Life

Loving those with disabilities

Thursday 29 November 2012

FR Tadeusz Pacholczyk PhD Director of Education at the National Catholic Bioethics Centre in Philadelphia argues that despite physical limitations every soul is of greater importance than its frail body and therefore those who are disabled are equally deserving of dignity, respect and love.

A new kind of feminism?

Sunday 4 March 2012

In recent weeks we have witnessed a debate in the media over who has the right to call herself a feminist.

Agent neutrality

Sunday 5 February 2012

The Australian Association of Catholic Bioethicists recently held the 2012 Annual Bioethics Colloquium in Melbourne. Here, Professor Nicholas Tonti-Filippini outlines the theme, 'Agent Neutrality and Moral Cooperation'.

To Love...to the end: who will make your choices?

Friday 25 November 2011

To love...to the end: who will make your choices?

By Associate Professor Nicholas Tonti-Filippini

Do you know who will make medical decisions for you if you are not able to? Have you discussed with that person, or your next of kin, what you want? Do they agree? Should you appoint someone else?

Christ makes our love beautiful

Friday 25 November 2011

Christ makes our love beautiful

In early November, Australian Modotti Press and the BookMarks series of the Caroline Chisholm Library launched an English translation of Mgr Livio Melina’s book, Learning to Love in the School of John Paul II and Benedict XVI.  Mgr Melina is a major figure in the ‘nuptial mystery’ school of theology and is president of the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family (Rome).

Cloning takes a step forward

Friday 11 November 2011

By E. Christian Brugger

The journal Nature has announced that scientists have for the first time successfully derived ‘patient specific’ stem cells from a cloned human embryo. The last time such a claim was made was by the now discredited Korean researcher Hwang Woo Suk, who alleged in a 2005 paper in the journal Science that his team had procured stem cells from cloned human embryos. Subsequent investigations found that Hwang had fabricated the data.

Patricia Neal: bearing witness

Friday 14 October 2011

By Rebecca Ryskind Teti

We often hear stories of nice girls corrupted by Hollywood, but rarely of reversions to being nice girls. Here’s one such story, brought to mind by a recent re-viewing of The Fountainhead.

Cloning and embryo research law review

Thursday 15 September 2011

Australia is currently undertaking a scheduled review of its cloning and embryo research laws.

Defending the dignity of those with dementia

Friday 27 May 2011

By Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

I once heard a remarkable story from a woman named Cecilia sitting next to me on a long flight. She told me how her mother had suffered from dementia for many years, eventually reaching the point that she could no longer recognise any of her children when they would visit at the nursing home. She then changed the tone of the conversation immediately when she added: “But there’s always someone in there.”

Heart for photography

Friday 13 May 2011

For Gavin and Kelly Blue, 20 April 2006 is a date they will never forget. On that day, their daughter Alexandra Charlotte was stillborn at 32 weeks.

Finding forgiveness after abortion

Friday 29 April 2011

By Anne Neville, Open Doors Counselling

It was a Friday evening when I first met Julie (not her real name). She came in to the retreat centre huddled deep into her overcoat and with her hair overhanging her face. She was terrified; terrified because she was about to embark on a journey that would plumb the depths of a grief so painful she had kept it pushed down for 12 long years; a grief so powerful she feared the act of bringing it out into the light would destroy her.

Bioethics Colloquium 2011 - 'Eugenics in Contemporary Bioethics'

Kairos: Volume 22, Issue 2

The seventh annual Bioethics Colloquium of the Australian Association of Catholic Bioethicists was held in Melbourne from 23 to 26 January. It was sponsored by the John Paul II Institute of Marriage and Family, the Victorian Branch of the Australian Association of the Order of Malta, Australian Catholic University, and Catholic Communications Melbourne.

Clear ethical thinking and the tyranny of relativism

Kairos: Volume 22, Issue 1

By Fr Tadeusz Pacholczyk

I once asked a young physician whether he had received any training in medical ethics during medical school. I wondered whether he had been taught how to handle some of the complex moral questions that can arise when practising medicine.

CWL petition for life

Kairos: Volume 21, Issue 23

By Laura Meli

In October the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) initiated a petition to press for law reform in Victoria to recognise the loss of, or injury to, an unborn child as a result of violence or culpable driving.

Eugenics in Contemporary Bioethics

Kairos: Volume 21, Issue 22

By Nicholas Tonti-Filippini

Eugenics – ‘the applied science or biosocial movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population’ – is a widespread practice in Australia.

Melbourne prayer vigil for Nascent Human Life

On Saturday 13 November the Archdiocese of Melbourne held a special prayer “Vigil for All Nascent Human Life” in St Patrick’s Cathedral East Melbourne. The vigil began with Holy Hour at 5pm, followed by Mass celebrated by Archbishop Denis Hart.

Rebuilding th culture of life

Kairos: Volume 21, Issue 21

On 24 October, the Life Marriage and Family Office held its annual Culture of Life seminar in the Thomas Carr Centre, East Melbourne.

Executive officer for Life Marcia Riordan said it was important to mark the second anniversary of the decriminalisation of abortion in Victoria by showcasing creative initiatives already under way.

Vigil for Nascent Human Life

Wednesday 10 November

In an unprecedented move, Pope Benedict XVI has called for a worldwide “Vigil for All Human Life” in the lead up to Advent. He has urged all Catholics to join with him in praying for the “Lord’s protection over every human being called into existence,” in light of the beginning of Advent and the proximity of the Lord’s nativity.
The Archdiocese of Melbourne is holding a special prayer “Vigil for All Nascent Human Life” on Saturday 13 November 2010. There will be a Holy Hour at 5pm, followed by Mass celebrated by His Grace, Archbishop Denis Hart at 6pm in St Patrick’s Cathedral East Melbourne.

Spinning stem-cell fairytales

Kairos: Volume 21, Issue 19

By Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk

Discussions about the morality of stem-cell research often focus on the differences between adult stem cells and stem cells derived from embryos. The adult variety, such as those derived from bone marrow or umbilical cords, are already providing an impressive array of treatments and cures for sick people, while the embryonic kind are not.

Statement on Euthanasia

Thursday 7 October 2010

To the people of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne

There is a renewed push in Victoria and many other parts of Australia for euthanasia and assisted suicide to be legalised. Misplaced compassion leads some to call for euthanasia. While it is never easy facing the end of life of a loved one, we cannot support the legalisation of euthanasia however it is described.