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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

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

Streets on fire after controversial raising of retirement age

French Emmanuel Macron has ignited a furious spark in the people of France with controversial new pension reforms - those that would see the country’s pension age raised from 62 to 64. The changes were reportedly pushed through their parliament without a proper voting process - it has been said that Macron employed “special constitutional powers” to see it through. Protesters flocked to the streets in response, with over 250 different protests organised nationwide, in a move that has been praised by union leaders. However, while hundreds of thousands of participants experienced peaceful marches through some of the country’s largest cities, tensions were high in Bordeaux, and the town hall felt the full brunt of it when it was set alight. While it is not known who was responsible for the fire, it was quickly extinguished. In Paris, where the majority took part in peaceful demonstrations, violence did rear its head, with a number of clashes between protestors and police officers breaking out - shop windows were broken, street furniture demolished, and fast food establishments attacked. It has also been reported that while police were the target of various projectiles, they made use of tear gas to push back those responsible for any rioting behaviour. And at Place de l’Opera, the location at which demonstrators concluded their march, the tear gas was back, covering a portion of the area in a haze of fumes. The official demonstration in Paris - which had drawn people from all over the French social spectrum - was not the only one to take a violent turn, with the cities of Nantes, Rennes, Lorient, and Lyon facing similar fates. The protests, coupled with strikes and industrial action across the country, disrupted transport and prompted the cancellation of flights, with airport authorities claiming roll-on effects from the chaos. Protestors also succeeded in blocking off Terminal 1 of France’s largest international airport, the Charles de Gaulle airport. As to why the French had taken this approach to fighting the reforms, one demonstrator in Nantes summed it up by declaring “the street has a legitimacy in France. “If Mr Macron can't remember this historic reality, I don't know what he is doing here.” And as another told Reuters, "I oppose this reform and I really oppose the fact that democracy no longer means anything. We're not being represented, and so we're fed up." "It is by protesting that we will be able to make ourselves heard because all the other ways ... have not allowed us to withdraw this reform," another explained to AFP. The women on the streets were furious, seeing Macron’s move as one that targeted them in particular, especially those that had been forced to step away from their careers to dedicate their time to raising their children. As one social worker told The Guardian, “everyone is angry. Everyone thinks this law is unfair, but it particularly penalises women who are expected to produce future generations of the nation, and then find they are punished for doing so.” “They want to raise it to 64 today. Will it be 66, 67, 68 tomorrow?” a teacher implored. “They tell us life expectancy is longer but are we to work until we collapse and are carted off to the crematorium?” Images: Getty

Retirement Life

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

Shanty towns and eviction riots: the radical history of Australia’s property market

Skyrocketing property prices and an impossible rental market have seen growing numbers of Australians struggling to find a place to live. Recent images of families pitching tents or living out of cars evoke some of the more enduring scenes from the Great Depression. Australia was among the hardest hit countries when global wool and wheat prices plummeted in 1929. By 1931, many were feeling the effects of long-term unemployment, including widespread evictions from their homes. The evidence was soon seen and felt as shanty towns – known as dole camps – mushroomed in and around urban centres across the country. How we responded to that housing crisis, and how we talk about those events today, show how our attitudes about poverty, homelessness and welfare are entwined with questions of national identity. Shanty towns and eviction riots Sydney’s Domain, Melbourne’s Dudley Flats and the banks of the River Torrens in Adelaide were just a few places where communities of people experiencing homelessness <a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1106767" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sprung up</a> in the early 1930s. Some <a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1106767" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lived in tents</a>, others in makeshift shelters of iron, sacking, wood and other scavenged materials. Wooden crates, newspapers and flour and wheat sacks were put to numerous inventive domestic uses, such as for furniture and blankets. Camps were rife with lice, fevers and dysentery, all treated with home remedies. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469663/original/file-20220620-23-cm58ov.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469663/original/file-20220620-23-cm58ov.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/469663/original/file-20220620-23-cm58ov.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=837&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469663/original/file-20220620-23-cm58ov.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=837&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469663/original/file-20220620-23-cm58ov.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=837&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469663/original/file-20220620-23-cm58ov.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1052&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469663/original/file-20220620-23-cm58ov.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1052&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/469663/original/file-20220620-23-cm58ov.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1052&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Some people lived in tents in the Domain during the Depression of the 1930s. <a class="source" href="http://search.slv.vic.gov.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?vid=MAIN&search_scope=Everything&tab=default_tab&lang=en_US&context=L&isFrbr=true&docid=SLV_VOYAGER1713846" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Knights, Bert/State Library of Victoria</a></figcaption></figure> But many Australians fought eviction from their homes in a widespread series of protests and interventions known as the <a href="https://commonslibrary.org/lock-out-the-landlords-australian-anti-eviction-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">anti-eviction movement</a>. As writer Iain McIntyre outlines in his work <a href="https://commonslibrary.org/lock-out-the-landlords-australian-anti-eviction-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lock Out The Landlords: Australian Anti-Eviction Resistance 1929-1936</a>, these protests were an initiative of members of the Unemployed Workers Movement – a kind of trade union of the jobless. As <a href="https://rahu.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Sydneys-Anti-Eviction-Movement_-Community-or-Conspiracy_.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a> by writers Nadia Wheatley and Drew Cottle, <blockquote> With the dole being given in the form of goods or coupons rather than as cash, it was impossible for many unemployed workers to pay rent. In working class suburbs, it was common to see bailiffs dumping furniture onto the footpath, pushing women and children onto the street. Even more common was the sight of strings of boarded up terrace houses, which nobody could afford to rent. If anything demonstrated the idiocy as well as the injustice of the capitalist system it was the fact that in many situations the landlords did not even gain anything from evicting people. </blockquote> The Unemployed Workers Movement <a href="https://rahu.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Sydneys-Anti-Eviction-Movement_-Community-or-Conspiracy_.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">goal</a> was to <blockquote> Organise vigilance committees in neighbourhoods to patrol working class districts and resist by mass action the eviction of unemployed workers from their houses, or attempts on behalf of bailiffs to remove furniture, or gas men to shut off the gas supply. </blockquote> Methods of resistance were varied in practice. Often threats were <a href="https://rahu.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Sydneys-Anti-Eviction-Movement_-Community-or-Conspiracy_.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sufficient</a> to keep a landlord from evicting a family. If not, a common <a href="https://rahu.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Sydneys-Anti-Eviction-Movement_-Community-or-Conspiracy_.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tactic</a> was for a large group of activists and neighbours to gather outside the house on eviction day and physically prevent the eviction. Sometimes this led to street fights with <a href="https://commonslibrary.org/lock-out-the-landlords-australian-anti-eviction-resistance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">police</a>. Protestors sometimes <a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1106767" target="_blank" rel="noopener">returned</a> in the wake of a successful eviction to raid and vandalise the property. Protestors went under armed siege in houses barricaded with sandbags and barbed wire. This culminated in a <a href="http://www5.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ANZLawHisteJl/2007/2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">series</a> of bloody battles with police in Sydney’s suburbs in mid-1931, and numerous arrests. It’s not just what happened – it’s how we talk about it Narratives both reflect and shape our world. Written history is interesting not just for the things that happened in the past, but for how we tell them. Just as the catastrophic effects of the 1929 crash were entwined with the escalating struggle between extreme left and right political ideologies, historians and writers have since taken various and even opposing viewpoints when it comes to interpreting the events of Australia’s Depression years and ascribing meaning to them. Was it a time of quiet stoicism that brought out the best in us as “battlers” and fostered a spirit of mateship that underpins who we are as a nation? Or did we push our fellow Australians onto the streets and into tin shacks and make people feel ashamed for needing help? As Wendy Lowenstein wrote in her landmark work of Depression oral history, <a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/69032" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Weevils in the Flour</a>: <blockquote> Common was the conviction that the most important thing was to own your own house, to keep out of debt, to be sober, industrious, and to mind your own business. One woman says, ‘My husband was out of work for five years during the Depression and no one ever knew […] Not even my own parents.’ </blockquote> This part of our history remains contested and narratives from this period - about “lifters and leaners” or the Australian “dream” of home ownership, for example – persist today. As Australia’s present housing crisis deepens, it’s worth highlighting we have been through housing crises before. Public discussion about housing and its relationship to poverty remain – as was the case in the Depression era – emotionally and politically charged. Our Depression-era shanty towns and eviction protests, as well as the way we remember them, are a reminder that what people say and do about the housing crisis today is not just about facts and figures. Above all, it reflects what we value and who we think we are.<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/185129/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helen-dinmore-1000747" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Helen Dinmore</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180" target="_blank" rel="noopener">University of South Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/shanty-towns-and-eviction-riots-the-radical-history-of-australias-property-market-185129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>. Image: <a href="https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-160054430/view" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NLA/Trove</a>

Real Estate

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

Shanty towns and eviction riots: the radical history of Australia’s property market

Real Estate

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

Strong police presence deters threatened COVID lockdown protest

Police officers set up an exclusion zone around the city from 9 am to 3 pm with thousands of police officers on the streets of the CBD area, including three Public Order & Riot Squad teams. Taxi and rideshare companies were banned from entering the area and faced $500,000 fines if they took passengers into the CBD. Cars were stopped by police at key check points entering the CBD area and people were asked where they were going. As a result, there were very few citizens in the CBD area and there was no repeat of last Saturday’s protest where thousands marched in protest in the city centre. The police still made eight arrests and more than 250 Penalty Infringement Notices were issued, the majority for breaching stay-at-home directions. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.1696658097687px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842776/police-um-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/dbf3612c4aa34891a36dcde11bb1edf9" /> Image: Pamela Connellan Taxi and rideshare companies faced fines of up to $500,000 dollars if they took passengers into the CBD. Seven taxi and rideshare services received a prohibition notice banning them from taking passengers to the CBD over the six-hour period. A notice in the Uber app said the orders prohibited transit through the large area, as well as any pick-ups and drop-offs. “This is likely to cause significant disruption and we advise you to consider alternatives for any essential travel to and from these areas during this period,” the notice read. The show of force coincided with news a man in his 60s died that same evening from COVID at his southwestern Sydney home, taking the death toll from the state’s current outbreak to 14. Images: Pamela Connellan

News

"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

Acting PM slammed for his take on Capitol riot: “beyond disgusting”

Australia’s acting prime minister, Michael McCormack has said “all lives matter” after defending his statements that equated the assault on the US Capitol with Black Lives Matter protests. The politician doubled down on his use of the inflammatory "all lives matter" slogan after saying 19 people died in America's anti-racism demonstrations and refused to issue an apology for saying there were similarities between the two events. “There was destruction. There was uninsured property that business owners then have to dig deep into their own pockets to rebuild. And then of course there’s lives lost,” he said on Tuesday. “I appreciate there are a lot of people out there who are being a bit bleeding heart about this, and who are conflicting outrage. “But they should know that those lives matter, too. All lives matter.” Mr McCormack said he abhorred the violence seen during the Capitol riot, but flat out refused to condemn Donald Trump for inciting the assault. "All lives matter" is a slogan that has been pedalled by Pauline Hanson and other far-right figures across the world in response to Black Lives Matter. Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen said Mr McCormack should apologise for saying there were any similarities between violence designed to undermine democracy and peaceful anti-racism protests. "Australians of colour deserve to know that the government thinks more of them than that," Mr Bowen said to reporters in Sydney. "To have the acting prime minister spout the words all lives matter to diminish the Black Lives Matter movement was beyond disgusting." Mr McCormack has also been slammed for refusing to rebuke a Liberal MP for declaring that making children wear face masks was akin to child abuse. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839444/daily-4-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/1b073f66d7f84b5dabe3f0624f869c33" /> Craig Kelly Liberal backbench MP Craig Kelly posted on his Facebook page early on Tuesday morning that the results of a published study into mask-wearing by children during the pandemic showed devastating impacts that were just as bad as child abuse. . “What other conclusion can be drawn from this first ever published study, other than that forcing children to wear masks is causing massive physical & psychological harm – that can only be defined as child abuse,” Kelly wrote.

News

Trump supporter killed during US Capitol rioting identified

Just before Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt was shot dead at the US Capitol after breaking in, she took to Twitter to share her reasons for doing so. “Nothing will stop us … they can try and try and try but the storm is here and it is descending upon DC in less than 24 hours … dark to light!” wrote the 35-year-old. While she predicted a storm correctly, she probably didn't expect to pay the ultimate price in the end, as she fought to keep Donald Trump in office as President. She was killed after breaking into the Capitol Building during the electoral college vote to confirm Joe Biden's win, and her death has caused outrage throughout America. DC Police Chief Robert Contee revealed she had been shot by US Capitol Police. Footage of the graphic shooting began circulating on the internet. She was later removed from the building on a stretcher and died in hospital later in the day, according to officials. Ms Babbitt was identified to KUSI-TV by husband Aaron, who said she was extremely dedicated to Trump and was a veteran of 14 years. Ms Babbitt's mother-in-law Robin Babbitt spoke to the New York Post about the family loss. “I’m numb. I’m devastated. Nobody from DC notified my son and we found out on TV,” Robin Babbitt said, adding her son’s wife was “a Trump supporter”. Ms Babbitt's death prompted angry reactions from the American public. “When Black people are shot dead by police, there is a postmortem character assassination. When a white woman is killed by police storming the Capital, there is character redemption,” wrote Harvard professor CEO of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Cornell William Brooks on Twitter. “Every news story refers to #AshliBabbitt not as an #insurrectionist, but a veteran.” Twitter uses said they had "zero sympathy" for a "terrorist" killed while taking part in "insurrection". “Play stupid games win stupid prizes,” one wrote, while another posted: “How’d it work out for you? Was it worth it?”

News

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>

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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

Historic church hits the market - with a catch

Streets on fire after controversial raising of retirement age

Catholic conflicts on marriage continue, even decades after Vatican II

Shanty towns and eviction riots: the radical history of Australia’s property market

Waleed Aly defends Scott Morrison’s church speech

Gladys Berejiklian’s dad dies aged 90

Shanty towns and eviction riots: the radical history of Australia’s property market

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

Strong police presence deters threatened COVID lockdown protest

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

Acting PM slammed for his take on Capitol riot: “beyond disgusting”

Trump supporter killed during US Capitol rioting identified

France under siege after beheading in church

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

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

Historic church hits the market - with a catch

Streets on fire after controversial raising of retirement age

Catholic conflicts on marriage continue, even decades after Vatican II

Shanty towns and eviction riots: the radical history of Australia’s property market

Waleed Aly defends Scott Morrison’s church speech

Gladys Berejiklian’s dad dies aged 90

Shanty towns and eviction riots: the radical history of Australia’s property market

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

Strong police presence deters threatened COVID lockdown protest

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

Acting PM slammed for his take on Capitol riot: “beyond disgusting”

Trump supporter killed during US Capitol rioting identified

France under siege after beheading in church

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