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THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Acting on Faith-Based Conscience in a Pluralist Democracy

Frank Brennan February 27, 2007

This is the full text of the speech that Frank Brennan SJ delivered at the Australian Catholic University in Melbourne on 29 July 2006. To download it as a PDF, click here.

The full audio of the speech is avalable for download as an MP3 file. To download, click here.

The full audio of the speech is avalable as an Real Media streaming file. To listen, click here,

 

 

Previous Articles by this Author

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

The Church as advocate in the public square  

'Tonight I want to reflect in light of the National Human Rights Consultation how we as Church can do better in promoting justice for all in our land. Full text from Frank Brennan's 2010 McCosker Oration, 'The Church as Advocate in the Public Square: Lessons from the National Human Rights Consultation'.

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Toothless, Trojan or true to Trinitarian anthropology  

The full text of Frank Brennan's January 2010 address to the Australian Association of Catholic Bioethicists, 'Toothless, Trojan or True to Trinitarian Anthropology? Reflecting on the 2009 National Human Rights Consultation'. 

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Churches confused on Human Rights Act  

Cardinal Pell thinks Church positions on contested moral issues have a better chance of being reflected in law and policy if parliaments are not constrained by a Human Rights Act. I would beg to differ. Gone are the days when church leaders can do deals with politicians behind closed doors.

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Australians aspire to lift their climate game  

For a while we were leading the world on climate change. But once Copenhagen collapsed Rudd assured us 'Australia will do no more and no less than the rest of the world'. The lowest common denominator is not usually the solution to the great moral challenges.

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Best of 2009: St Mary's, Bishop Robinson and the value of dialogue  

Bishop Bathersby and Fr Kennedy are pastoral, down to earth men. If there had been more dialogue between them, and between Cardinal Pell and Bishop Robinson, the Catholic Church would be more the Church Jesus would want it to be. March 2009

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Hillary comes to Pakistan with baggage  

Hillary Clinton worked hard on a three day charm offensive encouraging Pakistanis to engage in a new trusting relationship with the US. But Pakistanis cannot trust themselves at the moment, let alone the world superpower which has funded Taliban militants.

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Human Rights Consultation and beyond  

Even if all our recommendations were implemented tomorrow, there would still be vulnerable Australians missing out on essential economic and social rights. Responsibility for meeting these needs cannot rest solely with government. We need to take responsibility for each other.

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Human rights: Australia has spoken  

Text from the speech presented by Father Frank Brennan SJ at the launch of the Report by the Committee of the National Human Rights Consultation at Parliament House, Melbourne on 8 October 2009. 

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Patient autonomy and the doctor's conscience  

In Life and Death: How do we honour the Patient's Autonomy and the Doctor's Conscience? Frank Brennan's Sandra David Oration at St Vincent's Clinic, Darlinghurst, Sydney, 17 September 2009.

THE MEDDLING PRIEST

Right to lifers miss the point  

Last week a Supreme Court judge gave a sensible decision regarding the case of a quadriplegic man who wants his carers to discontinue feeding him. 'Right to life' and 'right to die' advocates have had a field day. You'd think they had not read the judgment.

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