BISHOP BILL WRIGHT: Youth, Wasted on the Young?
One thing I’m often asked by young people, and hardly ever by older folks, is why I became a priest. It’s a question that requires a two-part answer, but the first part is easy.
BISHOP BILL WRIGHT: Things change. You’ll not get any disagreance from me!
When I first heard the word, which seems like only a year or so ago, I took it for a solipsism or rather, perhaps, one of those quasi-existent words that people use because they think they sound more impressive than the common alternative. But as people continued to seek my ‘agreance’ on this or that, I realised we had a new social phenomenon on our hands. Nonetheless, I suspected the word didn’t really exist.
BISHOP BILL WRIGHT: A case of conscience
Last month in this column, I concluded that Catholics could make up their own minds as citizens on what they thought the law of the land could define as marriage. Not everyone agrees on that, of course.
BISHOP BILL WRIGHT: Law and social change
If you’re excited by legal changes that have social and moral significance, these are exciting times. There has not been so much on the political agenda, I’d say, since the ‘seventies. Then, having got past the Vietnam War, we seemed quite suddenly to have a raft of social change legislation.
BISHOP BILL WRIGHT: A synodal church?
Some readers will be aware of Pope Francis’ ongoing remarks on the desirability of ‘synodality’ in the church or, indeed, of a ‘synodal’ church. To many, this is unfamiliar language, although quite strong memories persist of the diocesan synod held in 1992-93.
BISHOP BILL WRIGHT: Letter from the Eternal City
'I write from Rome.' That is the literal truth, but I gave serious consideration to not saying it.
BISHOP BILL WRIGHT: Looking back a bit
It was a dark and stormy night... And then it seemed to rain for weeks afterwards. June 15 2011, the night I was ordained and installed as bishop of Maitland-Newcastle, just on six years ago.
BISHOP BILL WRIGHT: Things that work
‘Isn’t it good when things just work!’ You may recall the ad. A silver ball rolled down spirals, through switches, setting off balance beams and catapulty things, until finally something hit an array of dominoes that beautifully fell into place. It was a car ad, I think. But it is true, isn’t it? It’s good when things just work.