By Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay
18 September 2015

Your Excellency my Brother Bishop Rabbat, 
Excellencies, 
Reverend Monsignor, Fathers and Sisters,
A special welcome to our Muslim and Druz friends,
Distinguished guests,
Dear friends, 

In the Old Testament, Job addressed the Lord saying: “You gave me life and showed me kindness, and in your providence watched over my spirit.”  I am humbled to think that God has shown His providence not only to me, but to the little flock he has entrusted to my care, because the production of this book at this time owes as much and even more to His special care and kindness than it does to any plan of my own. 

I have dedicated this modest volume to the Blessed Virgin Mary, to the Church and to my religious family, the Lebanese Maronite Order of Monks, and to my parents and siblings, because this book was not going to see the light without their prayers and support. 

The Church is concerned to promote and defend the culture of life against the cult of death that we are witnessing in today’s society, not only with Islamic fundamentalism (ISIL), but also in the medical profession when practising abortion and euthanasia.  It is therefore right to remember and invoke Our Lady, the mother of Jesus and my mother, for it is through her intercession, that we can defend life and promote values. 

It is an especially humbling matter to meditate on the fact that I am the first Maronite Bishop of Australia to have published a book in the English language. This is a sign that there is a real and present need for the Maronite Bishop in this country to be addressing the new generation of Maronites in this way.

Bioethics at the Crossroad of Religions is a new open-door treating bioethical issues in a coherent and comprehensive manner, explaining and expounding the teaching of the Church, and relating it to contemporary realities. That being the need, it does seem to me that the Lord saw that it would be fulfilled in his own good time, making use of his instruments. Therefore, of course, my only achievement is to have walked through the doors which the Lord has opened, and to offer my mind, my hand and my tongue to think the thoughts, write the lines and utter the teachings of the Holy Church.

I had not intended to delay the publication of this book until now, but the pressure of monastic, pastoral and episcopal duties have not allowed me to do so in the past years. I had intended from the beginning that the volume should be made available in English, especially as more Maronites today read English more than any other language, not excluding Arabic, especially those in the Expansion, who now outnumber the Maronites in Lebanon. 

I originally prepared my thesis in French while studying in Rome. Then came my providential posting here, where I was able to work with people who could assist me in the translation, and to finesse the text. In this respect, too, it is right to mention the care taken by Connor Court, the publishers of this volume.

This modest book is intended to open a doorway for a respectful and informed dialogue about bioethics between Christianity and Islam. 

The recent agitation concerning Same-Sex Marriage has some echoes in this book showing how much Christianity and Islam have in common especially when it comes to marriage between man and woman and the right of children to be born from marriage between man and woman only. 

In the past we would speak about a war of religions, but today we witness a war against all religions. At a time when ethical principles are challenged and questioned, there is a need for such a work to appear. This book is an invitation to Christianity and Islam to collaborate more on bioethical matters for the benefit and respect of human beings and humanity. 

This book addresses the religious and philosophical foundations of ethics and morality, especially bioethics. If we do not address the foundations of our teaching, if we cannot articulate the grounds of our doctrines, we will lack faith in our own ethical positions, be unable to explain the wisdom of our moral doctrines to others, and be unable to make persuasive statements in defence of our faith.

This book helps to see that both Christianity and Islam have some common ethical principles, but it also highlights some differences, where these two religions diverge in their ethical teachings. 

I will now offer some examples of these points of similarity and of difference: 

In the coming years, as my duties allow, I intend to issue a second volume, building on this foundation to tackle specific topics such as abortion, IVF, euthanasia and organ transplant in Christianity and Islam. 

While Fr Peter Joseph described to you earlier the contents of the volume, it remains to me to say a few words about its spirit. As the subtitle suggests, it records my thoughts on the anthropological foundation of bioethics in the two largest world religions. It is what is in French termed an essai, which more than the English word essay, means a writing which has been designed to explore rather than to definitively settle and giving final answers to an important question such as this.

From that perspective, this book is intended to inform, promote and stimulate pondering and discussing these vital issues. It is one of the tragedies of our day that, too often, matters which should be the subject of serious study and debate, are disposed of on the basis of prejudice, superficial and even sentimental treatments in a mass media which is more attuned to commerce and social promotion than it is to the search for truth. It is an important part of the New Evangelisation that we try and reach people, and call to them to realise that their true good is found and fulfilled in the Word of God.

This volume also deals specifically with anthropology in these two faiths. “Anthropology” is simply the study of human life, by reference to human nature and considerations. Because Christianity and Islam are religions, even their anthropology (in so far as they have one) is derived from their theology. If anthropology is the study of humanity, and theology the study of God, bioethics is a blend of both, for it asks, how should human life sciences and health care be ordered so that humanity’s spiritual end may be realised through our lives here on earth?

I chose Catholicism to represent Christianity not so much because I am myself a son of the Church, but more because it has the most fully developed theology, anthropology and bioethics of any Christian grouping, and is by far the largest and most influential of all the Christian Churches. I selected Islam because we Maronites, and now Christians all over the world, have more to do with this religion than we do with any other. Once there were few Muslims in Australia, Europe and the USA. Today Islam already is, or appears likely to soon become, the second largest religion in those areas.

It remains now only to thank those who have helped organise this book launch: the Australian Catholic University, and especially Professor Greg Craven and Professor Marea Nicholson present with us tonight, who so generously offered the venue; the Maronite Catholic Society, and its president Mr Tony Khattar, who have supported this event. My gratitude also goes to Ms Naomi Tsvirko, our MC, and to our small team at the Chancery for their role in preparing the book for printing and then tonight’s event: Fr Yuhanna Azize, Pauline Dib, Ray Chahine, and Elise Gharrach. I thank every person who made it possible for this book to come to the attention of the community. 

I reserve my final thanks, over and above those mentioned in the dedication, to George Cardinal Pell, who wrote the foreword. Truly, he has always been a loyal servant of the Church, and a friend to the Maronite Church and to myself personally.


Finally, dear friends, the subject addressed in this book is too vast to be explored in one study. This study is only a stepping stone in this journey.  My ultimate aim in publishing this study is to reiterate that human being and human reality cannot and should not at any time be treated as a means, but rather as an end, because every human being, without exception, is lovingly made in the image of God.
Book launch of  Bioethics at the Crossroads of Religions  – Thoughts on the Foundations of Bioethics in Christianity and Islam  by Bishop Antoine Tarabay (Connor Court, 2015)
Talk by Fr. Peter Joseph

Your Excellency, Bishop Antoine-Charbel,

Distinguished guests of churches and government and associations,

Fathers,  Sisters,

Dear friends,

In the English language, there are very few publications that compare and contrast Catholic and Moslem approaches to the modern questions of bioethics.  This book of Bishop Tarabay in English is possibly unique, or at least, one of very few that look at this topic.

The author

Bishop Tarabay, as His Eminence Cardinal Pell says in the book’s introduction, has “a rare intellectual, linguistic and religious culture and experience to tackle this pressing subject of inter-religious bioethics in the modern world.”  Bishop Tarabay has studied and taught in Lebanon, and has studied further in France and Italy.  In Lebanon, he has lectured in business ethics, bio-ethics and moral theology.  It was in Rome he gained his doctorate in moral theology.  He has been an educator in Australia, as well, as we all know.  This broad education has given him the best of East and West.  He has the insight into the Islamic sources and perspectives, and can read them in the original language, but at the same time, can re-present them in a modern western language, English, with the western style of thought and structure and order.

Bio-ethics

“Bio-ethics” is not a word we use every day – but the issues of bioethics are confronted every day by doctors, scientists, nurses and other medical practitioners.  Bios is the Greek word for life.  Ethics, also a word from the Greek, ethos, means the system of moral values and doctrines regarding the practice of human virtue.

Bioethics is defined as “the systematic study of human behaviour in the context of the life sciences and health care.” (p. xiii).  One Italian Catholic bishop states that “Bioethics is a part of moral philosophy that determines whether it is licit or not to intervene in the life of man, particularly when related to the practice and development of medical and biological sciences.” (p. xiii)

The whole subject expanded enormously in the second half of the 20th century when many things became possible in medical science, that were impossible and unthinkable in a previous age, although the English writer Aldous Huxley wrote an extraordinarily prescient novel Brave New World, in 1932, a world of test-tube babies, psychological manipulation and eugenics.

Catholic statements on bio-ethical issues

As we know, the Catholic Church has spoken clearly and definitively and at length on certain issues of bio-ethics.  Even Pope Pius XII, who died in 1958, spoke against artificial insemination in 1949 and 1951, and in 1956 he stated that ‘in vitro’ fertilization “must be rejected as immoral and absolutely illicit.”  After it became a reality, the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, under Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, at the time of Pope John Paul II, spoke authoritatively in the document of 1987: “Donum Vitae [The gift of life] Instruction on Respect for Human Life in Its Origin and on the Dignity of Procreation.”  That masterly and concise document was updated and re-presented by the Holy See in 2008 in the “Instruction Dignitas Personae [the dignity of the person] on certain bioethical questions.”

The content and order of the book

There are myriad bio-ethical issues today: for example, euthanasia, infanticide, abortion, contraception, fertility drugs, in-vitro fertilization, gamete donation & gamete adoption, embryo freezing & experimentation, surrogate motherhood, sex-change surgery, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and so on.  Rather than deal with these specific bio-ethical issues, – in this study, Bishop Tarabay goes to the foundations of all bio-ethics in Islam and Christianity, by looking at four key subjects.

1.      He looks firstly at man, as a creature of God.

2.      Then he considers the significance of human sexuality.

3.      Then, the significance of human corporeality – the bodily nature of man.

4.      Lastly, ethical principles in health and sickness.

In each of the four parts, the author gives you, firstly, the Catholic perspective on the theme, followed by the Islamic perspective on that theme.  Then comes a section on “Convergences and Divergences”, comparing the two religions on the specific theme.

Understanding is assisted by order and structure, and this book is a very well-ordered book, and at the same time, ranges over sources in English, Arabic, French and Italian.

Sources used

For the Islamic sections, Bishop Tarabay quotes the Koran, naturally, but also the Hadith, and the Shari’a, and the works of modern Moslem scholars, commentators and philosophers.

For the Catholic sections, the Bishop quotes the Bible, of course, documents of the Second Vatican Council, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and magisterial statements of Pope John Paul, along with modern bio-ethicists and Catholic philosophers, including the present Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, a noted bio-ethicist in his own right.

Four Catholic foundations

In his introduction, Cardinal George Pell mentions four Catholic axioms:  three about God and one about man.

We believe in the Fatherhood of God.  As the Apostles’ Creed begins: “I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”  God is not some remote Supreme Being, alien to us and the world, but our loving Father; and through human relations, we can come closer to God and deepen in our understanding of Him.

Secondly, God is Logos—Reason—and the source of reason.  The Divine Wisdom cannot do or command anything contrary to reason.  He may do or mandate things above the limits of human wisdom, but He can never command what is inherently absurd or unreasonable.  This has major implications for morality.

Thirdly, we have the great declaration of St John, the Beloved Disciple: “God is love.”  It is His very nature to love.  He cannot hate what He has made.  All that He made is good, very good indeed, as Genesis tells us.

And, regarding man, as we also learn in Genesis, human beings are made “in the image of God.”  This means that we can learn something about God by studying His creatures, man and woman, who have a heart for tender loving, a will for freely choosing, and a mind for rational understanding.

Cardinal Pell comments:  “I think that many Christians take these foundations for granted, and presume that Moslems equally accept them.  Do they know that while all four foundations are in the Christian Bible, not only are they absent from the Koran but they are denied by Islam?”

The Cardinal continues:  “I realize, of course, that such ancient foundations, however necessary, do not answer all the complicated and delicate ethical questions that confront us in the face of modern bio-technology.  However, unless we are clear about our foundations, we will be off track even before we begin to search for where the answers lie.”

A few observations

Bishop Tarabay notes many significant convergences and divergences between the two religions.  In the chapter on human sexuality, while there are some very clear and external convergences in prohibiting adultery, promiscuity and prostitution, the understanding of the relationship between man and woman is significantly different.  The concept of the dignity of the human person, and of the woman in particular, is weak in Islam (p. 85).  Further, in Islam, there is no praise for the dedication of the human person to God in the state of celibacy or virginity.

The Bishop notes: “the sacredness of the human body is lacking in Islam.” (p. 129).  As Catholic Christians, we follow St Paul, who says “your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit.”  A temple, because the Divine Trinity has taken up Their abode in the baptised.

It is clear that the crucial differences have their origin in the very foundation of religion, namely in the concept of God – is He our Heavenly Father, or not?  Also, of course, the Incarnation of God the Son has changed everything:  as Christians, we believe God has come so close to us, dwelt amongst us and shared our human life, given man a dignity of which he never dreamt until it happened, and raised us up to His divine life.  All of this nowhere found in Islam.

As Islam and Christianity now co-exist not only in the Middle East, but also in Europe, and many other nations, including the USA, and Australia, it is important that Christians be informed of the first principles from which these two religions address bio-ethics (cf. back cover of the book).

At the end of the book, the Bishop tells us, he intends to follow this up with another book looking at the specific bio-ethical issues we all face – again comparing and contrasting the two religions in their evaluations of modern practices.

I commend Bishop Tarabay for an informative, impartial and wide-ranging study, and I commend this book whole-heartedly to your readership.

By Marcelle Mansour

British-Palestinian Ghada Karmi, doctor and the author of the book )Return: A Palestinian Memoir( who was forced to flee her homeland following the 1948 Nakba, Arab-Israeli war, is in a visit to Australia to various cities in different states. The event was organised by the Activist Coordinator Jennifer Killen through the Coalition for Justice and Peace in Palestine – Sydney.

It was a good opportunity on Tuesday night the 1st of September 2015 to attend Karmi’s first series of speeches at the La Cocina de la Abuela Mexican restaurant. Dr Karmi discussed the contents of her recent book (Return: A Palestininan Memoir) which is an account of exile and the impossibility of finding home. It captures the realistic stories which she witnessed during her trips to Plaestine and various places. Dr Karmi depicts the real life of modern Plaestine where Palestinian people are still suffering and struggling under the occupation and oppression. The book of Return: A Palestinian Memoir contains memories of individual journey that is full of bitterness and grief which describes the real Israeli Palestinian conflict. Dr Karmi says in her book: “I remember looking down in a night time Tel Aviv from the windows of  a plane taking me back to London and thinking hopelessly, ‘Flotsam and jetsam’, that is what we become , scattered and divided. There is no room for us or our memories here and it won’t ever be reversed.” 

Dr Ghada Karmi was born in Jerusalem in 1939, her family moved to England after Israel state was created in1948. She was educated and trained as a Doctor of Medicine at Bristol University and practised in migrant and refugee health. She established the first British-Palestinian medical charity in 1972 and was an Associate Fellow at the Royal Institute for International Affairs she has held research positions on Middle Eastern politics and culture at a number of universities, including the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. She is currently an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter.

Her previous books include In Search of Fatima, A Palestininan Story (2002), Married to Another Man. Israel’s Dilemma in Palestine (2007) and co-editor of the Palestinian Exodus 1948-1989(1999).The book of Return: A Palestinian Memoir contains memories of individual journey full of bitterness and grief that explains the real Israeli Palestinian conflict.

By Marcelle Mansour

Sts Michael & Gabriel Antiochian Church held its annual Dinner on Friday 28th August 2015 at the Bellevue Reception Centre, under the patronage of His Eminence Metropolitan Archbishop Paul Saliba of the Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines. The ceremony was attended by a crowd of priests, heads of organisations and social leaders with the participation of a large number of other churches parishioners with nearly 400 people.

Bishop Saliba threw an expressive speech on this happy occasion where he highlighted the importance of nurturing the rising generation of children and youth of the community, he also praised the continued support of the church from all aspects.

The Parish Priest of Sts Michael & Gabriel Antiochian Church, Rev Fr Michal Zghaib thanked all the attendees including businesspeople, leaders of organisations, the media and all the flock of various dioceses. Then he delivered a brief speech in which he stated: “It is the one hundred percent responsibility of the church to provide spiritual and religious education, while building the actual church is the responsibility of the people and the parishioners.” Fr Zghaib also highly praised all the parishioners for their fruitful contribution and tireless work and cooperation with all other churches. He also mentioned the main objective of the ceremony of this annual dinner is to get together to preserve the Christian presence in the light of love and peace. 

The ceremony included performance of creative singers: Vicky Maroun, John Khalil, Ghazi Nasouh Sayed Fares, as well as some sponsorships, donations and community activities.

The event was successful especially was attended by many of parishioners of other churches in an atmosphere of intimacy and love, as described by Father Michel Zghaib as: “A loving ceremony gathering dinner”.

In typical form, Reverend Nile makes his shameless speech that underscores the failure of this State to protect its citizens from such open unashamed attack on Australians of other faiths.

The Hon Member forgets that he is supposed to be a man of the cloth, a religious man who is supposed to spread the word of peace, harmony and acceptance. 

Here is his speech which he delivered at NSW Parliament tonight : 

Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE [3.33 p.m.]: I speak on the senate inquiry into third party food certification. Imagine we had a religious tax on almost every product available to purchase—products from food to pharmaceuticals to cosmetics. Imagine that companies were charged fees for inspections and for the products to be prayed over. Imagine the outrage of the Australian people. IIt seems impossible to imagine that Australians who objected to such activity would be labelled as racists and bigots; that those who objected to such a scheme were dragged through the courts. It seems absurd, but that is precisely what is happening in Australia—and to Australians—with halal certification fees.

Halal certification fees are a religious tax paid by every consumer in Australia. Halal certification schemes are a transfer of wealth from the average Aussie and Australian producer and manufacturer to promote a religion that advocates the abuse of human rights. Aussies are often unwitting participants because products are not labelled clearly. Producers and manufacturers of said products are not always frank and honest with their customers. It is unacceptable that all Australians are being forced to pay a religious tax. The Government is complicit in this fundraising venture. A good is produced, the halal tax is added, then the 10 per cent goods and services tax is added. The State is directly benefitting from the religious tax—something that is clearly anti-constitutional. Consumers across Australia have rightly expressed their anger at this scheme through the current Federal senate inquiry into third party certification.

Australians are concerned about third party certification, most notably halal certification. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that the current Federal senate inquiry into third party certification has received the largest number of submissions to an inquiry. Australian consumers want answers, and we applaud the Abbott Government for conducting this inquiry. The public needs, and indeed wants, extensive information about halal certifiers and halal certification. Most people are concerned about the lack of labelling and the hidden nature of halal certification. Organic, kosher and heart tick goods are clearly labelled so that consumers have a choice. Halal is often not labelled and therefore consumers believe halal fees and Islamic religious rituals are imposed upon them. Many Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Buddhists, atheists and more object to have religious rituals imposed upon them through their everyday grocery purchases.

Kirralie Smith, creator of the anti-halal choices website, shopping guide book and phone app, has become an expert on halal certification of foods and supermarkets in Australia. The list of products that are halal certified is now longer than the list of products that are not. Australian consumers want to know where their money is going. They do not want mosques and Islamic schools to profit from their grocery purchases. We should not have a structure whereby consumers contribute to the advancement of Islamic beliefs and practices without their knowledge and consent. Profiteering from halal certification is unacceptable.

While nobody really knows where the money goes—$3 trillion globally—we do know that the funds raised make millionaires out of the certifiers. We know that funds go towards advocating the religion of Islam. We know that funds go to support the building of mosques and other institutions. Since when did Aussies sign up for that? No-one in Australia would tolerate such a scheme if it were perpetuated by any other religion, by the Anglicans, the Baptists or the Catholics. We do not even want to talk about increasing the GST. Yet, we find ourselves living in this bizarre situation where a religious tax is applied to goods—many foods for which there are no substitutes—and we are criticised for criticising the tax.

Currently the average Aussie household and Australian businesses, which are already under financial pressure, have to pay this extra tax, a tax that effectively states the obvious about their products. Products that are already known to be halal—or in other words, permissible—are still subject to religious certification fees, products like breakfast cereal, honey, milk and bread. All people in this country ought to enjoy religious freedom—that is the freedom to choose or reject religious rituals, and whether or not they want to fund them. Australians opposed to halal certification are not bigots. They simply want to enjoy the tolerance and freedoms supposedly available to everyone in our democracy. Australians opposed to funding halal certification, whether it is $1 or billions of dollars, have every right to do so.[Time expired.]

The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC.

Opposition Whip

Parliament of New South Wales

Parliament House

Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000 Australia

Bioethics at the Crossroad of Religions: Thoughts on the Foundations of Bioethics in Christianity and Islam, is the latest publication from Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay.

To be launched on Friday 18 September 2015, this ground-breaking work is a unique and accessible volume that casts a bird’s-eye view over the foundations of bioethics in Christianity and Islam. As these two world-religions now co-exist in an unprecedented manner, and engage in a deeper dialogue, it is critical that informed people of all walks of life understand the first principles from which these creeds address bioethics.

With a Foreword by Cardinal George Pell, the author delves into their sacred scriptures and mainstream commentaries, bridging East and West with his impressive grasp of the relevant languages.

He produces a work which objectively and dispassionately sets out the facts, and contrasts and summarises the results for the reader’s benefit.

About the Author

Antoine Tarabay joined the Lebanese Maronite Order in 1983, and was later ordained to the priesthood in 1993. After completing his Doctorate of Moral Theology (Bioethics) in 1999 at the Lateran University in Rome, Antoine lectured in Moral Theology and Bioethics, and has published articles on Catholic Bioethics and contributed to several books about the Maronite Church.

Today, he is the 4th Bishop of the Maronite Diocese of Australia, having been appointed by Pope Francis in April 2013.

Book Launch Event Details

Friday, 18 September 2015 at 7:00pm

Australian Catholic University

Gleeson Auditorium

25a Barker Rd Strathfield

I have known this woman Suzanne Aoun (Poet) a short time ago and I have met her only twice, first in one of the occasions of the community cultural events, and the second when she attended my Artist Floor Talk at my solo art exhibition of Threshold at Marie MacKillop Museum North Sydney.  It was very impressive that Souzan contributed to the discussion in a positive way, especially when I explained that my art has a universal message regardless to origins or ethnic religions, people with faith or no faith, for it presents humanity, unity, love and peace.  After the talk has finished, Souzan surprisingly asked to get a souvenir photo with me beside the cross. This indicates the extent of her development and openness to other cultures and religions and the widening horizon for the sake of love and brotherhood away from fanaticism. This picture certainly indicates genuine love, respect, unity, harmony and humanity which all leads to peace among all Australians. It is a real example of good Australian citizen. God bless all Australians and our home Australia.

I said to myself, “God forgive me hate this man. If I had hated, I must hate war” Those are Ms. Koko Kondo, one of the atomic bomb survivors that destroyed Hiroshima which occurred 70 years ago. Kondo describes the moment when the suicide bomber co-pilot Enola Gay, that hit Hiroshima, and who was shedding tears of severe reprimand of his conscience, because he felt extremely guilty as a result of his actions.

When the atomic bomb exploded in Hiroshima, Ms.Kondo was only eight months old. Since then she has devoted her life to tell the story of Hibakusha - the injured people from the blast - This year, as in every year, Coco Condo will roam the streets of her hometown to talk with students about the horrors of the war disaster that hit her home and childhood. And she will share with them the humiliation that she felt when she was a teenager, especially when she stood naked on stage while the men with white robes - doctors and scientists - examining her body from the impact of radiation poisoning signs. Coco Kondo stated that she still remembers the painful incident, when the US fiancé abandoned her a few days before their wedding, for fear of exposure to radiation that may cause her inability to have children.

Kondo is pacifist who hopes that her story will help young men and women to understand the terrible devastation felt by the victims of nuclear war. Through her intensive tours and novel stories, she is working tirelessly to reveal to the world, the way to avoid a terrible unprecedented war. The story of Ms Kondo has filled a complete edition of the New Yorker magazine in August 1946 when published for the entire year since the disaster of Hiroshima bombing, in order to make it clear to everyone how dire the destructive power of this incredible weapon, and it is imperative for all nations and peoples to reflect well, considering how terrible the effects of its use.

On the sixth day of August 1945, 70 years ago, Ms Kondo was one of those victims of thousands of women, children and elderly who experienced the worst kind of random wars. That should be rebuked by the human conscience and should not have occurred in the first place. When the nuclear weapons’ war hit Hiroshima and Nagasaki seventy years ago - even though for only three days - it is still living in the human imagination, as if it did not end, because successive wars have not stopped yet, especially if we know that nowadays, one out of every 122 people are living in exile, they have been forced to leave their homes because of past conflicts, and that the number of people killed in conflicts from 49,000 in 2010 had risen to180, 000 in 2014. It is estimated that violence costs have risen over the past four to 13.4 per cent of gross domestic product in the world. But today's conflicts are different from World War II, for most of them being internal and not between nations - such as civil wars, insurgencies, conflicts, gangs, sectarians, fanaticism, violence and terrorism, and that take place often at the grassroots level in the civil societies, if not, some of which are being abroad for the occupation, colonization and domination.

For all these reasons, we as human beings, individuals, societies and nations, we should strongly and firmly believe that it is necessary to mobilize actions and support local capacities for world peace with justice. And we should always remember subjugated peoples who suffer under imperialism, colonization and genocide, such as the people of Palestine, Iraq, Syria and the list is endless.  We must therefore working hard to prevent wars in the long term, and replace them with the development of appropriate solutions and direct negotiations for a radical change in the public opinion and in the feeble methods that are being practiced by some world leaders and politicians. Seeking therefore, to achieve a just peace in the light of true humanistic values and peace building with justice This is what we can aim to do.

At the same time we should remember the horror of the atomic Hiroshima war. We should also remember its martyrs and pay tribute to the memories of the survivors and respect those living on the renewal of their stories. It is the time to remember what does humanity means and to rethink and action those wounded humanitarian concepts, which is still suffering and bleeding in complete silence.

By Asharf Helmey

Shortly, with the prayers of the His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St Mark, His Grace Bishop Daniel El Antouny, the head of the Monastery of St Shenouda The Archimandrite in Sydney/NSW will head the 20th year anniversary celebration since the inauguration, by his Holiness Pope Shenouda III, God bless his soul. The Monastery passed into 3 stages to reach its current flourishing status of a well established Monastery recognized by The Holy Synod. The idea came in 1990 from Dr. Medhat Guirgis – The Secretary of the NSW State Board of The Coptic Orthodox Church at the time and his wife Dr. Sara Fuirgis – to give a present from the son and daughter to their Father H H Pope Shenouda III. H H devoted his life to re-build the old un-occupied monasteries and promote monasticism in the Coptic Orthodox Church. This would provide the NSW Diocese with one of the pillars of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The hard work to establish the Monastery was completed with the prayers and blessings of H H Pope Shenouda by the Very Reverend Fr Tadros Elbakhoumi who was experienced in the construction of monasteries after successfully re-building the ancient St Bakhomious Monastery in Edfo in the 1970’s.

First stage: The constructions since 1991 till 1995

1. The Very Reverend Father Tadros Elbakhomi, Mr. Soubhi Nicola and Mr. Issa Tadros made many trips, taking the burdens and hardships of travelling around NSW to find a suitable place. Finally in early 1991 find a spot around 110 Acres was found in Putty 150 km away from Sydney about. This land was perfect and commensurate with the monastic life. Then the land was purchased by Dr. Medhat Guirgis & his wife Dr Sara Guirgis.

2. In one of his visits to Australia in the same year His Eminence Metropolitan Bishoy, the Secretary of The Holy Synod at the time, visited the parcel of land. His Eminence was impressed, blessed the land, and prayed for the completion of the work. His Eminence’s signature was imprinted on one of the trees there.

3. The hard work started by preparing the architectural drawings to build a church, a hall, a kitchen as well as four quarters – (Klaly) for the monks according to the regulations of the Putty City Council's.

4. Father Tadros Albakhomi and both engineers Sobhi and Issa, lobbied intensively with the authorities until finally, the miracle happened and they got the DA approved.

5. The process of preparing the land and construction under the supervision of Fr Tadros continued reaching its final stages and in 1993 His Holiness Pope Shenouda III blessed the monastery and laid the cornerstone after the prayers of Thanks Giving. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III thanked the V Rev Tadros Elbakhomi and the other servants participating in the project. H H gave some observations that he would like to add before his next visit to celebrate the inauguration of the monastery.

6. After completion of the monastery buildings and the provision of water, electricity, and telephone facilities H H Pope Shenouda III visited the monastery for the second time on 26 August 1995 amid the joy of the Coptic community and celebrated the inauguration of the monastery. Dr. Medhat Guirgis and his wife transferred the ownership to H H as a gift on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the Coptic Orthodox church In Australia. So the Contracts were exchanged and were signed by father Tadros Elbakhomi as a witness in his capacity as a Justice of the Peace in accordance with Australian law.

7. Then Pope Shenouda III handed the monastery keys to the priest Pavlos Anba Bishoy.

Second stage: development and attraction 1996 till 2006 

This phase started with the leadership of Fr Pavlos El Anba Bishoy and Fr Bishoy who played a prominent role in the advancement of the monastery as a result of their faith and strong relationship with the Coptic people and good hospitality in the monastery. An increased number of the visitors flocked to the monastery, especially the youth during the public holidays and in the weekends. Under their leadership the following was achieved

1. The number of monks increased in the monastery during this period as follows:

a. Shenouda was ordained a monk under name WISSA on 1999/4/3 then priest on 2002/1/92 by Pope Shenouda III.

b. Both John and Daniel requested to be monks on 2000, then became monks under names Shenouda and Theodor on 2004/2/22.

2. The area of the land was increased in three phases, till reaching 268 acres now.

3. Building a large workshop, and the purchase of heavy and light equipment for use in agriculture, construction, and architectural constructions.

4. using areas in the land for cultivation, and establish farms raising birds and cows and sheep.

5. Construction of new buildings including twelve monks’s Quarters, a private dwelling for the Bishop of the monastery, kitchen for visitors, a hall and library for the monks, as well as a medical facility. In addition to Bethlehem (a room for making the Eucharist) there was also another separate building for visitors to the monastery include a large kitchen, a hall, a library for the visitors, and seven extension guest house to accommodate 28 guests with toilets. This building was used for spiritual seekers or church youth trips. His Holiness Pope Shenouda III blessed this construction on his last visit to Australia by the end of 2002.

Third stage: the recognition from 2006 so far:

His Holiness Pope Shenouda III, decided to assign Fr Daniel El Antony to take over the Affairs of the monastery after the return of Fr Pavlos to Cairo. Fr. Daniel was ordained in 2009 as a Bishop for the monastery in 2009 with the name H G Bishop Daniel. During his time, the monastery implemented the conditions that allow the Holy Synod to officially recognize the monastery including:

1. Complete the construction of the gate of the monastery including two small towers – (Manara) , and also a metal bell beside the Church.

2. Establishment of the "Altafoos” a building of a private cemetery for the monks who pass away.

After the Monastery’s recognition by the Holy Synod H G Bishop Daniel started further projects on the land of the monastery:

1. Laying the foundation stone for the Cathedral construction project in 2014, after the monastery access permits from government agencies responsible.

2. The monastery became a major educational for the new priests for the period condition of forty days as a new priest.

3. Ordaining the monk Fr Wissa to be a Hegoman, and ordaining the monks Shenouda and Theodor to became priests. Moreover, other two persons called Moses and Daniel requested to be monks on 6/01/2014.

4. Increasing the monastery land to 418 acres now.

To mark the occasion we give here a simple summary of the history of the monastery. We congratulate all who toiled for the establishment and advancement of the monastery and ask God to bless them and reward them for their efforts in completing the process of monasticism in NSW with the blessing and prayers of his Holiness Pope Tawadros II, H G Bishop Daniel the head of the monastery of Anba Shenouda The Archimandrite, H G Bishop Daniel the Bishop of Sydney & Affiliated regions, and all our Orthodox bishops.

Saturday 15 August 2015

on the occasion of the 

Feast of the Assumption, 

OLOL Harris Park

Honourable Ministers and Members of Parliament,

Your Excellencies the Consuls General,

Members of Local Councils,

Presidents of our Australian Lebanese associations,

Representatives of the media and other organisations,

Representatives of Maronite councils and organisations,

Reverend Monsignors, Members of the Clergy, and Religious Sisters, 

Distinguished guests,

Dearly Beloved in Christ,

1. When Pope Francis proclaimed the Year of Mercy to commence on 8 December this year, he called our attention to Our Blessed Mother, and quoted from the Gospel reading , which we heard today. His Holiness said that Our Lady:

... treasured divine mercy in her heart in perfect harmony with her Son Jesus. Her hymn of praise, sung at the threshold of the home of Elizabeth, was dedicated to the mercy of God which extends from “generation to generation”. We too were included in those prophetic words of the Virgin Mary. This will be a source of comfort and strength to us as we cross the threshold of the Holy Year to experience the fruits of divine mercy. 

2. The Virgin Mary is indeed the Mother of God and the Mother of Mercy, for God is mercy, and mercy is a quality which leads us to God and makes us more Christ-like.

3. As we prepare for the beginning of the Year of Mercy, we need to experience the mercy of God in order to be able to practice it and spread it through our everyday actions. In order to experience the mercy of God, we should approach Him in the Sacraments of the Eucharist and of Reconciliation. There is an essential link between these two sacraments. Apart from the Eucharist, there simply is no greater gift that the Church can give us which is the gift of reconciliation. The Eucharist is the sacrifice of Christ offered for the forgiveness of sins, “This is my body which will be given up for you... this is the cup of my blood... it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven.” 

4. When we have felt God’s compassion and forgiveness in these two great sacraments, and experienced his strengthening presence, we could then become messengers of his mercy and love to the world. This could be done through charitable work, acts of love, and small gestures of kindness. Our constant companion on this journey of receiving God’s mercy and bringing it to the world is, of course, Our Lady, Mother of Mercy. 

5. As such, and in our roles as messengers of God in this world, I wish to speak now about two important events: one at the level of our Maronite Church here in Australia and the second for the Universal Catholic Church.  These events aim to engage with our people and society, so that the light of Christ might shine everywhere.

6. First, allow me to mention the Maronite Youth Convention which we held in July this year, and which would not have been possible but for the selfless work of youth and clergy of our Diocese. More than three hundred of our Maronite youth came together for three days.

7. I am personally gratified that, with your generous assistance, we have brought our youth together from across this wide land, from Brisbane to Melbourne, to Adelaide and to Perth and back to Sydney. In coming together their eyes were opened to their identity in the faith and the potential for good which they possess. May they now come more and more to live and to spread their Christian values and the fruits of their Maronite heritage wherever they may be, in the workplace, at institutions of education, and in the family. 

8. So successful was the Convention, so serious were the youth in the pursuit of their faith that a decision was taken that the Convention should be held each two years. And on this night, I call on our young Maronites to start preparing for ARISE 2017.

9. The second significant engagement I wish to mention is the General Synod on the Family which will be held in Rome in October this year. Bishop Antoine Andary and I have been elected by the Maronite Bishops to represent our Maronite Catholic Church and to accompany His Eminence Mar Bechara Boutros Cardinal Rai, our Patriarch, to participate in the Synod, a matter which is very humbling but also very challenging, as the challenges faced by the family today have never before confronted it.

10. The traditional family, as father, mother and children, is the natural cradle of humanity. A good family is the best provider of physical, mental and emotional health. It is the ideal nest in which to protect the weak and vulnerable members of our society. 

11. In this respect, I wish to talk about an important topic, concerning the family, which has been at the forefront of Australian politics recently: the redefinition of marriage. It is not a sign of wisdom to change the nature of marriage, and therefore of the family, to something incompatible with the sacrament of marriage which is the union before the altar of God of one man and one woman, of their own free will, for life.

12. It is of utmost importance that we always remember that the “Catholic tradition teaches that every human being is a unique and irreplaceable person, created in the image of God and loved by Him. Because of this, every man, woman and child has great dignity and worth, which can never be taken away. This includes those who experience same-sex attraction. They are people with dignity and must be treated with respect, sensitivity, and love.”  So when we speak about same-sex attraction, we do so with charity without attacking or disrespecting any person.  

13. Marriage between one man and one woman is the social unit which God has ordered for the birth and raising of children. In a joint statement issued by a number of Eastern Bishops and Muslim Leaders earlier this week, we urged Members of Parliament to consult with their constituents and respect their views on this matter. 

14. The statement also stated that “any amendment to the Marriage Act can be expected to unleash further changes in the nature of State-sanctioned marriage. We are all members of the one society. What affects one, affects the other... While people with the same sex attraction currently enjoy relationship equality, where they live in committed relationships and are cherished as people with dignity, we do not see why this has to be “marriage”. 

15. It is our firm belief that marriage should only remain between a man and a woman, as intended by God from the beginning of times. In protecting the sanctity of marriage, we would be upholding our Christian values, the very values on which this parish has been founded and has flourished over the years into the wonderful community that it is today. 

16. On this note, I praise and thank the beautiful work done by Msgr Shora Maree, the Parish Priest, assisted by all the priests, and in particular Fr Tony Sarkis, the Administrator. Their work would not be possible without the support of our parishioners. I thank all those who generously donate of their time and talents through the choir, and the various committees including the stewardship, children, youth, families, seniors, sodality and many others. You all contribute in wonderful ways and enrich your parish and honour Our Lady. 

17. This raises one practical matter, where some of you may be able to help us to honour Our Lady in a special way. The statue which crowns this Cathedral is in need of replacement. Unfortunately, the substance of which it is made is decaying, and if it is not replaced soon, it will damage the roof, causing even greater problems. For all the people of good will who would like to assist us in this regard, please contact the parish office or priests. This is an unusual opportunity to serve and to help us replace the statue of Our Lady which announces the presence of this Cathedral and its patron to all within view. 

18. On this holy evening, allow me to acknowledge and thank Tele Lumiere, the Christian network celebrating this year its Silver Jubilee, 25 years of its existence. Tele Lumiere/ Noursat perform a noble mission at the service of the Church and all the Christians in Lebanon, the Middle East and all around the world. We ask the Lord to bless the founders and every staff member, volunteer and benefactor who support this organisation in carrying the Good News of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. 

19. In conclusion, let us never forget that God has cast down the proud and reserved special fountains of his mercy for the humble. Let us all pray to the Lord and in humility of heart beseech his mother on this great Feast of the Assumption. May our Eparchy be an ark of faith and salvation in a turbulent world. We remember especially our brothers and sisters yearning for peace in the Middle East. We pray for Lebanon and its people, that they may through the intercession of Our Lady of Lebanon, come together, as one people, rising above all what divides them, and rebuild their country and give it hope for a better future. 

20. Dearly beloved, may the Lord God bless you and your families, on this Holy Feast and every day of your lives. 

Amen.

Wednesday 12 August 2015

On behalf of those Muslim and Christian communities whom we represent, we declare that we believe that there should be no change to the traditional definition of marriage as spelled by the 2004 Amendment incorporated into the Marriage Act 1961. The amendment reads:

“Marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others voluntarily entered into for life.”  

We are very concerned about the rush to introduce new legislation allowing for Same-Sex Marriage (“SSM”), which is wrong both in policy and in principle. 

It is wrong in policy because far-reaching changes should not be implemented in haste. Parliamentarians of Australia have a duty to lead the debate over SSM rather than opportunistically seeking to garner votes by jumping onto what seems to be an irresistible bandwagon. They should be encouraging people to reflect upon what marriage is all about, its parameters, its relationship to child-rearing and how children shall be raised outside of the institution of traditional marriage. Studies of the children raised in same-sex unions have produced conflicting results. It would be wrong and inacceptable to allow children, those who are the most vulnerable, to be born into situations where it may transpire that the situation they are born into is too often unsuited for a balanced and healthy development.

The rush to amend the current Marriage Act is also wrong in principle because even the weakening of marriage has had disastrous consequences in the society we live in. One does not need to be religious or to refer to the natural order to appreciate this, although for us, as Christian and Muslim community leaders, these concerns are significant and should be respected. The so-called “promiscuous society” has resulted in a generation where commitment and loyalty are disappearing, and in their place selfishness is flourishing.

On the other hand, we are not calling upon Parliamentarians to adopt religious principles simply to gain points in the polls. But they should consult with their constituents and respect their views as they hold these principles, and recognise that they have proved their value in social and human, not to say spiritual, terms. 

We see no reason to believe the breezy assertion that we who do not agree with altering the traditional nature of marriage will be unaffected by it, and that the laws of Australia will respect our principled stand. 

Any amendment to the Marriage Act can be expected to unleash further changes in the nature of State-sanctioned marriage. We are all members of the one society. What affects one, affects the other, not least in that the law has a formative effect upon expectations and values. While people attracted to the same sex currently enjoy relationship equality, where they live in committed relationships and are cherished as people with dignity, we do not see why this has to be “marriage”. 

On what basis will our faiths and their ministers be protected if we refuse to celebrate religious same-sex marriages? If same-sex marriage is implemented it will only be a matter of time before someone sues us for refusing to marry them to their same-sex partner. 

What begins as an attempt to allow freedom of choice for some people may well end in denying freedom of worship to many others.

We have already arranged for a meeting with the Prime Minister, and have written to the Leader of the Opposition, seeking a similar encounter.

In light of the projected escalation by the Tayyar and the call to demonstrate on the streets I suggest that the message and the means be reconsidered. To force a unilateral confessional confrontation in these times of deadly radicalization is a fraction of what is needed.

Demonstrating against Christian confessional discrimination is falling into the role of the victim. We, the Christians of Lebanon are not victims! We are the architects of this nation and of our future.

The real discrimination that needs to be addressed goes beyond confessional limitations. The target of this blatant offensive discrimination is the Lebanese citizen. The message that needs to be conveyed is a national message.

The political paralysis, the state of emergency around the waste matter collection and disposal, the financial abuses, the dismissal of constitutional authority, the power-mongering and profiteering and many other issues affect all Lebanese equally.

Please take your time General Aoun to rally allies from all sides - from traditional allies, from the silent majority, from civil society, from independent politicians with a conscience and others as well. The crisis is beyond the confines of March.

We also have to clarify that the army is not the culprit , the culprit is the self-serving motivation that drives all the political choices in the country.

General Aoun you are right to be angry but you are not alone, we are all angry and feeling the pressure of our powerlessness to bring about change. Do not let them make you feel as though you are isolated in this frustrating situation.

I ask you not to fight your battles on your own. Call on all the Lebanese not just the Tayyar to come to the table and create and to stand against the compounded violations that the decent citizens face.

"To fight alone is valiant, to resist together is powerful." I urge you to delay the vehemence of your rebuttal by coalescing a front to combat the problems that we face as a nation and not just as Christians. In this national fight you will find unanimity.

Respectfully,

Tracy Chamoun

Baabda - August 2015