Archbishop Peter A Comensoli | Public figure

Archbishop Peter A Comensoli

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25.01.2022 Friends, some good news. Bishop Peter Elliott is now fully out of sedation, sitting up in bed, and talking freely and happily. He is still in the ICU and his prognosis is unknown, but thanks be to the good Lord and the dedication of his medical carers for bringing him this far. Thank you for your prayers.

25.01.2022 Friends, earlier this week I wrote a brief editorial in The Age (24/9) encouraging the wider community to reflect on what our ‘COVID-normal’ society will look like. There will be no return to a pre-COVID world; it has changed forever. Rather than lament this loss, might we be facing a great opportunity? What is the world we want to build? Every Victorian has an interest in the Government’s Roadmap towards a ‘COVID-normal’ destination. But what do we actually want that destination to look like, and how might it shape the road ahead? As people of faith, we have much to offer to this discussion. Read my full Op Ed here: bit.ly/COVIDandtheRoadAhead

25.01.2022 Friends, this year has certainly been challenging for everyone. I'm thinking in particular at the moment of all those in Year 12, preparing for their exams, but missing out on all the excitement and experiences that usually come with the final year of school. I just want to assure you all of my prayers and encouragement at this time.

25.01.2022 Like just about every married couple, my mum and dad had their moments. Usually it was a flare up triggered over something each had said or did without thought or intent. And just about always it was all over pretty quickly. Mum and dad seemed to have absorbed into their married life the Pauline dictum: Do not let the sun set on your anger. (Eph 4.26) There was only ever one time I remember when they had such a falling out that it lasted over several days. Nothing bad at ...Continue reading

24.01.2022 Friends, upon seeing the DHHS guideline updates yesterday in which ‘Last Rites’ was forbidden, I made contact with the Government immediately to seek a revision on this specific Christian ministry of spiritual comfort and mercy. I was pleased to enter into a constructive dialogue, and the Premier very quickly responded to an obvious problem, confirming this morning that ministers of religion may indeed visit the sick and dying in hospitals, care facilities and homes. I expres...s my deepest and prayerful gratitude for the members of our clergy and faithful who have diligently supported and met the difficulties of these current times amidst the additional and heartfelt loss of the ability to be present and worship together physically. The seriousness and duration of the COVID-19 Pandemic has worn heavily, and stretched and challenged each and every person. Let us continue to keep each other close in prayer and express our gratitude to all those working tirelessly to care for the most vulnerable in our community and keep us all safe.

23.01.2022 As Archbishop, I receive on a fairly regular basis reports from various works, ministries, organisations and agencies of Church life. Often enough, the larger organisations provide multi-page annual reports. But small reports also come across my desk, ones that might come to me as a brief email, just ‘bringing me up to speed’ on what’s been happening. One such report came to me during the week from a community called L’Arche. It was a short email three paragraphs in total ...Continue reading

22.01.2022 So good to see all of our ACYF pilgrims again at tonight’s Melbourne ACYF reunion! Sending you all my prayers and support at this time. Here are some memories from our pilgrimage to Perth last year. Take care of each other, Melbs.

22.01.2022 In today's Gospel, Jesus shares the parable of the hidden treasure and the pearl with his followers. It has always intrigued me as to why pearls are so beloved, especially by women. Yes, I appreciate their loveliness, but that doesn’t account for the way in which a gift of a necklace of pearls will win over a person’s heart. Poems have been written of their beauty, and operas have been composed of their alluring powers. Pearls are in a league of their own when it comes to tha...Continue reading

22.01.2022 It’s magpie breeding season. How do I know this? Not because I’ve been dive bombed by one, but because I’ve noticed while out on my walk that kids on their bikes have suddenly got those plastic ties sticking out of the tops of their helmets. It’s a sure sign that vigilant magpie mums are on the watch and ready to swoop. We all know that magpies make for excellent sentries. They are always looking around, checking their surroundings, watching for danger, ensuring their safety,...Continue reading

21.01.2022 Young adults of Melbourne, I invite you to join me tomorrow evening for the very first Six30 Holy Hour of the year. After a bit of a break in 2020 due to the pandemic, it will be wonderful to come together at our beautiful cathedral to pray before Jesus in the Eucharist. All welcome

20.01.2022 Friends, if you know of any university students who’d be interested in this new program, please let them know about this wonderful new opportunity. Applications close this Friday.

20.01.2022 Friends, this time of extra restrictions in Victoria brings a deep sense of concern and challenge to all of us. I am particularly grateful to all those assisting the most vulnerable in our community during this time. It's intense, it's exhausting, and it's risky. Yet you are doing precisely what our Lord has asked of us that in charity we reach out to those in need. Be assured of my prayers and support and let's all do what we can to live through this time prudently and to find ways of reaching out to one another and expressing our love and care.

20.01.2022 Friends, I invite you to join me for today's 11am Mass, livestreamed from St Patrick's Cathedral. These days are indeed challenging for us all, but perhaps we can draw confidence from St Paul's words in today's second reading: 'The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words...' (Romans 8:26-27) While we cannot gather physically at this tim...e, let us continue to be united in our prayer for one another and for all those affected by this pandemic. Our Lady, Help of Christians, pray for us. St Joseph, our Great Protector, pray for us. Watch Mass on TV at C31 (channel 44 on digital TV) or on our Archdiocesan YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/archmelb.

19.01.2022 Friends, especially in Melbourne, I ask for your prayers for our retired Auxiliary Bishop, Peter Elliott, who is fighting for his life after suffering a heart episode yesterday. May the tender Lord hold him close, may our Blessed Mother accompany him.

19.01.2022 Dear friends, St Paul reminds us in today’s second reading that nothing no created thing nor trial; not even death itself can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us take our worries and anxieties and offer them up to our friend and brother Jesus, who walks by our side daily. And let us continue to keep each other close in prayer during these challenging times. St Joseph, our Great Protector, pray for us.... Join me for 11am Mass today on Channel 31 (channel 44 on digital TV) or on our Archdiocesan YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/archmelb.

18.01.2022 It has been very encouraging to see COVID-19 numbers dropping so dramatically in recent weeks. However, a pressing need remains to address the disparity in numbers allowed for religious gatherings by comparison with other sectors in the current ‘third step’ of Victoria's Roadmap to reopening. In regional Victoria, more people can gather inside in a restaurant than in a church. We simply ask for fairness and parity between places of worship and other sectors like hospitality.

16.01.2022 No one begins by saying, And lastly We start with, First and foremost, make our way to secondly, and then through the numbers. We might finally get to ‘Last, but not least. However, none of us begins with, And lastly None, that is, except for the Lord. Start with the last arrivals, said the landowner in Jesus’ parable, and end with the first. When it comes to the order of things in God’s kingdom it is the last who are first; and the first, last. Who are these ‘la...Continue reading

16.01.2022 Friends, note the order in which things unfold for Jesus today. Jesus has heard of the death of his cousin, John the Baptist. This is a moment of grief for him and his disciples. So they look for a place where they can be alone in their sadness. But the people around about find them. Jesus, putting aside his own personal struggles, turns toward their neediness in mercy, and offers himself to them: in teaching, in healing and miraculously in nourishing. Note, also, the ord...er in which things unfold for the disciples. Like Jesus, they heard of the tragedy of John’s death, they too experience the ache of grief, and they seek to find the space they need to mourn. Here is where the two stories begin to part. Certainly, the disciples are with Jesus in reaching out to the people. We have a sense in which they are present in and among the crowds, perhaps ministering to them in their own ways. But when evening descends, the disciples are ready to part company with the gathered throng, seeking to again retreat with Jesus to a place where they can be by themselves. This is not the way of Jesus. Instead of saying, I’ve done enough for today, he continues to see the need and he does what is necessary. There is no giving in to his own tiredness and grief; he keeps making himself present to the gathered people until they have received what they need for life. This is salvation. Jesus goes beyond what is good and worthy to do, and offers what will complete the journey from death to life. He sees the possibility and makes it a reality. Jesus did this in other ways as well. He offered the spiritual healing of forgiveness, when a physical healing was all that was asked for. He calmed hearts as he calmed storms. He touched the unclean, embraced the mentally ill, allowed his feet to be washed with tears, shared out his body and blood. And he went to the cross by himself, as the only one who would love us sinners to the very end. Jesus fed the crowds with such abundance from so little because that was the manifestation of God’s saving promise needed at that moment among the people. Jesus, in all he said and did, always took the path from death to life, so that we might have life in him. With that in mind, be certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord. He will feed us with what we need for the nourishing of our lives.

15.01.2022 Friends, thank you for your ongoing prayers for Bishop Peter Elliott, who late last week suffered a serious heart episode. He would be humbled to know how cared for and valued he is across the community. As a brief update, he has had a comfortable couple of days and has been stable though remains in a serious condition. The episodes he experienced have taken a great toll on his health, and we can only wait, in prayer, to see how things progress. The hospital is being inundate...d with phone calls, messages, and in some cases people turning up to visit. Bishop Elliott’s family has asked that people refrain from contacting the hospital at this stage. I will endeavour to keep you updated as appropriate. In the meantime, let us continue to keep Bishop Elliott in our prayers. May the tender Lord hold him close and our Blessed Mother Mary accompany him. St Raphael, patron saint of healing, pray for us.

15.01.2022 The annual Australia Day ‘lamb ad’ of recent years has become something of an eagerly awaited expectation for me. It’s so obviously Australian, even though it is always quite different. Perhaps it is the mixture of gentle irreverence with self-deprecating humour that makes it so; a ‘don’t-take-yourself-too-seriously’ jab at whatever have been the stories and causes of the previous year. So, this year’s lamb ad appropriately has taken the whole COVID pandemic, and simply turne...d it on its head. I also love it, simply because no one outside of the Australian context gets it. I’ve shared it with friends from other countries, and they can’t understand the humour, nor fathom why we would have a dig at ourselves in such a fashion. My North American friends get particularly baffled, which makes me all the more delighted by it. Being an Australian has its wonderful peculiarities. Our prayers for this Mass of Australia Day offer their own sense of this, our peculiar and unique take on living in this land and among the people who have made it home. Today’s Opening Prayer, for example, names for us both the blessing and the challenge of this Day, as we prayed for the light of Christ to come to our nation, to its people old and new. Whether we are first peoples or recent migrants; whether we trace our heritage to stories of European colonisation woven into the song-lines of more ancient narratives; whether we blend into this land images, symbols and ways of other lands; we have prayed that all of this comes under the Cross that shines in our southern skies. As the Preface for today’s Mass says: From ancient times [Lord, holy Father] you made this land a home for many peoples. And isn’t that still the case? It is what gives us our delightful peculiarity, even amid the challenges, wounds and misunderstandings that also mark us. It opens us up to that greatest of God-given gifts, reconciliation; and spurs us on to work all the harder for the proper recognition of all who call this land ‘home’. In a particular way, it is the threads of faith, woven into the fabric of our island continent, that offers an integrity to our everyday lives. To see ourselves within the ‘bigger picture’ of God’s providence and purposes is to see ourselves not as a nation of saviours or messiahs. Instead, faith allows for us to find ways of integration and peaceable living, and to call out those tendencies towards identity fragmentation. It is faith in God, made incarnate in this land, that will be our rock of strength and our safety in every storm. (from the Solemn Blessing). Whatever your circumstances, and wherever your social and political leanings lie, Australia Day offers each of us who have made this land our home an occasion to give thanks to God and to seek God’s ongoing presence among us; that we may make of our lives examples of goodness, perseverance and dignity.

14.01.2022 Friends, each of us has been affected in some way by this pandemic. I think of all the families who have lost loved ones, those who are sick and those on the front lines placing themselves at risk while caring for our community. Let us continue to reach out as best we can to those who might need a helping hand or simply a word of encouragement during this challenging time. This Sunday at 2pm, I'll be joining leaders from various Christian communities across Victoria for a time of prayer online. We stand together in prayer and solidarity, seeking the Lord's healing grace. We need only remember Peter's words to Jesus during the storm, 'Lord, save me.' The virtual prayer is this Sunday, 30 August @ 2pm and will be livestreamed from the Victorian Council of Churches Facebook page on the day. See you there.

13.01.2022 Having been in quarantine myself last Sunday, I had the opportunity to watch the Cathedral Mass online, as you are doing now. Fr Linh, in a very fine homily, preached about our common call to identify with and follow Christ. In doing so, he referenced the movie Silence, based on the book of the same name by the Japanese novelist, Shuzaku Endo. It is a fictional telling of the persecution of the hidden Christian communities of 17th century Japan. As the book recounts, and I un...Continue reading

11.01.2022 Tonight’s moment of silence reminds us that despite our separation, we remain united in prayer and compassion. Let us continue to reach out to each other where we can, and show patience and tenderness in our homes and within our families. In every action - every moment of encouragement, we are inviting the Lord Jesus to be at home with us and to enter into our lives. Let us look forward with hope-filled hearts, assured of the Lord's tenderness and mercy.

07.01.2022 Are you looking to expand your horizons as we start 2021 afresh? This year, the Archdiocese will be launching a new Discipleship Internship program for universi...ty students. Participants will be provided with the opportunity to develop their own relationship with Christ while accompanying other young people in their journey of faith. The program will provide formation, one-on-one mentoring and training over a two-year period (with renumeration provided so students can continue their studies). More info, including application details can be found at: bit.ly/DiscipleshipIntern. Applications close Friday 22 January, so get in quick! See more

05.01.2022 Today's readings remind us that the path of Christian discipleship is not for the faint-hearted! Christian discipleship means taking the 'narrower pathway' the way of the Cross. We do so with the blessed assurance that our friend and brother Jesus walks with us daily on our journey. Friends, let us continue to be united in our prayers and care for one another. I invite you to join me for Mass today at St Patrick's Cathedral, livestreamed on www.youtube.com/archmelb or via C31 (channel 44 on digital TV).

03.01.2022 Jesus could be a bit crafty at times; crafty, that is, in a good, teaching kind of way. Today’s story is such an example of the astute and creative Jesus. The woman from Canaan who came chasing after him and the disciples was, evidently, persistent in her endeavours to get his attention, even to the point of irritation. We all know that Jesus would attend to anyone in need who asked for his help, and this Canaanite woman would be no different. Even though we might be a little...Continue reading

02.01.2022 I couldn’t help but think of poor, devastated Beirut as I reflected on today’s first reading concerning the Prophet Elijah. There came a mighty wind, so strong it tore the mountains and shattered the rocks After the wind came an earthquake And after the earthquake came fire. The massive explosion that ripped apart that great and ancient city was simply quite shocking to see, even in the midst of the ‘shock and awe’ restrictions that have descended upon our city this past ...Continue reading

02.01.2022 Yeh-Nah. Nah-Yeh. I get confused every time I hear this. Is it ‘yes’ or ‘no’; is it ‘I agree’ or ‘I don’t agree’? Both seem possible in a ‘yeh-nah’ world. We might think this is simply a bit of modern-day slang in need of understanding. But actually, it quite neatly sums up an ancient phenomenon of our humanity. We could say, human beings are the ‘yeh-nah’ species of God’s creation, His uniquely ambiguous beings. No other creature is able to commit to one thing and do the...Continue reading

02.01.2022 My brother bishop, Bishop Mark Edwards OMI, will tomorrow be installed as the next bishop of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga. Sadly, I can't be there in person, and so I wish to send Bishop Mark and the local church of Wagga Wagga my prayers and support on this wonderful occasion. May it be a time of great joy and light for you all!

02.01.2022 Friends, yesterday I had the opportunity to visit Cabrini Hospital in Malvern to celebrate Mass on the feast of St Frances Xavier Cabrini. We can learn a great deal from Mother Cabrini. Following the guidance of the Lord, she left her native Italy to venture to the ‘new world’ of the Americas, to be among the Italian immigrants seeking to make their home in the USA. That missionary spirit has since found its way to all the corners of the world (including here in Melbourne) th...anks to the Cabrini sisters, and continues through the works of Cabrini Health Australia. We see in Mother Cabrini not only an example of Christ-like compassion, but in this woman of faith we find a trailblazer one who entrusted herself to the Lord and went out to serve the needs of the poor and isolated among God’s people. May we be inspired by her example and courageously follow where Jesus leads us.

01.01.2022 Friends, many faith groups and leaders have been drawing public attention to issues in the Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill 2020 which could be brought before the Legislative Council this week. This Bill infringes directly on matters that are personal and private, including conversations between parents and children, within families, pastoral and professional care to informed adults, and to prayer. As I said before Christmas, the State has no inte...rest in how I pray, who I pray to, and what I pray for. I have maintained a commitment to engaging constructively with the government about this proposed legislation and I warmly welcome any legislation that protects people from harm. Sadly, this Bill does a whole lot of other things as well, and we have to be forthright and clear, as well as charitable. Together with the Islamic Council of Victoria, the Victorian Bishops have co-written a letter to the Premier voicing our concerns with the Bill. We are praying for a constructive way forward to open up with all members of the Victorian Parliament. You can read our full letter here: https://melbournecatholic.org/faith-leaders-write-to-premie