Fr John Flader BA (Harvard), DCL (Navarre), was ordained a priest of Opus Dei in 1967 and came to Australia in 1968. He has served as chaplain of Warrane College at the University of New South Wales (1970-1991), chaplain of the University of Tasmania (1992-1997) chaplain of RMIT University (1998-2001) and Director of the Catholic Adult Education Centre of the Archdiocese of Sydney (2002-2010). Since 2011 he has been chaplain of Montgrove College in Orchard Hills, Sydney.
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The best in Catholic news from across the Archdiocese of Perth
Does God suffer with us?
I have an auntie who is in constant pain from arthritis. I have tried to tell her that God understands her pain and suffers with her, but my parish priest tells me that God is unchangeable and cannot suffer. If this is true, how can I console my auntie?
The importance of Christ’s genealogy
Sydney priest and e-Record columnist Fr John Flader writes about the genealogy of Christ, looking at the various differences as told throughout the Gospels.
Knowledge of our faith requires Bible and tradition
I have a born-again Christian workmate who is trying to convince me that the Bible alone is sufficient to ground our faith and that we don’t need tradition or the Church. How do I answer him?
Evidence proves life after death is a certainty
I have a friend who is very sceptical about life after death and would like some sort of proof that heaven is real. He says no one has ever been to heaven and come back to earth to tell us about it. What can I tell him?
Christ’s divine nature the issue at Chalcedon
A friend who is Coptic Orthodox has tried to convince me that their Church is the true Church and that we Catholics separated from the Church after the Council of Chalcedon. How do I answer her?
Grasping at bodies is clutching at straws
We often hear about the sin of lust, but can you tell me exactly what it is? Is it the same as impure thoughts? Is it a mortal sin?
Once a saint, always a saint according to the Church
While watching the canonisation of Popes John XXIII and John Paul II on television, I noticed that Pope Francis used the expression “we define” these Popes to be saints. Is this equivalent to the definition of a dogma and therefore an infallible judgment?
Whether all will be saved an open question
I recently read that some theologians have argued that we can hope no one is in hell and that all will be saved. Is this a reasonable position to hold?
Man cannot be saved by baptism alone
A friend who has a degree in theology recently told me that if we are baptised we are assured of heaven. I didn’t argue with him because he knows a lot more than I do. Is what he says true?
Shrouded and veiled for all to see more
I recently visited a church at the end of Lent where all the statues and the crucifix were covered by purple veils. Why is the cross hidden from view at the very time when we should be meditating more on the passion of Christ?
