1207482">Ranjana Gupta</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a> There’s a good reason your local volunteer-run netball club doesn’t pay tax. In Australia, various nonprofit organisations are exempt from paying income tax, including those that do charitable work, such as churches. These exemptions or concessions can also extend to other taxes, including fringe benefits tax, state and local government property taxes and payroll taxes. The traditional justification for granting these concessions is that charitable activities benefit society. They contribute to the wellbeing of the community in a variety of non-religious ways. For example, charities offer welfare, health care and education services that the government would generally otherwise provide due to their obvious public benefits. The tax exemption, which allows a charity to retain all the funds it raises, provides the financial support required to relieve the government of this burden. The nonprofit sector is often called the third sector of society, the other two being government and for-profit businesses. But in Australia, this third sector is quite large. Some grassroots organisations have only a tiny footprint, but other nonprofits are very large. And many of these bigger entities – including some “megachurches” – run huge commercial enterprises. These are often indistinguishable from comparable business activities in the for-profit sector. So why doesn’t this revenue get taxed? And should we really give all nonprofits the same tax exemptions? <h2>Why don’t churches pay tax?</h2> The primary aim of a church is to advance or promote its religion. This itself counts as a charitable purpose under the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2013A00100/asmade/text">2013 Charities Act</a>. However, section five of that act requires a church to have only charitable purposes – any other purposes must be incidental to or in aid of these. Viewed alone, the conduct of a church with an extensive commercial enterprise – which could include selling merchandise, or holding concerts and conferences – is not a charitable purpose. But Australian case law and <a href="https://www.acnc.gov.au/for-charities/start-charity/role-acnc-deciding-charity-status/legal-meaning-charity#:%7E:text=Taxation%20Ruling%20(TR)%202011%2F,set%20out%20in%20taxation%20rulings.">an ATO ruling</a> both support the idea that carrying on business-like activities can be incidental to or in aid of a charitable purpose. This could be the case, for example, if a large church’s commercial activities were to help give effect to its charitable purposes. Because of this, under Australia’s current income tax law, a church that is running a large commercial enterprise is able to retain its exemption from income tax on the profits from these activities. There are various public policy concerns with this. First, the lost tax revenue is likely to be significant, although the government’s annual tax expenditure statement does not currently provide an estimate of the amount of tax revenue lost. And second, the tax exemption may give rise to unfairness. A for-profit business competing with a church in a relevant industry may be at a competitive disadvantage – despite similar business activities, the for-profit entity pays income tax but the church does not. This competitive disadvantage may be reflected in lower prices for customers of the church business. <h2>What about taxing their employees?</h2> Churches that run extensive enterprises are likely to have many employees. Generally, all the normal Australian tax rules apply to the way these employees are paid – for example, employees pay income tax on these wages. Distributing profits to members would go against the usual rules of the church, and this prohibition is <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.au/C2013A00100/asmade/text">required</a> anyway for an organisation to qualify as a charity. Some churches may be criticised for paying their founders or leaders “excessive” wages, but these are still taxed in the same way as normal salaries. It’s important to consider fringe benefit tax – which employers have to pay on certain benefits they provide to employees. Aside from some qualifications, all the usual <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/hiring-and-paying-your-workers/fringe-benefits-tax/how-fringe-benefits-tax-works">fringe benefit tax rules</a> apply to non-wage benefits provided to employees of a church. Just like their commercial (and taxable) counterparts, the payment for “luxury” travel and accommodation for church leaders and employees when on church business will not generate a fringe benefits taxable amount for the church. One qualification, though, is that a church is likely to be a <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/businesses-and-organisations/hiring-and-paying-your-workers/fringe-benefits-tax/fbt-concessions-for-not-for-profit-organisations/fbt-rebatable-employers">rebatable employer</a> under the fringe benefit tax regime. This means it can obtain some tax relief on benefits provided to each employee, up to a cap. <h2>We may need to rethink blanket tax exemptions for charities</h2> Back in an age where nonprofits were mainly small and focused on addressing the needs of people failed by the market, the income tax exemption for such charities appeared appropriate. But in the modern era, some charities – including some churches – operate huge business enterprises and collect rent on extensive property holdings. Many are now questioning whether we should continue offering them an uncapped exemption from income tax, especially where there are questions surrounding how appropriately these profits are used. Debates about solutions to the problem have focused on various arguments. However, more data may be needed on the way charities apply their profits to a charitable purpose, particularly those involved in substantial commercial activities. An all-or-nothing rule exempting the whole charitable sector may no longer be fit for purpose if it fails to take into account the very different circumstances of different nonprofits.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/228901/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dale-boccabella-15706">Dale Boccabella</a>, Associate Professor of Taxation Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414">UNSW Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ranjana-gupta-1207482">Ranjana Gupta</a>, Senior Lecturer Taxation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australian-churches-collectively-raise-billions-of-dollars-a-year-why-arent-they-taxed-228901">original article</a>. </div>

Money & Banking

Police release new images in search for church rioters

The images of 12 men who were allegedly involved in the violent riot outside The Good Shepherd Church in Wakeley have been released by NSW Police. Three men have been charged over their alleged involvement in the riot last Monday, shortly after bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel was stabbed during a service that was being live-streamed. A 16-year-old boy has been <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/teenage-boy-in-custody-after-stabbing-at-sydney-church" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested</a> over the stabbing incident, with police describing it as a "terror incident". Now, Strike Force Dribs have been established to investigate the violent incidents, and they have released the images of the men they would like to speak to. Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said that around 2,000 people were at the scene but up to 50 were there "to start problems". "We know that there's groups of families involved that have gone there to support their parishioners, and we're not looking for those people," he said. "We're looking to speak with them if they can provide us information about the people involved." In the immediate aftermath of the incident, dozens of police were injured, their cars vandalised, and some officers and paramedics were forced to take shelter inside the church. One police officer had their jaw broken, while another suffered facial and knee injuries. Superintendent Andrew Evans said that the images of the men have been released "due to the violent and aggressive nature of their actions". "We are doing everything we can to identify these men and are now appealing for public assistance," he said in a statement. "Someone in the community knows who they are." One man — known as Person A — had his face covered but was filmed jumping on top of police cars. He has a large tattoo of Jesus Christ on his stomach, and others on his left arm. Another — known as Person C — was described as being of Mediterranean or Middle Eastern appearance with short black hair and a beard. A full list of all the people police believed were involved in the riots were released on their <a href="https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGMTExNTU0Lmh0bWwmYWxsPTE%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, with descriptions of their features and the clothes they were wearing. Investigators are also collecting evidence including mobile phone and CCTV footage to identify those involved. Over the weekend, Issa Haddad, 28, was charged and granted bail for over the public disorder incident. Two others, Dani Mansour, 19, and Sam Haddad, 45, have also been charged and granted bail. Images: NSW Police/ SBS News

Legal

Why is the Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but the Bondi tragedy isn’t?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/greg-barton-10990">Greg Barton</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Just days after the deadly <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-14/several-killed-in-mass-stabbing-at-westfield-bondi-junction/103705354">Westfield Bondi attacks</a>, a <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-16/albanese-says-there-is-no-place-for-violence-in-our-community/10372830">second knife attack</a> in Sydney has generated widespread shock and grief. This time, a 16-year-old entered an Assyrian church and rushed forward to stab the popular bishop presiding over a service, together with a priest who rushed to his defence. The shocking events were captured on the church’s video stream, and the news quickly reached thousands of members of Sydney’s large Assyrian community. While both priests were injured, thankfully the knife blows were not fatal. Parishioners immobilised the attacker, and police and paramedics swarmed the church. Police moved quickly to identify the assailant and analyse his apparent motivation before announcing they were treating the attack as a <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-68823240">terrorist incident</a> early this morning. Public knife attacks are rare in Australia, and for Sydney to experience two in quick succession has rightfully alarmed many and, understandably, led to comparisons between the two. A lot of the discussion is around why the Bondi Junction shopping mall attack in which six were killed wasn’t considered terrorism, but this shocking, but non-lethal, attack was. So what do we know about the church attack, and what important distinctions can be made between it and the awful events at Bondi? <h2>What happened at the church?</h2> Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel has developed a large following, not just in Australia but in the Assyrian diaspora <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-16/who-is-bishop-mar-mari-emmanuel-wakeley-church-attack/103728808">around the world</a>, with his live-streamed sermons. Shortly after seven o'clock on Monday night, the video feed of the Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney’s outer west went dead, but not before it captured the shocking attack and parishioners rushing forward to help. Almost immediately, crowds gathered outside the church. We don’t yet know the motivations of the people who turned up, but it can be assumed they were there because they either saw or heard of what had happened and rushed over out of concern. Tragically, at some point the dynamics of the fast-swelling crowd took a dark turn. Instead of letting the large police and ambulance presence continue to handle the situation, some emotional onlookers turned on the authorities. Multiple police officers and paramedics were injured and vehicles were heavily damaged. It’s likely the fact the attack was captured on video, and therefore able to be shared and watched over and over again, added to the combustibility of an already volatile situation. It would appear the attack was deliberately planned to provoke an angry response. But what exactly happened in the crowd is the subject of one police investigation. <h2>Why is it considered a terrorist act?</h2> The other investigation is an anti-terrorism one. This is because while the teenager acted alone, it’s very likely they had received encouragement and backing from others. <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/unabomber">The Unabomber</a> is one of the very few documented cases of someone committing violence for ideological reasons truly in isolation. This lone actor attack in Sydney is reminiscent of the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-03/nsw-police-headquarters-gunman-was-radicalised-youth/6825028">2015 murder</a> of police accountant Curtis Cheng. He was shot dead by a 15-year-old who had been radicalised by supporters of Islamic State. It later came out <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-14/curtis-cheng-murder-surveillance-man-guilty-of-terror-plan/10900982">in court</a> the attack had been planned by three other people, who also supplied him with the gun. Police were quick to pronounce the knife attack on Monday to be an act of terrorism. Having identified the attacker, they would have been studying his social connections and examining his digital footprint. The police assessment would have also given attention to the particulars of the church targeted. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Assyrian">Assyrians</a> (people from northwest Iraq, northeast Syria and southeast Turkey) are almost exclusively Christian, belonging to one of the oldest churches in existence, living in precisely that part of the world in which the Islamic State established its brutal caliphate. It’s telling that before the caliphate was established, Assyrians made up just 3% of the Iraqi population. But in the wake of Islamic State sweeping across northern Syria and Iraq, Assyrians soon made up <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/assyrian-australians-plead-for-second-special-refugee-settlement-deal/x7ej8ix2y">40%</a> of Iraqi refugees. The trauma of those years is <a href="https://theconversation.com/diversity-and-religious-pluralism-are-disappearing-amid-iraqs-crisis-29832">recent history</a>, fresh in the minds of many. The recent Islamic State claim of responsibility for the <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/03/27/europe/missing-people-russia-moscow-concert-hall-attack-intl/index.html">recent deadly attacks in Moscow</a>, is a reminder the group remains a live and growing threat. For these reasons police will be looking for any evidence Islamic State might have played a role in inspiring this attack. <h2>Terrorism or not terrorism?</h2> Events at the church have been under a bigger spotlight given the events of the days preceding it. Despite <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/15/false-claims-started-spreading-about-the-bondi-junction-stabbing-attack-as-soon-as-it-happened">early misinformation</a>, police said thathey believe the Bondi killer, Joel Cauchi, was not motivated by a larger political cause – that is, a terrorist motivation. Instead, they say he lashed out violently because of anger control issues related to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/14/joel-cauchi-who-was-the-queensland-man-who-carried-out-the-bondi-junction-mass-stabbing">mental ill-health</a>. But of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/apr/14/bondi-junction-mass-stabbing-attack-who-are-the-six-victims">six people</a> he killed, five were women. Women also make up the majority of those injured. The one man who lost his life, security guard Faraz Tahir, a Muslim refugee from Pakistan, was attacked because he bravely <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2024/04/16/friend-of-bondi-security-guard-says-his-last-moments-were-brave/">rushed towards</a> danger in an attempt to try to stop Cauchi. NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said Cauchi <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-15/westfield-bondi-attack-stabbing-investigation/103706698">deliberately targeted women</a>. So if someone is targeting a specific group of people, isn’t that terrorism? Why does it matter if they were killing based on gender or religion? Is misogyny not terrorism? Put simply, the defining characteristic of terrorism is perpetuating violence in the name of a higher, broader cause. Terrorists have a belief in a collective goal, and see themselves as being backed by people who share that belief. Misogyny can be an element of their motivation and justification of hatred, but it’s part of a larger political project. Basically, it boils down to whether these violent actors think they’re part of a political or religious movement that’s going to <a href="https://theconversation.com/social-inclusion-is-important-in-aotearoa-new-zealand-but-so-is-speaking-honestly-about-terrorism-167429">change the system</a>, or whether they are simply angry men projecting loathing and driven by personal demons. The two, of course, are <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/not-since-the-lindt-siege-has-sydney-known-grief-like-this-20240414-p5fjnl.html">not mutually exclusive</a>. This is not to undermine the damage that angry men can, and do, inflict. Domestic violence is a bigger threat to Australians than terrorism. Calling something a terrorist act doesn’t make it more or less serious than anything else, rather the categorisation is to provide conceptual clarity for the sake of the ensuing investigation. Events at Westfield Bondi Junction and the Assyrian Christ The Good Shepherd Church are both awful, but while they share some similarities, they are different sorts of crimes with different drivers and enablers. As police investigations continue, we’ll come to better understand the nature of both.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/227997/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/greg-barton-10990">Greg Barton</a>, Chair in Global Islamic Politics, Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a> Image credit: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-the-sydney-church-stabbing-an-act-of-terrorism-but-the-bondi-tragedy-isnt-227997">original article</a>. </div>

Caring

Teenage boy in custody after stabbing at Sydney church

A 15-year-old boy has been arrested after he stormed a church service in Western Sydney and stabbed a bishop and a priest. The Orthodox Christian church service was being live-streamed from the suburb of Wakeley on Monday night and captured the moment Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel's sermon was interrupted by the teen, who allegedly stabbed him several times. Father Isaac Royel was also stabbed, with two parishioners also sustaining injuries as they subdued the teenager until police arrived. The bishop and priest were both taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said the churchgoers did a "fantastic job" trying to calm the scene, but outside the church, an emotional crowd quickly built. NSW Premier Chris Minns chaired an urgent crisis control meeting with leaders from multiple faiths, all agreeing to a call for calm. When police arrived on the scene, the riot officers attempted to forcibly move the crowd away from the church, which led to violence against the officers. Police cars were smashed and two officers were taken to hospital after being injured by members of the crowd who broke into “a number of houses to gain weapons to throw at the police”. The 15-year-old, who was known to police, was arrested once officers gained access to the church and was taken to an undisclosed location for his own safety. Premier Minns later confirmed that the attack is being treated as a terror event, saying Police Commissioner Karen Webb had designated the stabbing a "terror incident" just prior to 2am. Chris Minns urged the community to keep calm and not perpetuate further violence, saying he and religious leaders “endorsed and supported a unanimous condemnation of violence in any form, called for the community to follow first responder and police instructions and called for calm in the community”. “We’re calling on everyone to act with kindness and respect for each other,” he said. The church said Bishop Emmanuel and a senior priest were in a stable condition and also appealed for calm. “We ask for your prayers at this time,” the church said in a statement posted on social media. Image credits: Facebook / Nine News

Legal

All-girls Catholic school bans same-sex couples from formal

An all-girls Catholic school in the Sydney suburb of Kingsgrove has refused to let same sex couples attend the year 12 formal together, prompting widespread outrage. Students at St Ursula’s College have been vocal in their disapproval of the rule, banding together to form a petition to let same sex dates attend the end of year dance. The petition on <a href="https://www.change.org/p/allow-same-sex-couples-at-st-ursula-s-school-formal?source_location=petitions_browse">Change.org</a> has already racked up thousands of signatures in a matter of weeks, after being created by concerned student Abbie Frankland, who labelled the policy “discriminatory”. In her petition, Ms Frankland expressed the sentiments of the LGBTQ+ community at the school, voicing her concern for the exclusionary rule. “My girlfriend and I, along with many other students at St. Ursula’s in Kingsgrove NSW, Australia, have been eagerly awaiting the school formal for months,” she wrote. “We’ve purchased non-refundable tickets and outfits in anticipation of this event. However, we’ve recently discovered that the school does not allow same-sex couples to attend the formal together.” The policy also ignited a fire within the student body to push for change. “In Australia, 61.6 percent of people voted ‘Yes’ in a national survey on marriage equality, showing widespread support for LGBTQ+ rights across the country,” Ms Frankland added, referencing the Australian Bureau of Statistics. “Yet, despite this clear public sentiment towards inclusivity and acceptance, schools like St Ursula’s continue to uphold discriminatory policies.” The petition, which has racked up over 2,000 signatures so far, calls for the school to realign itself with the broader values of inclusivity and equality. It also calls on the college to allow all students, regardless of sexual orientation, to bring their chosen partner to the school formal at the end of the year. “By signing this petition, you’re standing up against discrimination and supporting equal rights for all students at St Ursula’s School in Kingsgrove, NSW, Australia,” Ms Frankland said. Some parents have also called for the ban to be lifted, noting that the harsh rule has put unnecessary stress on students as they are dealing with their HSC exams. “It’s totally taken the kids’ focus off the HSC,” a concerned mother told Ben Fordham Live on 2GB. The mother said her daughter planned to take another girl to the formal, saying that, “She automatically was upset - crying in the car,” when she found out about the ban. Fordham was quick to point out a flaw in the school’s policy, pointing out that the woman’s 18-year-old daughter could legally marry a woman but not take one to her formal. Another parent also called into the radio show, saying, “It’s 2023 – what’s going on?” Image credits: Google Maps

Legal

“I was wrong”: Dominic Perrottet admits Catholic faith played a role in gambling reform 

Dominic Perrottet has changed his tune. After reflecting on his decision to implement a new gambling policy, he admits his Catholic faith played a role. Last week ClubsNSW CEO Josh Landis made a comment claiming the premier’s “conservative Catholic gut” was linked to his decision to implement cashless poker machines across all venues in NSW. As a result, the ClubsNSW board decided to fire Landis. Perrottet responded to the comment and claimed his views were “not informed by the fact that I’m Catholic.” Since then, Perrottet has changed his mind. He admitted that the decision was influenced by his Catholic faith. “Certainly my upbringing and my faith has had an impact,” the premier said. “I don’t think that is something I should be ashamed of.” When asked why this policy is such a priority for him, he reflected on his time as NSW treasurer, “We were receiving revenue and profit from people’s misery.” Perrottet has been the state’s premier since October 2021, dealing with the state opening up after COVID and the Omnicron wave. “I haven't got everything right in the time I've been in politics, but you learn from it,” he said. “Politics is not easy. It's difficult and there will always be the external events and mistakes get made.” If Perrottet is re-elected this year, the gambling law overhaul will begin early next year with the roll-out of cashless poker machines. Image credit: Getty

Legal

Historic church hits the market - with a catch

A magnificent country church has been through the works and is now perfectly habitable for modern living - but there’s a catch. Covering 2000sq m of land, No. 2 Chauncy Vale Rd, Bagdad was originally the congregational Bagdad Chapel, established in 1842. It later became part of the Uniting Church in 1977, before its de-consecration in 2006. Harcourts Signature property representative Leesa Harrison said the former church has been transformed into a unique residence. She described the property as an “incredibly rare” opportunity to purchase a piece of Tasmanian history. “It is a property with a wealth of historic heritage significance,” she said. It’s undeniably enticing, so, what’s the catch? There is a cemetery on the property and Ms Harrison has said the buyer will have to become a cemetery manager, but that hasn’t prevented the public’s interest. “The property has generated a significant amount of inquiry, well above average. Inquiries are coming in from local Hobart buyers, plus statewide and interstate interest, too,” she said. “Most purchasers are looking for a property with a difference, or former churches specifically. “Many have a keen interest in history or a desire to preserve history.” Ms Harrison added that it was a property with a lot of highlights. “There are many standout features, starting with the incredible stone architecture,” she said. “The stunning renovation the current owners have lovingly undertaken, where history meets the present as you step from the original building into the newer area. It is fantastic. “The original features and heritage pieces that stay with the property are a major talking point.” Many authentic pieces will remain with the property, such as the pulpit, organ and flower stands, original light fittings, glass windows and stained glass gazed with religious scenes. There is now a formal living and dining area, which has been designed to maintain the integrity of the historic construction while complying with the Heritage Council’s guidelines. In the 1950s, an extension was built for a Sunday school. In a more modern section of the interior, there is a contemporary kitchen and a second living area. The kitchen has new light fittings, modern cabinetry, countertop space, a large island bench and stainless steel appliances. The property has a generously sized master bedroom with a large four-door built-in wardrobe and a large bathroom with a separate shower bay and a corner spa bath. Access the outdoors via the kitchen with views of the lush surroundings. So long as you’re happy to be take on the responsibility of a cemetery manager, No. 2 Chauncy Vale Rd, Bagdad could be yours. Image credit: Realestate.com.au

Real Estate

Catholic conflicts on marriage continue, even decades after Vatican II

The past 60 years have been a period of change and reflection for many in the Catholic Church, initiated by the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s and continued by the current synod on synodality. In the autumn of 2021, Pope Francis <a href="https://www.usccb.org/synod" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced a new synod</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-synod-of-bishops-a-catholic-priest-and-theologian-explains-168937" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an official meeting of Roman Catholic bishops</a> to determine future directions for the church globally. The <a href="https://www.synod.va/content/dam/synod/common/phases/continental-stage/dcs/Documento-Tappa-Continentale-EN.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">first working document</a> issued by the synod was published on Oct. 27, 2022. This document was made public <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2022/documents/20221011-omelia-60concilio.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">soon after the 60th anniversary</a> of Pope John XXIII’s 1962 convocation of the Second Vatican Council. During the three years that followed, Catholic bishops from across the globe met in several sessions, assisted by expert theologians. Many guests were also <a href="https://vaticaniiat50.wordpress.com/2013/09/27/63-non-catholic-observers-attending-second-session/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">invited as observers</a>, which included prominent Catholic laity and representatives from other Christian churches. The council called for fresh ways to address 20th-century social and cultural issues and initiated official dialogue groups for Catholic theologians with others from different faith traditions. <div data-id="17"> </div> However, Catholics have become increasingly divided over this openness to contemporary cultural changes. As a <a href="https://www.holycross.edu/academics/programs/religious-studies/faculty/joanne-pierce" target="_blank" rel="noopener">specialist in Roman Catholic liturgy and worship</a>, I find that one important flashpoint where these deeper disagreements become more painfully visible is in Catholic worship, particularly in the celebration of its seven major rituals, called the sacraments. This is especially true in the celebration of matrimony. <h2>Vatican II</h2> In the mid-20th century, the church was still shaken by the repercussions of World War II and struggling to contribute to a world connected by the reality of global communication and the threat of nuclear war. Vatican II was called to “update” and “renew” the church – a process Pope John XXIII called “<a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2022-10/vatican-ii-council-60th-anniversary-video-history-background.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aggiornamento</a>.” One important theme connecting all of the council’s documents was <a href="http://individual.utoronto.ca/hayes/xty_canada/vatican_ii.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">inculturation</a>, a more open dialogue with the variety of global human cultures. With the document <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19631204_sacrosanctum-concilium_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sacrosanctum Concilium</a>, the bishops addressed the need to revisit the centuries-old worship traditions of Catholicism, reforming the structures of the various rituals and encouraging the use of vernacular languages during prayer, rather than exclusive use of the ancient Latin texts. In the intervening decades, however, sharp contradictions and disagreements have arisen, especially over clashes between flexible cultural adaptation and rigorous moral and doctrinal standards. These have become much more visible during the past two pontificates: the more conservative Pope Benedict XVI – pope from 2005 to 2013 – and the more progressive Pope Francis. <h2>The synod on synodality</h2> For the present synod, Pope Francis began with a process of consultation with <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-catholic-church-is-increasingly-diverse-and-so-are-its-controversies-189038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">local church communities all over the world</a>, stressing the inclusion of many different groups within the church, especially of <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2022-10/voices-of-excluded-in-synod-document-for-continental-phase.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">those who are often marginalized</a>, including the poor, migrants, LGBTQ people and women. However, there <a href="https://www.ncregister.com/commentaries/is-the-synod-building-a-big-tent-or-a-house-on-sand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has also been criticism</a>. Some feel that the church should more swiftly adapt its teaching and practice to the needs of a variety of contemporary cultural shifts, while others insist it should hold on to its own traditions even more tightly. <h2>Gay marriage</h2> In North America and Europe, a major <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/11/02/how-catholics-around-the-world-see-same-sex-marriage-homosexuality/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cultural shift</a> has taken place over recent decades concerning gays and lesbians, from marginalized rejection to acceptance and support. Over the years Pope Francis has <a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-endorse-same-sex-civil-unions-eb3509b30ebac35e91aa7cbda2013de2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">come under fire</a> for his comments about homosexuality. He has publicly stated that gay Catholics are not to be discriminated against, that they have a right to enter secular civil unions and that they are to be welcomed by the Catholic community. On the other hand, he has also <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/setback-gay-catholics-vatican-says-church-cannot-bless-same-sex-unions-2021-03-15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refused bishops permission</a> to offer gay couples a blessing. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/gay-blessings-germany-vatican/2021/05/10/e452cea2-af6a-11eb-82c1-896aca955bb9_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Progressive bishops in Germany</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/flemish-catholic-bishops-defying-vatican-approve-blessing-same-sex-unions-2022-09-20/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belgium</a>, who had been <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/250313/synodal-way-meeting-ends-with-call-for-same-sex-blessings-change-to-catechism-on-homosexuality" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proponents</a> of this practice, organized an open protest by setting aside a day just for the bestowal of these blessings. In contemporary Catholicism, discrimination or injustice against gay or lesbian individuals is <a href="https://www.usccb.org/sites/default/files/flipbooks/catechism/568/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">condemned</a>, because each human being is <a href="https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/what-we-believe/catholic-social-teaching/life-and-dignity-of-the-human-person" target="_blank" rel="noopener">considered to be a child of God</a>. However, homosexual orientation is still considered “<a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/__P85.HTM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">intrinsically disordered</a>” and homosexual activity seriously sinful. The Vatican <a href="https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2021/03/15/210315b.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has warned</a> progressives of the danger that these blessings might be considered, in the eyes of the faithful, the equivalent of a <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20210222_articolo-responsum-dubium-unioni_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sacramental marriage</a>. Some might assume that homosexual activity is no longer considered sinful, a fundamental change that conservative Catholics would find completely unacceptable. This doctrinal perspective has led to other liturgical restrictions. For example, the baptism of children adopted by gay parents is considered a “<a href="https://www.usccb.org/committees/doctrine/pastoral-care" target="_blank" rel="noopener">serious pastoral concern</a>.” In order for a child to receive the sacrament of Catholic baptism – the blessing with water that makes the child a Catholic Christian – there must be some hope that the <a href="https://www.vatican.va/archive/cod-iuris-canonici/eng/documents/cic_lib4-cann834-878_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">child will be raised in the Catholic Church</a>, yet the church teaches that homosexual activity is objectively wrong. Despite the current openness <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-vatican-synod-gays/gays-and-their-children-should-not-suffer-church-bias-vatican-idUSKBN0F11HV20140626" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to gay Catholics</a>, this conflict could lead to the child’s being denied baptism. Following a <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccatheduc/documents/rc_con_ccatheduc_doc_20051104_istruzione_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">document issued in 2005</a> under Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis in 2018 stated that candidates for the sacrament of ordination – the ritual that makes a man a priest – <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-homosexuality/pope-tells-bishops-not-to-accept-gay-seminarians-report-idUSKCN1IP36J" target="_blank" rel="noopener">must be rejected</a> if they demonstrate “homosexual tendencies” or a serious interest in “gay culture.” He also advised gay men who are already ordained to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pope-homosexuals-book/be-celibate-or-leave-the-priesthood-pope-tells-gay-priests-idUSKBN1O10K7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">maintain strict celibacy or leave the priesthood</a>. <h2>Polygamy and colonialism</h2> This recent cultural shift in Western nations has raised difficult questions for Catholics, both clergy and laity. In some non-Western countries, however, it is <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-catholic-church-is-increasingly-diverse-and-so-are-its-controversies-189038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an older custom</a> that has become an important issue. The culture of many African countries is supportive of polygamy – more specifically, the <a href="https://catholicherald.co.uk/many-african-catholics-have-more-than-one-wife-what-should-the-church-do/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">practice of allowing men to take more than one wife</a>. While the civil law in some countries might not allow for polygamy, the “<a href="http://www.scielo.org.za/pdf/she/v39n1/14.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">customary law</a>” rooted in traditional practice may still remain in force. In some countries, like Kenya in 2014, <a href="https://cruxnow.com/cns/2018/05/11/some-kenyan-christians-support-polygamy-but-catholic-church-says-no" target="_blank" rel="noopener">civil law has been changed</a> to include an <a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2019/01/07/pushed-politicians-polygamy-abounds-among-christians-kenya?destination=/faith/2019/01/07/pushed-politicians-polygamy-abounds-among-christians-kenya" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official recognition of polygamous marriage</a>. Some have argued that monogamy is not an organic cultural shift but a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8827617/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colonial imposition</a> on African cultural traditions. In some areas, Catholic men continue the practice, even those who act on behalf of the church in teaching others about the faith – called catechists. At least one African bishop <a href="https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/17354/synod-for-africa-ponders-how-to-tackle-polygamy-meddling-by-foreign-interests" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has made an interesting suggestion</a>. The openness to alternative cultural approaches has already resulted in one change. Divorced and remarried Catholics were once forbidden from taking Communion – the bread and wine consecrated at the celebration of the Catholic ritual of the Mass – because the church did not recognize secular divorce. Today, they may <a href="https://www.ncronline.org/vatican-cardinal-amoris-laetitia-allows-some-remarried-take-communion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receive communion</a> under certain conditions. This flexibility might apply as well to Catholics in non-recognized polygamous unions, who are also <a href="https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/african-bishop-polygamy-homosexuality-divorce-oh-my" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not permitted to receive Communion</a> at present. As Pope Francis wrote in his 2016 document on marriage, <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/dam/francesco/pdf/apost_exhortations/documents/papa-francesco_esortazione-ap_20160319_amoris-laetitia_en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amoris Laetitia</a>, some matters should be left to local churches to decide based on their own culture and traditions. However, despite the <a href="https://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_cti_1988_fede-inculturazione_en.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">need for increased awareness of and openness to diverse human cultures</a> stressed during Vatican II and the current synod, this traditional custom is still considered a violation of Catholic teaching. Based on the words of Jesus in the <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2019%3A6&version=NRSVACE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gospel of Matthew</a>, Catholic teaching continues to emphasize that marriage can take place only between <a href="https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/catechism/index.cfm?recnum=6219" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one man and one woman as a lifelong commitment</a>. How the current synod on synodality, in its effort to extend the insights of the Second Vatican Council, will deal with questions like these is still unclear. It is now set to run for an additional year, concluding in 2024 instead of 2023. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/catholic-conflicts-on-marriage-continue-even-decades-after-vatican-ii-192808" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Relationships

Waleed Aly defends Scott Morrison’s church speech

Waleed Aly has defended former prime minister Scott Morrison’s speech which he says has been misinterpreted. Morrison delivered a sermon to Margaret Court’s Victory Life Centre church in Perth where he urged people to put their faith in God and not the government. "We trust in Him. We don't trust in governments. We don't trust in the United Nations, thank goodness,” he said. "We don't trust in all these things, fine as they may be and as important as the role that they play. Believe me, I've worked in it and they are important." The Project co-host however said that the speech was misinterpreted and that what Morrison meant is to trust God and not “earthly institutions”. “The criticism here is that he’s saying ‘don’t trust the government’. I think that’s a bad faith reading of what he’s saying. That’s a misinterpretation,” he said on Thursday’s episode. “All he’s saying is ‘we don’t trust earthly institutions the way that we trust God’. “If you’re a Christian, and not just a Christian by the way, I reckon just about any mainstream perspective from any mainstream faith would say the same thing. “That’s a completely uncontroversial thing to say. What’s controversial is the way that it’s been taken out of that context, the context of a sermon, and placed in the context of a news cycle and then turned into a comment about the government like he’s whipping up some kind of anti-government movement. “That’s just not what he’s doing”. The controversial speech also caught the attention of current Prime Minister Anthony Albanese who called out Morrison saying he was surprised that he was in a position of leading the country. “I just thought, wow. This guy was the prime minister of Australia and had the great honour of leading the government. I found it quite astonishing,” he told ABC radio. “It provides some explanation perhaps of why, in my view, he clearly didn’t lead a government that was worthy of the Australian people – he said he doesn’t believe in government.” Images: Instagram/The Project

Gladys Berejiklian’s dad dies aged 90

Gladys Berejiklian’s dad Krikor, has died at the age of 90. Krikor Berejiklian passed away on July 10 from an undisclosed illness in hospital with his family by his side. The beloved father, former boilermaker and welder - who proudly worked on the Sydney Opera House, was farewelled at Chatswood’s Armenian Apostolic Church on July 14. He leaves behind his wife of 52 years Arsha and three daughters Rita, Mary and Gladys. The former Premier of NSW addressed mourners at the wake saying her father was "young at heart". "When he was in hospital he was asked by the medical staff how old he was and without hesitation he answered ‘only 90’," she said, <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/heartfelt-tribute-gladys-berejiklians-dad-krikor-dies-aged-90/news-story/deb9f7c69222e7c7bbac7a8347c2f9fe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a> reported. "Our father was a humble man. He was a true gentleman, a real character and a friend to all he came into contact with. His smiling face always brought great joy." <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CP9KvviB93u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CP9KvviB93u/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Gladys Berejiklian (@gladysb)</a> </div> </blockquote> Ms Berejiklian said her father always encouraged her and her siblings to “work hard, be thoughtful to others, contribute to society and be proud of our Armenian heritage”. She then spoke about the family’s migration from Syria and Jerusalem after escaping the Armenian Genocide. "My parents were grateful that fate and circumstance had allowed them to raise a family in the safety and opportunity Australia provided. "As a sign of his gratitude, my father would adorn our balcony at the family home in North Ryde with the Australian flag on Australia Day." In the three weeks prior to his death and despite his deteriorating health, Krikor was able to leave his home and ride on a state Transit bus from North Ryde to Wynyard and back home again. Images: Instagram

Caring

Loved ones remember newlywed bride who died on her honeymoon in moving funeral service

Family and friends have gathered to commemorate the “kind-hearted spirit” and “unconditional love” of the newlywed bride who tragically died in a golf buggy accident on her honeymoon in an emotional funeral service Marina Morgan, 29, had only been married to husband Robbie Morgan for 10 days when she died in a freak accident on the couples honeymoon in Hamilton Island. At 9 am on Saturday the 2nd of July, hundreds of friends and family filled St Mary & St Merkorious Coptic Orthodox Church in Rhodes – the same place Marina and Robbie were married. A funeral notice posted to the church’s Facebook page in Arabic and English referred to her as the “bride of heaven”. Several men, including her husband, carried her coffin into the building and onto the altar, where a photo of Marina on her wedding day was placed on top of the casket. After prayers filled the church, friends and family shared their memories of Marina’s life. Marina’s brother, Mark Hanna, described his sister as a “sweet, young, independent woman who was loved by everyone.” “She was beautiful inside and out, loved to laugh, and always had a positive outlook on life.” In his emotional eulogy, Mr Hanna described the strong bond he shared with his sister. “I've lost someone who I shared so many things … we always shared with each other our hidden fears, and now it feels as though I’ve lost a part of myself, leaving a wound that stretches from the middle of my ribcage to the bottom of my gut,” he said. “It’s very difficult to accept that our gorgeous Marina is no longer here with us. “I will do my best to not let this scar be the death of me,” he promised as he broke down in tears. “Mum, dad, husband Robbie, me, your extended families, cousins, uncles, aunts, friends and everyone who knew you will never forget you.” While Mr Morgan did not stand to speak during the funeral, he briefly spoke to media after. “I can’t explain the sadness in my heart, my wife was loved by so many,” Mr Morgan said told reporters after the funeral. Cousin Miriam remembered her “partner in crime” who lived her life “fearlessly” and vowed to do the same. In a bespoke poem, Miriam also described how Marina fulfilled her life’s goal of getting married, filling her family with pride. “We never thought that day would be your last,” she recited. “To marry her soulmate Robbie and to be a bride, while always filling her family with so much love and so much pride While Mr Morgan did not get up to speak, the priest told the church how he had recalled the couple’s last few days together. “Please see this as a celebration. She is in a better place now alongside God and his angels.” Mrs Morgan’s casket was carried outside and placed into the back of a hearse, before it was driven to Rookwood Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest. Images: Facebook

Caring

Holy renovation: unique church conversion wows viewers

A true one-of-a-kind church conversion is now for sale in the bright inner-Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy. The asking price sits between $5.7 million to $6.2 million. Situated in the heart of the cosmopolitan locale, just minutes away from some of Melbourne's most desirable bars, restaurants and cafes, this property is a unique offering. Part of a boutique living complex that utilises the structure and the grounds of a gorgeous bluestone church, the residence spans multiple levels. Boasting three bedrooms, three bathrooms, one off-street parking space on title and a total footprint of 443-square-metres, space, this property is a once in a life time find. Occupying the entire top floor of the church and benefitting from stunning beamed, vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows, the living, dining and kitchen area is minimalistic, tasteful and bright. However, best of all is that one entire side of the church's tiled roof has been replaced with large glass panels, creating a mesmerising window feature that soaks up and bathes the space in natural light. Walking through an aperture in the creative window display leads occupants to an expansive outdoor timber deck that provides sweeping views across rooftops toward Melbourne's CBD. While the architecturally designed space is unquestionably the abode's crowning glory, it doesn’t stop there with the rest of the stylish pad ensconced in solid wood panelling throughout. Other benefits include a generous master suite that occupies the entire first floor, an elevated loft and plenty of storage space. Images: Domain

Real Estate

Stunning images released of Princess Isabella’s confirmation

Heartwarming family photos of the Danish Royal Family have been released following Princess Isabella’s confirmation. Princess Isabella, the daughter of Crown Princess Mary and Prince Frederik, was confirmed at the Fredensborg Palace Church on April 30. The confirmation ceremony, which was held just a few weeks after Princess Isabella’s <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/new-images-of-crown-princess-mary-s-daughter-released-on-her-birthday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">15th birthday</a>, was attended by Queen Margrethe II and her three siblings, Prince Christian, 16, and 11-year-old twins Princess Josephine and Prince Vincent. “The garden hall at Fredensborg Castle forms the setting for the official confirmation photos of Her Royal Highness Princess Isabella and the royal family as well as the Princess' sponsors,” a translated message from the Danish Royal Family reads. “In the photos taken shortly after the confirmation in Fredensborg Castle Church, the confirmand is seen together with Her Majesty the Queen, the Crown Prince Couple and their Royal Highnesses Prince Christian, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine. “The princess was also photographed with her godparents, Her Majesty Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Her Royal Highness Princess Alexia of Greece, Dr. Nadine Johnston, chief physician, dr.med. Christian von Buchwald, director, major Peter Heering and chamberlain Marie Louise Skeel.” In another post, the Danish Royal Family revealed that Fredensborg Castle has been used for the family’s confirmation over the past 100 years. “The church has formed the framework for royal confirmations. Thus it was also in this church that both Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince were confirmed in 1955 and 1981 respectively.” Images: Franne Voigt

Beauty & Style

Catholic Church to meet for first plenary council in 84 years

Representatives from the Catholic Church in Australia are soon to assemble at an historic gathering that will chart a future for a "diminished" institution bruised by the damning finds of a sexual abuse royal commission. The last time bishops and representatives from all the nation’s dioceses gathered for an all-in plenary council was in 1937. The issues now confronting the church could not possibly have been foreseen then – royal commission findings that child sexual abuse ran rampant and was covered up. From this Sunday, 280 ordinary lay members and bishops will convene to consider issues that will have a profound effect on the shape of the church in Australia. Among the most pressing agenda items is how the church plans to reform; 45 bishops will vote on binding resolutions that will be sent to the Vatican for approval. Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge, who is also the president of the Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference, pushed for the summit, saying that the royal commission didn’t prompt the event – but that the “great humiliations” it exposed must inform the next steps of a “diminished” church. “We have to ask the questions about what it means to be a poorer church, a humbler church, a simpler church, but a church which is reaching out in all kinds of new and perhaps hitherto unseen ways, into culture and society,” Archbishop Coleridge told the ABC. Former royal commission Robert Fitzgerald says it’s no secret that the church “struggles with transparency” and that some bishops, priests and laity still hold the belief that the church is a private institution. He wants to see the return of pastoral councils to improve transparency and increase the involvement of lay people in decisions taken by priests and bishops. “If the governance of the church is not significantly improved, and the participation of women isn’t considerably enhanced, then .. the reforms we’ve talked about previously in relation to professional standards, the way in which we protect vulnerable people, they will falter over,” he has warned. Archbishop Coleridge says “question of women” will be central to the deliberations of plenary council. Other issues on the agenda include how the church might "open in new ways to Indigenous ways of being Christian" and learn from First Nations peoples. The first Plenary Council assembly begins with a mass at St Mary's Cathedral in Perth on Sunday. The event runs until October 10, and will be conducted online.

Legal

"She didn't deserve this": Grandmother bashed while opening church

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> An elderly grandmother has been violently bashed while opening her local church in Melbourne. Penelope Katsavos was attacked while opening the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox church at 6 am on Saturday morning. The grandmother of six recalled seeing a man standing by her shopping trolley that doubles as her walker. She asked the man what he was doing and he started yelling at her. "She couldn't understand what he was saying ... she put her hand on the trolley and he hit her in the face," daughter in law Erin Katsevos said. "He punched her once and she didn't fall, so he pushed her to the ground and she remembers him kicking her." Penelope was left on the ground for half an hour before anyone saw her and passed out following the assault. She now has a fractured pelvis, broken wrist and two bleeds on her brain. Her daughter-in-law said that the family is heartbroken. "We are so upset ... couldn't believe someone could do that to her," Erin Katsavos said. "She's the best ... she's everything you could want in a mother in law or a grandmother." "She didn't deserve this." Penelope has been a member of her church for the last 40 years, and Erin says she has no words for the offender. "Nothing you can say to them ... what can you say to someone who could do something like this? "She loves that church more than anything ... for her to be like that in a place that she is so dedicated to and loves so much ... it's awful." Photo credit: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/elderly-woman-assaulted-at-melbourne-church/19f5134c-3146-44ad-95f5-4f3c1919d82e" target="_blank">9NEWS</a> </div> </div> </div>

Legal

France under siege after beheading in church

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> WARNING: GRAPHIC STORY CONTENT France was hit by two suspected terror attacks which have left three dead, including a woman who was beheaded by a knifeman allegedly shouting "Allahu Akbar". Two separate assailants are understood to have launched attacks in Nice and Avignon in the south of the country just hours apart. The woman, who was one of three killed, passed away shortly after 9 am local time. <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/world/europe/nice-suspected-mass-stabber-kept-shouting-allahu-akbar-after-arrested-in-france/news-story/3640cb6f1a6d98047190a8656061ca94" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Her last words</a>, according to a member of the French Senate, were: “Tell my children that I love them.” Police have identified the suspect in Nice as Brahim Aouissaoui, who is believed to have arrived in Europe only recently after being born in Tunisia. Almost at the same time, a security guard at the French Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was stabbed and left with minor injuries. In Avignon, 250kms away from Nice, a man shouted "Allahu Akbar" while brandishing a knife, but was shot dead. No one else has been reported injured. It's currently unclear if the attacks are related, but local politicians are drawing links, with French Republican Eric Ciotti tweeting "Attack in Nice, attack in Avignon, attack on the French consulate in Saudi Arabia. It is not a coincidence, the Islamists want to annihilate us! We must destroy the Islamists!". French President Emmanuel Macron has visited the site of the attack as France raised its attack level to “urgent” and Prime Minister Jean Castex said the government’s response will be “relentless and immediate”. Nice mayor Christian Estrosi said: “The attacker kept shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ even after he had been shot and as he was given medical care. “Enough is enough. The suspected knife attacker was shot by police while being detained, he is on his way to hospital, he is alive. “I must say that Nice, like France, but perhaps more than other places in the country today, is paying too heavy a price by being once again the victim of islamofascism.” There have been heightened security fears in France over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed published by Charlie Hedbo, with a teacher in France being beheaded after he showed his pupils the cartoons as part of a class on free speech. In response to the beheading, French president Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech in defence of free speech and the offending cartoons were projected onto government buildings in France. </div> </div> </div>

News

“We just want our son back:” Parents forgive slain son’s killers

The grief stricken parents of a teenage boy stabbed to death outside of a suburban shopping centre vow they will forgive their son’s attackers. Solomone Taufeulungaki, 15, was approached by a group of eight to 10 males on Tuesday afternoon outside Brimbank Shopping Centre at Deer Park in Melbourne's west. Nine News reports some of the group members came bearing knives and baseball bats, which they used on the teenage boy “multiple times” in the chest and stomach. Solomone died at the scene, and his friend say he was an "innocent boy" who may not have been the target of the fatal attack. The vicious attack occurred outside of his family's church - the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Solomone's grieving mother, father and aunt visited the scene on Wednesday morning clutching a bunch of yellow and blue flowers. His father 'Atunaisa was seen collapsing to the ground as he approached the scene with Solomone's mother Salome and aunt Siu Alone. "Fly high, son. Love you," his mother said. "He's humble, he's active, he's funny. We don't want any justice. We want our son back home. "We did not have a chance to see him last night so we wanted to come here." Solomone’s parents say they have already vowed to forgive their son’s attackers after gathering with family to pray. "Everyone dies in a different situation," 'Atunaisa said. “Heavenly father needed my son to come back. "We don't know who is their [the attackers'] family but we love them ... the parents don't teach bad things to the children. It's their children's choice." Nine people are in custody after the fatal stabbing and a second brawl occurred at the scene just hours later. Nine people spent the night in custody after the fatal stabbing and a second brawl that broke out at the scene hours later. Solomone's friend, 16-year-old Veni Atonio, told reporters he didn’t understand why his friend had to die. "I don't know why they had to take an innocent boy," he said. "I don’t know why this generation is all about ... shivs, killing each other, when they don’t know how the parents will feel. It’s not a parents' job to bury their own children." Veni went on to remember his mate by saying: "With that kind of smile that man has, it’s unforgettable. We are just going to miss him so much. "It was a stupid act. They should have done something else instead of ... knives and bats." Veni said he believes the attackers might have been trying to get to someone else, because of something written on social media.

News

Supreme Court says grace ain’t groceries: Reopening churches in a pandemic

The highest court in the land has given states some leeway in determining when and how to safely reopen places of worship during the COVID-19 pandemic. The move lends support to state officials making science-informed decisions that may inhibit church congregants from fully engaging in their faith. In a <a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/19pdf/19a1044_pok0.pdf">5-4 ruling</a> issued close to midnight on Friday, May 29, the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to disturb the <a href="https://www.kpbs.org/news/2020/may/25/california-governor-issues-guidelines-churches-ope/">California governor’s order restricting religious service</a> gatherings as part of its emergency pandemic response effort. The decision is the latest turn in the debate over what places of worship may do during the lockdown and as the U.S. comes out of it. During the pandemic there have been <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/05/churches-reopen-coronavirus/612304/">frequent clashes</a> as federal, state and local officials try to balance protecting the public’s health with the rights of individuals and groups to gather and practice their faith. This is nothing new. I study public health law, ethics and policy, and I have seen how issues from <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2019/03/19/god-country-chickenpox-how-an-outbreak-entangled-one-school-vaccine-showdown/">vaccination exemptions</a> to <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2470438">responding to the opioid crisis</a> are steeped in such concerns. Clashing over churches The debate over church attendance began as soon the current crisis took hold and communities began to lockdown. One of the earliest high-profile clashes involved the <a href="https://www.tampabay.com/news/health/2020/03/30/tampa-church-holds-packed-service-draws-warning-from-sheriffs-office/">arrest and jailing of a Tampa Bay, Florida-area pastor</a>. Pastor Rodney Howard-Browne, a controversial figure who has <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/bible-belt-us-coronavirus-pandemic-pastors-church-a9481226.html">dismissed coroanvirus as a “phantom plague</a>” held two large services in defiance of the county’s stay-at-home order and at a time when local COVID-19 cases were soaring. He was detained on May 30. But just two days after the arrest, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis <a href="https://www.flgov.com/wp-content/uploads/orders/2020/EO_20-91-compressed.pdf">issued an executive order</a> declaring that “attending religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses of worship” were to be protected as “essential activities.” He added that the state order would override any contradictory local restrictions. By that time, President Trump had already declared that Easter would be a “beautiful time” for the U.S. economy <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/24/us/politics/trump-coronavirus-easter.html">to be reopened</a> – a goal that put him <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/25/trump-needs-governors-reopen-economy-even-republican-ones-arent-onboard/">at odds with the science and some state governors</a>. That plan was <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+abandons+easter&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS855US855&oq=trump+abandons+easter&aqs=chrome..69i57.2986j1j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8">later abandoned</a>. More recently, Trump described houses of worship as “<a href="https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/may/trump-church-reopening-essential-religious-freedom.html">essential places that provide essential services</a>.” But this characterization of live, in-person church services as “essential” blurs the distinct way that term was originally applied to businesses, services and employees in the crisis. “Essential” in this context referred to <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/publications/Version_3.1_CISA_Guidance_on_Essential_Critical_Infrastructure_Workers.pdf">critical contributors to our nation’s infrastructure and workforce</a>. They are the people involved with keeping our hospitals, food supplies, transport and utilities running, as well as law enforcement and our national defense. But the president and many states are applying the term “essential” more broadly, <a href="https://www.voanews.com/usa/are-person-religious-services-essential-during-pandemic">as a way to signal certain values</a>. This is especially true when examining the mix of states’ approaches to in-person church gatherings. States and SCOTUS By late May, <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/ny-nj-loosen-restrictions-on-gatherings-in-time-for-memorial-day-weekend/2430000/">even the states hit hardest by the virus</a> had begun to loosen their restrictions on gatherings. But when the first “stay-at-home” orders were issued, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/04/27/most-states-have-religious-exemptions-to-covid-19-social-distancing-rules/">California was just one of nine states</a> to ban live religious gatherings altogether. Meanwhile, around 20 other states initially limited live gatherings to 10 people or less. Doing so placed restrictions on church services akin to those on concerts, movie theaters or sporting events. But other states followed a similar approach to Florida, labeling religious gatherings as “essential,” or at least declaring that they <a href="https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/wcm/connect/gov/dd504af3-ae2c-4d2e-b2bd-02c1a3beed89/Director%27s+Order-+Amended+Mass+Gathering+3.17.20+%281%29.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CONVERT_TO=url&CACHEID=ROOTWORKSPACE.Z18_M1HGGIK0N0JO00QO9DDDDM3000-dd504af3-ae2c-4d2e-b2bd-02c1a3beed89-n3FI0mY">should be exempt</a> from restrictions in place for other types of gatherings. Indiana and Kansas both initially tried a political and scientific middle ground: characterizing church gatherings as “essential,” but still requiring that religious organizations follow the rules set out by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/faith-based.html">for in-person social gatherings</a>, minimizing and discouraging live meetings until the public health threat was reduced. From a public health perspective, restricting in-person religious gatherings makes sense. COVID-19 is most <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-drifts-through-the-air-in-microscopic-droplets-heres-the-science-of-infectious-aerosols-136663">easily spread as an aerosol</a>, such as when people are talking or singing. The risk of spread is also higher in closed spaces when in close proximity to someone infected and increases the longer you are near them. Church-related gatherings often have all these features, and have been the <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/coronavirus/article241715346.html">nexus</a> <a href="https://nypost.com/2020/04/13/virginia-pastor-who-held-packed-church-service-dies-of-coronavirus/">for</a> <a href="https://www.times-news.com/coronavirus/covid-19-outbreak-reported-in-hampshire-county-church/article_07e1d928-a119-11ea-8d6f-87aca62d04e4.html">many</a> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6920e2.htm">cases</a> where COVID-19 has spread <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/wr/mm6919e6.htm">across a community</a>. Interestingly, the Trump administration <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/white-house-and-cdc-remove-coronavirus-warnings-about-choirs-in-faith-guidance/2020/05/28/5d9c526e-a117-11ea-9590-1858a893bd59_story.html">eliminated warnings about church choir activities from the CDC’s latest guidance</a> on safely reopening places of worship. Defiant churches tried different tactics to remain open. Some simply ignored the restrictions and continued to hold services. And California isn’t the only state to see state rules challenged in court. Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, Texas and Virginia have all seen similar legal action. In many cases, the organizations fighting restrictions have <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2020/05/13/churches-have-been-astonishingly-hypocritical-during-pandemic/">cited the First Amendment</a> and argued that it is unconstitutional to restrict church gatherings, especially when other secular so-called “essential” or “life-sustaining” entities – such as grocery stores, liquor stores and laundromats – are allowed to stay open. This line of argument was echoed in the Supreme Court decision’s dissenting opinion written by Justice Brent Kavanaugh in the Supreme Court case. The Supreme Court, looking at the latest version of California’s restrictions – which limits churches to 25% capacity, or a maximum of 100 attendees – declined to second guess the state’s elected officials in their assessment of the best way to protect the public’s health. In his concurring opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts, the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/roberts-embraces-role-as-supreme-court-swing-justice-with-latest-church-ruling">pivotal vote in the church case</a>, seemed swayed by how officials endeavored to follow the science during a time “fraught with medical and scientific uncertainties.” He noted that religious services were more like social gatherings than “grocery stores, banks, and laundromats, in which people neither congregate in large groups nor remain in close proximity for extended periods.” Good-faith efforts The loosening of formal in-person gathering restrictions is beginning to take place across the country. This will likely make monitoring the rules more difficult and could result in greater reliance upon the vigilance of religious leaders, their congregants and perhaps <a href="https://religionnews.com/2020/05/07/as-pandemic-persists-churches-and-insurance-companies-grapple-with-risk/">guidance from the churches’ risk-averse liability insurance companies</a>. For now, most churches and other religious entities appear to <a href="https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2020/05/faith-leaders-protecting-human-life-is-priority-in-reopening-churches/">be remaining careful</a> amid <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/2020/05/08/coronavirus-indiana-places-worship-plan-stay-closed/3096391001/">concern over the still present risks</a>. <a href="https://www.wishtv.com/news/local-news/2-avon-churches-a-mile-apart-from-each-other-reopen-under-different-guidelines/">Some are not</a>. But should infection numbers spike in the near future, state officials have the knowledge that a majority on the Supreme Court – for now at least – appear willing to follow the science and support their good-faith efforts to manage public health emergencies. Written by Ross D. Silverman. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-it-comes-to-reopening-churches-in-the-pandemic-supreme-court-says-grace-aint-groceries-135287">The Conversation.</a>

Travel Tips

"Beaten and pinned down": Christian church members dragged into street after raid by Chinese officials

Shocking video footage from inside a Christian church in China shows officials raiding and violently dragging members out of the church mid-service. ChinaAid, a Christian watchdog group on persecution posted the story from the church in Xiamen, a Fujian province. In a video taken at the church, officers and attendees of Xinguang Church shout as attendees try and block the officials from entering. <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UkHgvKcpsaM"></iframe></div> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Officials then drag a person to the door and the men who were guarding the door were “beaten and pinned down”, according to a statement from ChinaAid. "The state security police came banging at the door, then they kicked it down and dragged those in the way outside the doorway," <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/xiamen-church-05042020155239.html" target="_blank">Radio Free Asia</a> quoted Pastor Yang Xibo. Officers also confiscated phones and used “brutal force” against some Christian women as well. As the church’s meeting place is located at a private residence, police broke down barriers and dragged three people out. Church members had received no warnings, which an eyewitness confirmed. "They didn't say anything or show any documentation, but they just nailed a man and a woman to the ground, pinning them by the chest and legs using their knees. " No warrants were reportedly shown, and the church has since been banned. Gina Goh, International Christian Concern’s regional manager for Southeast Asia has said that China is resuming its crackdown on Christianity since the threat posed by COVID-19 has been reduced. "In recent weeks, we have seen an increased number of church demolitions and cross removals on state-sanctioned churches across China, as house church gatherings continue to face interruption and harassment. “It is deplorable that the local authorities not only conducted this raid without proper procedure, but deployed excessive use of force against church members and bystanders," she said. "ICC calls on the international community and the US government to condemn China's constant human rights abuses." Photo credits: <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chinaaid.org/2020/05/breaking-violence-erupts-when-officials.html" target="_blank">ChinaAid</a> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

Warnings over church selling bleach as coronavirus cure

The Australian chapter of an international church that peddles bleach as a “miracle cure” for coronavirus and other illnesses is selling the product locally. The Genesis II Church of Health and Healing sells industrial-grade bleach as “Master” or “Miracle Mineral Solution” – also known as MMS – claiming it can cure COVID-19 as well as autism, HIV/AIDS, leukemia and acne. The US leader of the organisation, Mark Grenon, said the chlorine dioxide product could “kill 99 per cent of the pathogens in the body”. A post on the Genesis website said MMS could have side effects, including stomach pain and diarrhea. Grenon claimed he wrote to Donald Trump about its “sacramental cleansing water” days before the US president suggested injecting disinfectant to treat coronavirus. MMS is not approved for consumption in Australia and the United States. Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) warned that MMS should be labelled as “poison” after <a href="https://www.tga.gov.au/alert/miracle-mineral-solution-mms">four people in Victoria were hospitalised in 2014</a> following the consumption of the product. Last week, a US federal court <a href="https://www.bradenton.com/news/local/article242484731.html">issued a ban on the organisation from selling and distributing its products</a>. Judge Kathleen Williams said a preliminary injunction needed to be issued to prevent the Genesis from further violating the federal laws on food, drug and cosmetics. In a complaint seeking the preliminary injunction, the US Food and Drug Administration said MMS was a misbranded and unapproved drug with “no published adequate and well-controlled studies” to support its treatment claims. In late 2019, the agency also said it had received reports of consumers who suffered “from severe vomiting, severe diarrhea, life-threatening low blood pressure caused by dehydration, and acute liver failure after drinking these products”. Professor Andrew Dawson, the clinical director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre, said four people in the state had to be hospitalised last year after taking MMS. “I’m also aware of a patient in Queensland who became extremely sick and was hospitalised for several weeks,” Dawson told ABC’s <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-05-05/church-selling-bleach-claims-cures-coronavirus-australia/12201348">7.30</a>. Charles Barton, who runs the MMS Australia website, told the program MMS was “innocent and perfectly safe”. The TGA told the program it was investigating MMS Australia.

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Australian churches collectively raise billions of dollars a year – why aren’t they taxed?

Police release new images in search for church rioters

Why is the Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but the Bondi tragedy isn’t?

Teenage boy in custody after stabbing at Sydney church

All-girls Catholic school bans same-sex couples from formal

“I was wrong”: Dominic Perrottet admits Catholic faith played a role in gambling reform

Historic church hits the market - with a catch

Catholic conflicts on marriage continue, even decades after Vatican II

Waleed Aly defends Scott Morrison’s church speech

Gladys Berejiklian’s dad dies aged 90

Loved ones remember newlywed bride who died on her honeymoon in moving funeral service

Holy renovation: unique church conversion wows viewers

Stunning images released of Princess Isabella’s confirmation

Catholic Church to meet for first plenary council in 84 years

"She didn't deserve this": Grandmother bashed while opening church

France under siege after beheading in church

“We just want our son back:” Parents forgive slain son’s killers

Supreme Court says grace ain’t groceries: Reopening churches in a pandemic

"Beaten and pinned down": Christian church members dragged into street after raid by Chinese officials

Warnings over church selling bleach as coronavirus cure

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Australian churches collectively raise billions of dollars a year – why aren’t they taxed?

Police release new images in search for church rioters

Why is the Sydney church stabbing an act of terrorism, but the Bondi tragedy isn’t?

Teenage boy in custody after stabbing at Sydney church

All-girls Catholic school bans same-sex couples from formal

“I was wrong”: Dominic Perrottet admits Catholic faith played a role in gambling reform

Historic church hits the market - with a catch

Catholic conflicts on marriage continue, even decades after Vatican II

Waleed Aly defends Scott Morrison’s church speech

Gladys Berejiklian’s dad dies aged 90

Loved ones remember newlywed bride who died on her honeymoon in moving funeral service

Holy renovation: unique church conversion wows viewers

Stunning images released of Princess Isabella’s confirmation

Catholic Church to meet for first plenary council in 84 years

"She didn't deserve this": Grandmother bashed while opening church

France under siege after beheading in church

​“We just want our son back:” Parents forgive slain son’s killers

Supreme Court says grace ain’t groceries: Reopening churches in a pandemic

"Beaten and pinned down": Christian church members dragged into street after raid by Chinese officials

Warnings over church selling bleach as coronavirus cure

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“I was wrong”: Dominic Perrottet admits Catholic faith played a role in gambling reform 

“We just want our son back:” Parents forgive slain son’s killers