This past week, the world has mourned, and continues to mourn, the loss of Queen Elizabeth II, who died at her Scotland residence after a reign of more than 70 years. For many people, she was the only monarch they ever knew—an important public figure as well as a devout Christian and a model of grace and dignity. Her selfless commitment to service and her public Christian witness are two aspects of a remarkable life for which people of faith can be particularly thankful.
Tributes flowed in from around the world, and Archbishop Peter A Comensoli also paid his respects, alongside Pope Francis, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and many other religious figures.
Like the late Queen, our clergy are called to devote their whole lives to selfless public service and Christian witness—not least among them our permanent deacons, who serve the Church and the broader community in unique and important ways. This week we have the pleasure of hearing from two of our Archdiocese’s longest-serving deacons, Deacon Kevin Pattison and Deacon Jim Curtain, about how they came to be permanent deacons, and the joys and challenges of living out their vocation.
As we approach the feast day of St Hildegard of Bingen, we also explore the significance of this extraordinary woman in the history of the Church. A Renaissance woman before the Renaissance, she is a saint whose music, spirituality and legacy continue to enrich the life of the Church. Dr Christopher Morris from Catholic Theological College joined Melbourne Catholic to help us better understand this legacy and how she can inspire us today.
Earlier this month, High Court judge the Honourable Justice Simon Steward addressed more than 130 people who had gathered for the Melbourne Catholic Lawyers’ Association Annual Dinner. Speaking on the topic ‘The Christian judge in an increasingly secular world’, he encouraged his listeners to uphold the Christian foundations of our legal system through a commitment to public service and fidelity to the law, and by publicly acknowledging their faith.
Finally, a reminder that this weekend St Patrick’s Cathedral will echo with the beautiful sounds of some of our city’s finest musicians as the cathedral hosts a festival of music running from Friday to Sunday evening. Be sure to come along, and tell your friends.
