This coming Sunday is World Day of Migrants and Refugees, the theme of which is, ‘Free to choose whether to migrate or to stay‘. It’s an opportunity to honour those who have come to Australia seeking a new life and to tell their stories.
Deacon George Piech Meat is from South Sudan and has recently been appointed Chair of the South Sudanese Youth Justice Advisory Group. He shares with us some of his story and how he hopes to help his local migrant community. We also hear from Fr Nhân Le, who celebrated the silver jubilee of his ordination recently, sharing the gripping story of his escape from communist-occupied Vietnam.
Also this week, our World Youth Day pilgrims gathered for the first time since returning from Portugal for a weekend retreat, where they were reminded that ‘it is your turn to be witnesses.xc The Catholic faithful have been invited to pray for the upcoming synod. The Melbourne Catholic Lawyers’ Association met for their annual dinner. And Catholic agencies continue to collaborate to encourage respectful and informed dialogue in the lead-up to the upcoming referendum.
On Wednesday 27 September, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra will be honouring Our Lady at St Patrick’s Cathedral with their Stabat Mater concert. We talk with the MSO’s 2023 Composer in Residence about the concert and her new setting for this moving 13th-century Marian hymn.
Finally, as we prepare to celebrate the feast day of St Matthew the apostle this week, we break open the Gospel of Matthew, offering some hints on how to read it, and how it can speak to us today.
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