Religion News Australia
April 19 – 26, 2020
Religion news stories from Australia
(Research: Greg Spearritt)
ABUSE
WA Labor minister hits out at handling of ‘terrifying’ alleged child sex abuser (The Age, Melbourne)
April 22 – WA Labor politician Dave Kelly has hit out at the Christian Brothers’ handling of child sex allegations against a now-deceased brother who taught at a number of Perth schools, including CBC Fremantle.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Stoicism in a time of pandemic: how Marcus Aurelius can help (The Guardian, Australia)
April 26 – The Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was the last famous Stoic philosopher of antiquity.
EDUCATION
Education Department told to apologise to Muslim family over school’s prayers bungle (ABC News)
April 21 – South Australia’s Department for Education has been ordered to apologise to a Muslim family over an Adelaide public school’s handling of their attendance of Friday prayers during teaching hours.
INTERNATIONAL STORIES
Catholic Church
Vatican lauds China, snubs Taiwan over aid (The Australian)
April 21 – Both nations donated coronavirus aid to Italy and Holy See but in an undiplomatic move, only Beijing’s help was acknowledged.
Islam
Pakistan eases restrictions on mosques for Ramadan (The Age, Melbourne)
April 20 – Islamabad: Pakistan has bowed to calls from clerics and religious parties to ease restrictions on congregational prayers in mosques, despite fears the gatherings could boost the spread of COVID-19.
Ramadan during coronavirus may seem disheartening but it’s the ideal time for reflection (The Guardian, Australia)
April 24 – (Opinion: Heba Shaheed) It is going to be a very different Ramadan this year due to the Covid-19 global pandemic and the social isolation laws.
Other
Coronavirus dampens Easter celebrations for Orthodox Christians around world (ABC News)
April 20 – The holiest day of the year for Orthodox Christians has been reserved and glum in many countries, with churches unable to hold traditional Easter services because of restrictions aimed at suppressing the spread of the coronavirus.
Photographer Ryan McGinley: ‘I was taught to believe in Satan. It scared me’ (The Guardian, Australia)
April 21 – Ryan McGinley has a childhood memory in which he’s sitting alongside his seven brothers and sisters during mass, listening to the priest preach about sin.
ISLAM
Tony Abbott’s anti-Muslim rhetoric while PM ‘profoundly dangerous’, Malcolm Turnbull says (The Guardian, Australia)
April 20 – Malcolm Turnbull has accused Tony Abbott of the “profoundly dangerous” decision to inflame animosity against Muslims while terrorism was the greatest security threat to Australia during his prime ministership.
Muslims in Australia keep Ramadan spirit alive despite coronavirus restrictions (ABC News)
April 24 – Today, Muslims in Australia begin observing Ramadan, the fasting month, in a very different way due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sydney man charged after allegedly fighting for al-Qaida-linked Syrian terrorist group (The Guardian, Australia)
April 25 – A Sydney man has been charged after allegedly fighting for an al-Qaida-linked Syrian terrorist group “for months at a time” in 2012 and 2013.
RELIGION & SOCIETY
How former nun Rebecca McCabe navigated her way through a major life decision (ABC News)
April 26 – Rebecca McCabe dedicated half her life to a vow of poverty, chastity and obedience.
