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The faith of the Irish in politics, economics and religion is at a low ebb, and for the most understandable of reasons. It is not a famine, but it is mighty grim. There are tens of thousands coming here under the 457 visa and the Irish Working Holiday Visa.
On Sunday a Gospel story, prison, World Youth Day and a petition to the Australian Bishops calling for renewal in the Church converged in a surprising way. It is daunting to ask others what they think of you, and also to listen to what they say.
'We need to break down the silo mentality between health, welfare and education. This exists in church agencies as much as elsewhere in society. We must be committed to providing first rate health care to our patients, but also to creating a more equal society.' Text from Frank Brennan's MercyCare Oration.
Factors such as education, housing and connectedness have a big impact on health. There is no point telling an unemployed homeless person: 'Don't smoke, it's bad for you.' It's time the Government made a concerted effort to address the health needs of marginalised groups.
The Malaysia solution has hit a snag called the High Court of Australia. The Government is now in very stormy waters, because the rule of law and the separation of powers do not readily yield to the sound bites of populist sentiment and the fear tactics of politicians.
Sport and politics display in minor key all the basic human drives, passions and political moves that we find on the larger public stage. Melbourne AFL club's sacking of coach Dean Bailey, and the forced departure of South Australian Premier Mike Rann, are cases in point.
Just because we can debate something, doesn't mean we should. As with any right there is the responsibility to exercise free speech judiciously. A quick survey of the Muslim population in Australia highlights the absurdity of debating whether there is a place for the burqa in our society.
I am bemused that whenever I agitate questions of Aboriginal and refugee rights I am well received by liberals, who then question my clerical entitlement to speak when I buy into debates on issues like euthanasia and embryonic stem cell research. On same sex marriage, I am attacked from both sides.
On a quiet Sunday night 25 years ago Julian Knight committed Australia's first urban massacre on the street outside my home. The next morning, strangers — made mute — stood and met the silence of the dead. It is powerful to watch the Norwegian people meet the silence of their dead.
The Malaysian solution is unprincipled, but it might just work — stopping the boats. If other countries try to replicate it, we will have to tear up the Refugee Convention and start again. And the plight of unaccompanied minors transported from our shores to Malaysia will be on our conscience.
It is impossible to explain how one human being can make plans to kill and maim others, and coldly carry them through. Everything suggests the perpretrator of the killings in Norway had imbibed ideas that showed no respect for empathy with people as unique individuals.
The surprise in the Irish Prime Minister's frank and undiplomatic speech on sexual abuse is that his target was not the Irish culprits but the Vatican itself. He articulated the anger of the Irish people towards the Vatican, which is undoubtedly on a learning curve on these matters.
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