Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission (EIC): Diary Dates

UPCOMING COMMISSION SPONSORED EVENTS (Click on listed events to get more details)

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS (Click here to see other events on the Newsblog)

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JCMA Conference (6-9 July 2009)

Sixth Residential Conference of Jews, Christians and Muslims in Australia

Monday 6 th – Thursday 9 th July 2009

To be held at the Conference Centre, Pallotti College, 80 McNamaras Rd, Millgrove [Melways ref: Map 289 A2] (75 km NE of the Melbourne CBD)

Theme: BUILDING A BETTER AUSTRALIA: people of faith in a secular society

Organised and hosted by the Jewish-Christian-Muslim Association of Australia
GPO Box 598 Melbourne VIC 3001
(03) 9650 3294 jcmavic@yahoo.com.auWebsite:
www.JCMA.org.au

The Program: four days of …

Registration & selection procedure

If there are still places available after the first round of offers, late applications will be considered .

JCMA aims to enable people of faith to deepen their understanding of Judaism, Christianity and Islam in Australia today by meeting, engaging with and learning from Jews, Christians and Muslims.

The conference centre is set in expansive grounds with views across the Yarra Valley. It provides a relaxing environment conducive to both personal reflection and warm, open meetings and discussions. Most accommodation will be in single rooms, although there will be some shared accommodation. All rooms have basins.

All-inclusive Conference Fees:
Shared room: $350 per person,
Couple : $600
Children 13-16 yo: $60 per person Children under 13 free

A concessional rate may be available

Participants are responsible for their own transport to and from the conference; however, there will be a coach pickup and return service available from Melbourne Airport, Southern Cross Station, or Leo Baeck Centre in East Kew (where you can park your car) for $30 per person. Public transport is available – train to Lilydale, then the 683 bus; we will collect you from the bus stop.

Download Registration form
Download Leaflet
Download Poster

JCMA aims…
to enable people of the Abrahamic faiths to build relationships and understanding through experience, and to provide opportunities and programs for people of the Abrahamic faiths to explore interfaith dialogue within Australia’s multicultural community. The programs are complemented by deepened understanding of faith gained through engagement and learning from each other.

(Back to Commission Events listing)
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VII International Abraham Conference (Sunday 19 October 2008)

Theme: AFTER SORROW: Reconciliation, Responsibility and the Abrahamic Tradition

About 100 people from the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and other religious communities of Melbourne attended the seventh Abraham Conference at the Australian Catholic University's Central Hall in Fitzroy on Sunday 19th October, 2008. This event was co-sponsored by The Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission, the Australian Intercultural Society, The Australian Catholic University, Monash University, The Selimiye Foundation, The Anti-Defamation Commission, and B'nai B'rith Victoria.

The keynote speaker was well know Australian indigenous activist, Mr Pat Dodson, currently chairperson of the Kimberly Development Commission and of the Lingiari Foundation. Earlier this year, the Australian Government declared an apology to the "stolen generation" of Aboriginal Australians on behalf of Australia. Pat's paper acknowledged how much still needs to be done even after this landmark event. His paper highlighted the significant connections between the issue of reconciliation between indigenous and non-indigenous peoples of our nation and the reconciliation which the interfaith movement is seeking to encourage between the Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

As Pat is a member of the Catholic community, the two respondents spoke from the perspectives of the Jewish and Muslim communities. They were Dr Mark Leibler AC, the Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia, and Mrs Zuleyha Keskin, Vice-President and Team Executive Manager of Affinity Intercultural Foundation in Sydney.

The entire event was chaired by Professor Raymond Canning of the Australian Catholic University.

Click here for Pat Dodson's Paper

Click here for photographs of the event

AIS / EIC Iftar Dinner (Sept 9, 2008)

For the first time since 2005, the Archdiocese hosted an Iftar Dinner during Ramadan. This year the event was specifically conducted and jointly hosted with the Australian Intercultural Society under our Memorandum of Agreement.

The dinner was held at the Cardinal Knox Centre. About 50 people from the local Muslim community gathered with an equal number of folk from the agencies and parishes of the Archdiocese just before sunset for the traditional breaking of the fast with a date and a glass of water. After the Muslim prayers and Christian grace (the latter prayed by Bishop Christopher Prowse), we helped ourselves to the delicious Turkish cuisine provided by the AIS. After the main course, we listened to music by the Australian Sufi Ensemble before hearing a passage from the Koran recited by Hafiz Muhammed Sezgin and a reading from St Paul's letter to the Ephesians by David Schütz.

Then we settled down to hear two excellent speakers, Professor Ismail Albayrak of the Australian Catholic University to speak on fasting in the Islamic tradition, and Bishop Michael Putney speaking on interfaith relations in Australia, with special reference to Muslim-Catholic relations and the important place that joint witness to faith has in "the public square".

Coffee and sweets, thankyous and gift giving, and prayers of thanksgiving by Emre Celik and Monsignor Peter Kenny completed an evening in which our relationship was strengthened through face to face encounter and the universal joy of sharing a meal together.

Conversation with the Australian Intercultural Society (August 9, 2008)
The relationship between Catholics and Muslims continue to strengthen with various joint projects and activities. As part of the Memorandum Of Understanding between the Australian Intercultural Society and Catholic Interfaith Commission, Melbourne Catholic Archdiocese, a conversation was held between Muslims and Catholics on the theme of 'Sacrifice of Abraham'.

The Speakers at the event were Fr John Dupuche, CIC and Prof Ismail Albayrak who holds the Fethullah Gulen Chair in the Study of Islam and Muslim-Catholic relations.

For more information, click here.

Interfaith Youth Pilgrimage (July 13 2008)

On Sunday 13th July, a significant interfaith event took place in Melbourne. To coincide with the visit to Melbourne of 25,000 international pilgrims en route to World Youth Day in Sydney, the youth of various religious communities in Melbourne came together "on pilgrimage to one another" in order to make a joint committment to peace.

Twelve communities were represented in this event: Baha'i, Christian (Protestant and Catholic), Muslim (both ICV and AIS), Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Brahma Kumaris, Sathya Sai, Sikh and Indigenous. The event was jointly planned by young people from these communities.

Early in the afternoon, each community group met together in their own locations in various places around the city of Melbourne, in order to discuss together the themes of peace, pilgrimage and interfaith relations from their own faith perspective. The Catholic pilgrims gathered in St Patrick's Cathedral where they were addressed by Bishop Christopher Prowse.

Each group then journeyed "on pilgrimage" to Federation Square, walking behind specially made banners which, upon arrival at the square, were used as the backdrop for the gathering space. In all, about five hundred young people were gathered for the event. A break in the weather meant there were plenty of passersby also attracted by the event.

As we came together, we walked through smoking eucalyptus leaves - a local indigenous ceremony of purification and welcome.

Our MCs were Br Gautam Chaitanya of the Hindu faith and Ms Inaz Janif of the Muslim faith. The program was in two sections. After a welcome to the land by local indigenous elder, Aunty Di Kerr, the first section consisted of chants in original languages from the sacred writings of four groups relevant to the theme of peace. Deepna Benoit chanted in Sanskrit from the Hindu tradition, Freeman Trebilcock chanted the Buddhist "Four immeasurables" in Tibetan, Caroline Mense and Ms Lipson read the "Sim Shalom" and other prayers from the Jewish prayer book, and Hafiz Muhammed Sezgin chanted from the Koran.

Before the second section commenced, we were addressed by our guest speaker, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez, the Catholic Archbishop of Tegucigalpa in the Honduras and the president of Caritas International. Following the Cardinal's address, Shyamini Naidu, a young Hindu Year 12 student, sang "You Raise Me Up". Many of the pilgrims in the assembly joined in singing this well known and stirring song.

The second half of the program consisted in the presentation of four "intentions for Peace". Jag Shergill, from the Sikh community, presented an "Intention for Love"; Amelia Ghofrany and Kylie Payman from the Baha'i community presented an "Intention for Unity"; Anish from the Mar Thoma Christian community presented an "Intention for Forgiveness", and Tristan Mungatopi of the Indigenous community presented an "Intention for Reconciliation". In response to each intention, the Crowd responded enthusiastically with the refrain "For the Sake of Peace!"

The event concluded with the speakers and readers taking branches of gum leaves into the crowd, where everyone took a leaf as a reminder of their involvement in the pilgrimage and of their own committment to peace.

For the complete service order of the catechesis in St Patrick's Cathedral and the text of Bishop Prowse's address, for the powerpoint presentation containing the full program and script at Federation Square, and for access to photos and video of the event, please click here .

Pathways to Peace: the Ideals. JCMA Seminar(13 April 2008)
What do the three Abrahamic monotheistic faiths mean when they talk about peace? A panel presentation followed by small group meetings and discussion, held at the Sidney Myer Asia Centre under the auspices of the University of Melbourne.

Click here for presentation by Bishop Christopher Prowse
Click here for presentation by Rabbi Jonathan Keren Black
Click here for presentation by Professor Abdullah Saeed

Commemoration of the Noble Birth of the Prophet (15 March 2008)
Click here for the report and photographs of the occasion

Catholic Muslim Youth Friendship night (9 March 2008)
Click here for the report and photographs of the occasion.

Report of the JCMA Women's Conference February 2008
Click here to download a report of the 2008 Jewish Christian and Muslim Conference for women.

Sixth International Abraham Conference, Melbourne University, August 26, 2007
Click here to go to report with pictures and downloadable copies of papers presented.

Launch of "Promoting Interfaith Relations": Some Guidelines for the parishes and agencies of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne (August 21, 2007)
Click here to go to full report with pictures and downloadable copies of the document)

Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ecumenical and Interfaith Commission and the Australian Intercultural Society (July 29, 2007)
Click here to go to full report with pictures and downloadable copy of the Memorandum

Australian Intercultural Society Intercultural Study Tour of Turkey (20 April - 4 May 2007)
Our Executive Officer, David Schutz, had the opportunity of travelling with the Australian Intercultural Society to Turkey for an Intercultural Study Tour in April/May of 2007. Read more here:
Download David's Travel Diary (Word Document)
Download David's Report of the Benefits of the Tour (Word Document)
View David's Photos (link to Flickr site)

The Inaugural JCMA Women’s Conference
February 12-14, 2007

Last week 44 women from many different backgrounds, Jews, Christians and Muslims, came together for 3 days and 2 nights to learn about each other’s faiths and to tell each other their own personal stories. Bonds of friendship were instantly formed, with stereotypes and preconceived ideas being shattered as we came to know each other and understand each other’s traditions and cultures. Conversations have begun and, as the theme of the conference, Continuing Conversations, suggests, they will go on as the thirst to learn more and get to know each other is strong. As women of the Abrahamic faiths we sang together, we danced together, we ate together and we shared artefacts relating to our personal faith journeys. We are all keen to continue our interfaith conversations in monthly discussion groups and an annual conference. A truly inspirational event.

Some comments from participants that were sent to the committee afterwards demonstrate the remarkable effect on us all.

“I watched with joy as the women, myself included, grew in the warmth of such love and commitment to the recognition of what was shared and how we can move forward together. What a privilege it was to be part of this.”

“I feel truly honoured to have been able to share in your goodness and spiritual searching.”

“One of my best experiences of working with others, out of a sense of vision and passion to create a difference.”

“I had a wonderful time and walk with a deeper sense of connectedness to other women and to people of other faiths.”

The conference was run by JCMA, Jewish Christian Muslim Association of Australia. Enquiries: Di Hirsh dhirsh1@bigpond.net.au .
Read a report on the ABC Encounter here or download the audio of the program here.

Archbishop Hart addresses Melbourne imams at Australian intercultural Society
2 November, 2006
Archbishop's Statement
Report by David
Report by AIS
Photographs

18 November 2005 12noon-2:30pm
Inaugural Meeting of the Dialogue between Catholics and Christians from Pentecostal and Evangelical Communities
Read here about this event

13 Nov 2005 2pm – 5pm.
10 In our times: Vatican II and Other Faiths
Thomas Carr Centre, 278 Victoria Pde, East Melbourne
Read here about this event

"One Church and One Church only"?
An Ecumenical Reflection on the 40 years since the Vatican II Decree on Ecumenism
Sunday, November 28
This seminar, held in the Knox Room at the Thomas Carr Centre in East Melbourne, attracted an audience of 50 people highly involved in ecumenical relations in Melbourne. Fr Peter Cross gave the key note address on the Decree, asking the questions "What difference has it made?" and "What still needs to be done?". Other speakers included Most Rev. Frank Little, Archdeacon Philip Newman, Rev. Prof. Norman Young and Ms Maureen Postma.
Fr Peter Cross' Keynote Address
Rev Prof. Norman Young's response
Most Rev. Frank Little's reflection

How are we saved? Young Catholics and Lutherans Discuss the Doctrine of Justification
A report of the gathering of Lutherans and Catholics on October 17 2004 for a joint service to mark the 5th anniversary of the signing, in Augsburg, Germany, of a joint declaration on the doctrine of Justification. Another meeting will be hosted by the Catholic Youth at the Cathedral later this year. Proposed topic is "Eucharist".

Interfaith Symposium on "Forgiveness"
Report and Photographs
On Sunday, 8 August 2004 at the Yarra Theological Union, Box Hill, Bishop Christopher Prowse opened the Second Interfaith Symposium which was sponsored by the Catholic Interfaith Committee of the Archdiocese. The theme of the Symposium was ‘Forgiveness’, particularly appropriate at this juncture in history where a world of conflict and division calls all to forgive and to accept forgiveness.
The speakers shared the teaching and experience of forgiveness within their different religious traditions. They were Melissa Brickell (NATSICC); Rabbi Ralph Genende (College Rabbi at Mt Scopus and Congregational Rabbi of Beit Haron); Venerable Phuoc Tan (of the Quang Minh Buddhist Temple, Braybrook); Sheik Isse Musse (Imam of the West Melbourne Mosque). Fr John Dupuche, Chair of the
Catholic Interfaith Committee, led the Symposium, presided.
About 80 people attended the Symposium which was notable for the sense of vitality. The interfaith gatherings are a sign of hope for the future harmony of our community.