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OPINION

OPINION

Salt and light – local journalism in the Age of AI

Pope Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas asks how human dignity can be safeguarded in an age shaped by artificial intelligence (AI), digital platforms and...

A shivered plate

I can juggle three balls (badly), provided there’s a...

Sin, harm and healing

Talk of sin can leave people demoralised rather than...

Concerns over Australia’s response to pro-Palestinian activism as laws face scrutiny

From hate speech laws to anti-protest measures later ruled...

What prison has taught me

Prison is a “culture” that most people look down...

Blessing of the Animals offers public witness of care and community

Paddington Uniting Church brought prayer, hospitality and care for...

The ordinary spirituality of death

We’ve had a few deaths in the neighbourhood. Every...

Ethics first – the classroom as a practice of responsibility

In NSW public primary schools, ethics classes (Special Education...

Kindness as resistance – Lonnie Holley & Kankawa Nagarra at Sydney Festival

Since 1979, Lonnie Holley has devoted his life to...

The Word made flesh in place and people

Christmas is not a sentimental story. It is the feast of Incarnation – the Word of God taking flesh and dwelling among us.

Celebrating positive moments as 2025 ends

As 2025 draws to a close, this December issue...

Every drop counts

It can feel overwhelming, even paralysing, to look at...

Saudade in the city – preserving memory, celebrating creativity

Sydney is changing fast, and with it, a sense...

Saudade in an increasingly soulless Sydney – nostalgia for a disappearing world

Recently I read an article in the news about...

The Nicene Creed – poetry of faith, ethics of belonging

Every community has signs that show what it stands...

Privilege and poetry – Taylor Swift in an unequal world

Taylor Swift’s new album, The Life of a Showgirl (released 3 October), is both dazzling and disquieting – a confounding study in performance, power and vulnerability.

Anti-immigration rhetoric – the concerning rise

On August 31, right-wing groups marched for the end of "mass migration" during their so-called "March for Australia" protest ...

Burning bright – the life and legacy of Father Chris Riley

Father Chris Riley AM (1954-2025) grew up on a dairy farm in Echuca, Victoria, before answering a vocation inspired by the 1938 film, Boys’ Town. At 15, he resolved to become a priest to care for young people cast aside by society.

Capitalism – the ten commandments of the almighty dollar

The main purpose in life is to accumulate as much capital as possible.

Politics, posts & payouts: What the ABC got wrong

Antoinette Lattouf recently won her case against the ABC for wrongful dismissal and was awarded $70,000 in non-economic damages.

Harbour Bridge March for Humanity sparks political fallout and calls for reform

Sunday, August 3 marked a watershed moment in the growing movement for Palestinian solidarity in Australia ...

Princess Olga of Kyiv – no blushing flower

This month, in an occasional series on historically neglected women of note, Philosophilia commemorates Olga of Kyiv, whose feast day was July 11.

A preventable death, a call for urgent reform

We are grieving the death of our neighbour, Collin Burling.

Finding hope in a hurting world

I have recently taken up a position as Supply Minister for South Sydney Uniting Church and am now working in Redfern-Waterloo three days a week for six months.

A soft rebellion

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the world around us. The news cycle is relentless, and wherever we look – online, on air, in print – there’s no shortage of grim headlines. At times, hope can feel like a rare and endangered species.

Ban, baby, ban! Why words still matter

Remember when Donald Trump made “Drill, baby, drill!” a campaign slogan?

Mass honours legacy of Father Ted Kennedy on 20th anniversary of his passing

Under the stained-glass light of St Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, the spirit of Father Edward “Ted” Kennedy (1931-2005) was unmistakably present ...

Values and vision for the future

As the South Sydney Herald turns a new page, its spirit of community journalism continues to shine.

The Motherhood of God

This Easter, in my meditations, I dwelt awhile on the Motherhood of God.

The strength of our villages

Local community is everything.

Trump’s new policies a threat to democracy

Watching the collapse of the “world’s greatest democracy”?

The right to safe and affordable housing

Housing activist Mike Mannix of Paddington says: “I refer to the wide media coverage on the plight of the 28 residents of four boarding houses in Selwyn Street, Paddington, and the community campaign to stop the closure of the boarding houses.

‘Johnny Mac’ – connection and understanding

Eleven years after his passing, Bishop John McIntyre’s legacy continues to inspire community action and faithful presence.

‘I’m a minister of religion – here’s why I oppose restrictions on protest around places of worship’

The NSW government recently passed legislation restricting rights to protest around places of worship.

The importance of local news in a changing media landscape

With the rise of media monopolies and the spread of right-wing propaganda, independent local journalism – reviews, analysis and storytelling – has never been more crucial.

Anti-protest laws will not diminish hate crimes

Last week, on February 20, the NSW Parliament rushed through three bills which Premier Minns described as “a strong response to recent antisemitism”.

Urgent action to reduce bus frequency

Residents of Raglan Street, Waterloo, are pleading for urgent action to address the excessive frequency of the 392 bus service.