International
Pope Francis has set up a commission to identify the 21st century’s “new martyrs”, whom he has defined as Christians of any domination who are killed “simply because they are Christians”
Reflections
“A year ago people called me a ‘pacifist’ and I often thought that the profession of arms was unworthy of a Christian. Many of my friends are principled pacifists who say that any kind of violent harm, even in self-defence, is morally wrong. Since the Russian Federation’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in February last year, I’ve changed,” says Fr Martin Arnold, a Churchie Old Boy and Ukrainian Catholic priest
“The local Moldovans were Christians from different denominations. Their willingness to risk their lives for fellow Moldovans and Ukrainian refugees set a new bar for servant leadership. I was also inspired by how they banded together despite their theological or liturgical differences to focus on what was important – caring for others,” says Gold Coast nurse-paramedic and Christian Helen Zahos
“When I explained that I had volunteered in Ukraine as a nurse-paramedic, after a thoughtful pause the reporter asked…’Are you a believer?’ When I replied, ‘Yes’, his response was, ‘I figured. Nobody would go into a dangerous warzone as a volunteer unless they had faith,’” says Gold Coast nurse-paramedic Helen Zahos
Over hundreds of years, Sami El-Yousef’s ancestors have participated in the Holy Fire procession, carrying a banner representing one of the 13 oldest Christian Orthodox families in Jerusalem
“The Nicene Creed was originally written in Greek and translated into Latin…Over the next few centuries, an additional word crept into the Latin version of the Creed. We don’t know exactly how this unauthorised change occurred, but we do know that it caused enormous friction, anger and, eventually, what became known as the ‘Great Schism’,” says The Rev’d Dr Cathy Laufer, while offering a study guide for parishes so our community can take steps to repair the divisions in Christ’s Body
“…a blind obsession with love requires us to build relationships not walls, requires trust not fear, requires that we make room for difference rather than cling to an arrogant assurance that my way is the only way,” says Bishop Jeremy Greaves
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