FEATURE LETTERS
Defending Abbott and Santamaria
August 17, 2010
Gerard Henderson
How times change. Early in the 20th Century, it was Protestant
Orangemen who warned Australians not to vote for a Catholic. In the
early 21 Century, such warnings are now delivered by a former Catholic
priest in a publication of the Jesuit Order. –Gerard Henderson, The Sydney Institute
Disagreeing with Gerard Henderson
March 12, 2010
Bruce Duncan
Dr Henderson does Maritain a grave
injustice in so cavalierly dismissing him as favouring the 'you-beaut
idea to advocate Catholic/communist dialogue'. Maritain was strongly
opposed to communist ideology, but he also recognised it contained positive elements,
some of which he said were drawn with the Gospels.
Santamaria and the bishops in politics
March 11, 2010
Gerard Henderson
Towards the end of his life, the French philosopher Jacques Maritan thought it was a you-beaut idea to advocate Catholic/communist dialogue between the Vatican and Stalin's heirs in Moscow. Santamaria made mistakes, yet on the issue of Soviet totalitarianism he was smarter than Maritan.
Helping Frank Brennan
February 02, 2010
Jim Wallace
The Australian Christian Lobby never claims to represent the views of all Christians any more than the Greens represent the views of all tree-lovers or Fr Brennan represents the views of all Catholics — just ask Cardinal Pell!
Lessons from the Parliament of the World's Religions
January 05, 2010
Herman Roborgh
Other religions need not be a threat. As the Dalai Lama said, the problems facing the world are related to
the ego and the emotions. And all the religious traditions of the world provide a path
to confront one's selfishness and emotional struggles.
Malcolm Turnbull's blinding clarity
November 30, 2009
John Ryan
Turnbull has forced his party to see thereis no way forward without serious internal reform. Maybe he will not beable to lead them on, but while lesser members seem blinded byseemingly irrational caution, Turnbull has called the game with ablinding clarity.
Towards a national conversation about marriage
November 26, 2009
Mick Mac Andrew
I cannot accept that marriage is only about the recognition of people who love, however deeply, one another. The Commonwealth Government should instigate a genuine information
campaign about marriage and allow all opinions to be tested against a
rigorous criteria.
Bringing theology home to the academy
November 24, 2009
Gerard Goldman and Terry Lovat
It has been suggested,
but surely not seriously, that the public university’s prime motive in
including theology among its disciplines might be around financial
benefit.
CPRS a vital lever
November 19, 2009
Damien Quinnell
Right now, Australian’s elected politicians will decide our fate when
they vote on one of the most important pieces of legislation to come
before the Federal parliament in recent history. All of us will be directly affected by what is about to happen when the
Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) is re-introduced into Federal
Parliament.
Obama's 'Not Bush' Nobel not good
October 27, 2009
Michael Brull
Everyone progressive, liberal and leftwards breathed a sigh of relief at the end of two long Bush Administrations. I too share the hope for change from the Bush era. Sadly, Obama's not the change we're looking for.
In defence of people smugglers
October 15, 2009
Chris Bisset
Kevin Rudd calls them the 'vilest form of people on the planet'. How dare these impoverished, yet slightly entrepreneurial fishermen let
their social consciousness blind them from considering the interests of
white Australians?
We’re not racist, we're just havin' a larf!
October 09, 2009
Meaghan Paul
I applaud Harry Connick Jr for pointing out the error in our Australian way of thinking.
Laughing at someone else's expense is not harmless.
Latin Mass correction
September 10, 2009
James McCarthy
Andrew Hamilton's article 'Disunity in the Year of the Priest' alleges that three unnamed priests of the Sydney Archdiocese said their first Mass in Latin. Fr Hamilton clarifies his point and accepts responsibility for a factual error.
In defense of Catholic schools
August 25, 2009
Stephen Elder
The misguided claims made by Ross Fitzgerald in a recent article in Eureka Street, How Catholic schools are failing the poor, cannot go unanswered.
Catholic schools save governments money
August 24, 2009
Dan White
Ross Fitzgerald claims Catholic schools 'have become the instrument through which tax dollars are siphoned off public schools and given to the private sector'. His argument is a misrepresentation of the facts.
The Sydney Institute favours neither side of politics
August 07, 2009
Gerard Henderson
Sarah Burnside asserted in Eureka Street that 'conservatives can draw on a
plethora of high-profile think-tanks, including The Sydney Institute,
to research and enunciate their ideas'. This is false. The Institute is a forum for debate and
discussion and does not do research for any organisation or political
party.
Outrage over Aboriginal 'cooked alive' doco
June 18, 2009
Brian Haill
Was I the only Australian sufficiently outraged by the latest ABCTV 4 Corners program, 'Who Killed Mr Ward?', to put pen to paper? Too often white Australians' animals fare better than do Indigenous people. We are a racist nation.
Students victims of 'violent' policies
June 16, 2009
Andrew McGowan
When our universities enrol international students based on balance-sheet
needs rather than strategies of international partnership
and engagement, a whole branch of education policy is revealed as
bankrupt.
Swine Flu: The Musical
June 03, 2009
Brian Haill
Victoria, with its spate of swine flu cases, is no
longer 'The place to be'. Prudence is one thing, but absurdity
also needs to be recognised. Exhibit A: Archbishop Hart's instruction to priests not to offer chalices of wine during Communion.
Fable of the furtive veteran
April 24, 2009
Mick O’Donnell
There he was, this hunched over figure of a man, sitting in one of the
furthermost pews, detached, eyes withdrawn, his face pale, features old
and weather beaten. John O'Malley was always a mystery.
Why I hate the Church I love
March 10, 2009
Bill Farrelly
How can the Catholic Church possibly justify the excommunication of the mother of a
nine-year-old girl in Brazil for authorising the abortion of twin
girls her daughter was carrying as the result of being raped by her
stepfather?
Jason's story
March 03, 2009
Rob Salter
The $3 billion blowout in Federal Government spending on disability pensions highlights the financial side of a crisis in our midst. The story of Jason, a relative of mine who is an addict and on a disability pension, reveals a personal side.
St Mary's 'beyond compromise'
February 23, 2009
Greg Windle
While it is tragic that the Church has refused to countenance ongoing
discussion about homosexuality, women priests, and a host of other
issues, neither can I see how the stance taken by St
Mary's on these and other matters can advance
the causes of religion or reason.
No justice for St Mary's
February 20, 2009
Justin Coleman
The Archbishop has relied upon the evidence of those whom you
rightly alluded to as 'spies'. The parish
reply was not 'We will defy you' but 'Your information is flawed.
Please come and see for yourself.' Do club members have to accept every idea of every coach who is thrust upon them?
The Pope: first among equals
February 05, 2009
Andrew McAlister
During Vatican II, which was first called 30 years ago last month, the pastoral leadership of the church attempted to bring Roman Catholicism into the 20th century. Why did the notion of a supreme Pontiff survive?
The father of my soul
December 23, 2008
Joanna Thyer
Always on for a challenge, one of the first things Brian said to me
that day was 'Who's your favourite character in the Bible?' and then
'We need women priests.'
'They've never faced an angry man'
December 19, 2008
Phil Pyke
This was a known criminal with a history of violence. I drew my weapon, and yelled at him to get
down on the ground. He ignored me, raised his arm, and possibly the weapon. Everything went into slow motion as I began to pull the
trigger. I've often wondered what would have happened if I had shot him.
Life of Brian, AIDS activist
December 01, 2008
Brian Haill
It's close on a quarter of a century ago that I first became enmeshed in the world of HIV/AIDS. I found myself labelled an 'activist', catapulted into confronting my church over its attitude to condoms. Last week saw a return to the beginning.
Australian family life circa 2008
October 14, 2008
Anonymous
Workaholic public servant driven to depression
June 13, 2008
Graham Holmes
Why I am sorry
February 26, 2008
Bill Farrelly
A selection of some of the letters regarding Frank Brennan's most recent piece
July 13, 2007
Back on board
July 13, 2007
Praise for Chris Johnston's artwork
April 18, 2007
Alan Holroyd writes in to praise Chris Johnston's artwork.
Moving the goalposts in the Hicks case
April 18, 2007
Shuman Partoredjo writes in the on the Hicks guilty plea.
Margaret Smith's response to Andrew Hamilton's 'Hate sin, love the sinner' piece
April 18, 2007
Margaret Smith's response to Andrww Hamilton's 'Hate sin, love the sinner' piece.
Problems with the Eureka Street PDF?
April 18, 2007
Jon writes in to say that he has been having problems with the Eureka Street PDF.
Morag Fraser's response to Allan Gordon's letter
April 18, 2007
Morag Fraser
Morag Fraser's writes in to respond to Allan Gordon's letter.
On Catholicism, Alan Jones, Morag Fraser, the ABC, and Hans Küng
April 18, 2007
Allan Gordon writes in with some thoughts on Morag Fraser's piece on Alan Jones.
Dear Crossword, wherefore art thou?
April 18, 2007
Eureka Street has not had a crossword since it went online. What are your thoughts on this do you miss the crossword too?
What Will We Tell Them?
March 08, 2007
What Will We Tell Them? - Geoff Richardson writes about the David Hicks case.
Misleading ABS employment figuers
March 08, 2007
Rex Graham writes about misleading unemployment statistics in Australia.
Environmental catastrophe awaits?
February 01, 2007
Peter Beeson asks whether we really are facing an environmental crisis that cannot be remedied. (from January 30, 2007.)
My Australian Father of the Year
February 01, 2007
Geoff Richardson makes an unusal suggestion for Father of the Year. (From January 30th, 2007)
Issue 1, 2007
February 01, 2007
Warwick Dilley writes on Issue 1, 2007 (From January 23, 2007.)
Let's be realistic about New Media
February 01, 2007
Joan Modder asks how we might educate people to discern better what they read on the internet. (From January 15)
Feature Letter: How do you read Eureka Street?
November 15, 2006
Peter Matheson
Peter Matheson asks what the best way to read Eureka Street might be, and how other people enjoy it, and make the most of it, in the new online format.
Where's the feminist outrage?
November 09, 2006
S. Partoredjo
One reader finds the "decision of Federal Health Minister Tony Abbott to keep the anti-cervical cancer drug, Gardasil, off the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) greater cause for alarm, than that unfortunate reference to 'uncovered meat' and 'cats'."
What makes a site sacred?
September 09, 2006
Our Readers
The letters which have come in on 5 September relating to Andrew Hamilton's article What makes a site sacred?
Jack Waterford and the history of our region - a response
August 28, 2006
A pointed response to Jack Waterford's piece on teaching the history of our region from August 22.
Why change Aborigines into images of ourselves?
August 24, 2006
staff
The respnse to Brian McCoy's latest article Why change Aborigines into images of ourselves? has been vocal. Here are some of the letters...
Crunchy Eureka Street
August 18, 2006
Anna Griffiths
Anna misses her 'crunchy' Eureka Street, but she's adjusting well.
Fine distinctions
August 18, 2006
Brian Johnstone, C.SS.R.
A response to 'Condoms discussion returns to traditional moral norms', discussing the rationale of 'the lesser evil'.