EVENTS

Date posted: 12 January, 2008
Spirituality In The Pub

Date posted: 27 January, 2008
REFLECTION MORNINGS

During 2008 Aquinas Academy in conjunction with Catalyst for Renewal will once agin hold a series of 6 Reflection Morings at Marist Centre, 1 Mary Street, Hunters Hill,, NSW. 

The Reflection Mornings are on Saturdays, and each morning begins at 9.30am and ends at 12.30pm.  There will be a facilitator.  The historic grounds of Marist Centre provide the opportunity to enjoy silence and solitude.

The schedule for 2008 is as follows:

March 15 - Bishop Geoffrey Robinson

April 12 - Dr Robert Tilley

May 10 -Mary Leahy RSJ

August 23 - Dr Michael Griffith

September 13 - Michael Whelan SM

October 25 - Yvonne Parker SGS

All welcome.  Dontion requested. Information: 02 9247 4651

 

Date posted: 5 March, 2008
THE INAUGURAL COMMON GOOD LECTURE - RAIMOND GAITA

In March 2008, Aquinas Academy launched "The Common Good Lecture Series."  This is a non-profit project.

The lectures will be given by leading thinkers in the Dixson Room of the New South Wales State Library twice each year.

Raimond Gaita gave the first of these lectures on March 5 2008.

The organising committee is:

• Rev Dr Michael Whelan, Director of the Aquinas Academy Adult Edcuation Centre
• Professor Paul Redmond, Sir Gerard Brennan Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Technology
• Mr Francois Kunc SC, Barrister and Secretary of the St Thomas More Society

Copies of Raimond Gaita's text will soon be available from Aquinas at $5 (+ $5 postnpak).  A professional digitial recording was also made on the night and a CD will be available soon.

Information: secretary@aquinas-academy.com or 02 9247 4651

Date posted: 12 March, 2008
Contemplative Rhythm

A course for busy people: How to find spirituality in the ordinary stuff of our days.  There are hidden rhythms there, it is a matter of finding them!

Four Wednesday evenings, 6pm-8pm, April 30-May 21 2008 at Aquinas Academy, Level 5, 141 Harrington St Sydney.

Presented by Michael Whelan SM PhD with Marie Biddle RSJ MTh.

$72 per person.

To seek more information or indicate your desire to be part of this course: secretary@aquinas-academy.com

An optiuonal extra to this course - highly recommended - is a day at the Aquinas hermitage, "Nazareth."  Aquinas will arrange a number of days in which up to six people at a time go to "Nazareth" - about 75 minutes out of the CBD, on the Colo River.  There is a separate costing on this and the details will be finalized in the coming days.

Date posted: 12 March, 2008
Gerard Manley Hopkins and the Paschal Mystery

A six-day retreat led by Dr Robert Tilley with Sr Marie Biddle RSJ.

April 18 - April 25 2008

At St Joseph's Spirituality and Education Centre 8 Humphreys Road, Kincumber South

Cost is $450 per person.

Information: Tel - 02 4368 2805 and sjsaec@bigpond.net.au

 

Date posted: 18 March, 2008
Catalyst Dinner with Hugh Mackay:

In the Villa Maria Parish Hall, cnr Gladesville Rd and Mary St Hunters Hill.

Friday May 2nd 2008, 7pm for 7.30pm

$45 per person BYOG

Reservations essential!

RSVP April 24 2008

Click here to find out more about Catalyst for Renewal

Date posted: 18 March, 2008
Women's Voices in Religious Traditions

WHERE? Aquinas Academy, Level 5, 141 Harrington Street, Sydney

WHEN? 7 Wednesday mornings, 10am-12noon, May 7 – June 18

COST? $126 per person

Wednesday 7 May 2008 - Islamic tradition

1. Zuleyha Keskin

Sydney-born Zuleyha, is of Turkish heritage, and is Vice-President of Affinity Intercultural Foundation. She is also a wife, mother and a community pharmacist. For her Masters, Zuleyha is writing a thesis entitled, ‘Interfaith Dialogue from a Muslim Perspective’.

2. Mahsheed Ansari

Law student Mahsheed was born in Afghanistan, has lived in India, and her permanent home is Australia. She is passionate about meeting, understanding, studying and working with people in order to better herself and her community.   

3. Makiz Ansari

Afghan born Makiz grew up in Australia. She has a degree in Political Economy and Government & International Studies, has been a Research Assistant in Political Economy at Sydney University and taught economics and social sciences in high schools. She is currently studying for Masters of Teaching. Makiz is active in inter-faith and intercultural dialogue and is a Director of Affinity Intercultural Foundation.

Wednesday 14 May 2008 – Hindu tradition

1. Mala Mehta

Indian-born Mala works with a team of dedicated teachers and supportive parents and pioneered a formal teaching program of the Hindi Language, founding the Indo-Aust Bal Bharathi Vidyalaya Hindi School in Sydney. The school operates as an incorporated non-profit organisation, supported by the NSW Department of Training and Education. Mala is involved in a wide variety of activities and believes in Hindu as a way of life. 

2. Farida Irani

Farida is a Zoroastrian or a Zarthushti. This religion is a sister religion to Hindu. Farida is an Ayurveda Practitioner (Ayurveda is an ancient system of health care) as well as a practitioner of kriya Yoga. Farida will speak about Hindu but will refer to her Zoroastrian background too. 

WEDNESDAY 21 MAY 2008 – Jewish tradition

Avril Alba

Avril is the Director of Education at the Sydney Jewish Museum. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons)/ Bachelor of Music from Adelaide University and a Masters in Comparative Religion from Harvard University. She teaches for the Melton and MOSAIC programs, and the Depts. of History and Jewish, Biblical and Hebrew Studies at Sydney University. She is currently pursuing a doctorate at Sydney University in History and Jewish Studies. 

WEDNESDAY 28 MAY 2008 – Australian Aboriginal tradition

Elsie Heiss

 Elsie is a Wiradjeri Elder and works out of La Perouse, Aboriginal Catholic Ministry.

WEDNESDAY 4 JUNE 2008 – Sikh tradition

Jessiee Kaur Singh

Jess is a world peace and human rights educator, advocate and practitioner. She is co-founder and president of the Centre of Melbourne Multi-faith and Others Network (COMMON), has attended and spoken at many conferences on world peace and inter-faith dialogue and is committed to UNESCO and its work. Jess was also on the successful bidding team for the Parliament of Religions to be held in Melbourne in 2009.

WEDNESDAY 11 JUNE 2008 – Buddhist tradition

Gillian Coote

Gillian was a founding member of the Sydney Zen Centre and for many years co-ordinator of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship in Sydney.  She is currently co-ordinating Roshi teaching and is also a green-collar worker with the Lane Cove Bush Regeneration Co-Operative. Gillian has been a documentary filmmaker, having researched, written, directed and produced award-winning films for television.  

WEDNESDAY 18 JUNE 2008 – Christain tradition

Virginia Bourke

 Virginia is a Sr of St Joseph of Lochinvar in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.  She holds a BA from the University of Newcastle and a BTh from the Sydney College of Divinity through which she is also completing an MTh.  Virginia was a Secondary School teacher and school leader for many years before being elected for a term in the leadership of her Congregation.  Virginia has had varying degrees of cross-cultural experience in Japan, New Guinea, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines where she studied the diploma course in Pastoral Theology at the East Asian Pastoral Institute.  Currently Virginia ministers in the field of adult faith formation in a variety of programs.

This program has been coordinated by Ros Bradley with the assistance of Michael Whelan SM. 

Information:

T 02 9247 4651  E secretary@aquinas-academy.com

Date posted: 29 March, 2008
THE COMMON GOOD LECTURE SERIES - THE HON FRED CHANEY AO

The Hon Fred Chaney AO is the Chancellor, Murdoch University and Director of Reconciliation Australia.  Fred was born in Perth in 1941. He practised law in New Guinea and Western Australia, including time in-house with the Hancock-Wright prospecting partnership, and subsequent private practice with emphasis on mining-related work until he entered the Senate in 1974. Fred was involved in the Aboriginal Legal Service in a voluntary capacity in the early 1970s. He was in the Senate until 1990 and was Leader of the Opposition in the Senate from 1983 to 1990. He was Member for Pearce in the House of Representatives from 1990 to 1993.  Among his Ministerial appointments were Aboriginal Affairs, Social Security, and Minister Assisting the Minister for National Development and Energy. After leaving Parliament he undertook research into Aboriginal Affairs policy and administration as a Research Fellow with the Graduate School of Management at the University of Western Australia from 1993 to April 1995.

 

In 1994 he was appointed as a part-time Member of the National Native Title Tribunal, a full-time Member in April 1995 and a Deputy President in April 2000. In February 1995 he was appointed Chancellor of Murdoch University. In January 1997 he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.

 

Fred will present his lecture in The Dixson Room at the Public Library of NSW on Wednesday September 17 2008 at 6pm. 

 

$30 per person

 

Reservations are essential

 

Contact: secretary@aquinas-academy.com or phone 02 9247 4651