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
Natural law a concept with ancient origins
Recently, in a discussion with some friends, one of them said the idea of the natural law was an invention of mediaeval Catholic theologians. Is this true?
The Rosary: A compendium of the faith
We have recently tried to reintroduce the family Rosary but my sons, aged 11 and 13, say they find it boring. I have not been able to convince them otherwise. Can you help me?
Marriage and divorce text can perplex
In my Bible, in Chapter 19 of St Matthew’s Gospel, it says that whoever divorces his wife, except in the case of adultery, and marries another, commits adultery. Does this mean that adultery is a ground for divorce and remarriage?
In His Service all Greek for ancient Church monogram
I have inherited a lapel pin with the letters “IHS” on it. I’ve seen this on priests’ vestments and would like to know what it stands for.
Why are we to hate ourselves if God made us?
God tells us to “love your neighbour as yourself”, yet the Universal Prayer attributed to Pope Clement XI says “Give me good God, love for you, hatred for myself…” It seems to be a contradiction. Can you shed some light on this?
Aparecida – from sunken statue to national feast
When Pope Francis went to the Marian shrine of Aparecida, he mentioned that some fishermen had found the statue of Our Lady that is venerated there. Can you tell me more about it? Did Our Lady appear?
Coming to grips with Evolution
Some friends tell me that with Darwin’s theory of evolution, we no longer need to believe in God as a creator, since natural selection explains how the different species came to be. I have trouble with this but am not sure how to answer them. Can you help me?
Walsingham’s rich history still attracts today’s seekers
I have often heard about a shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham in England and would like to know more about it. Is it associated with an apparition of Our Lady?
Apparition at Knock not just the luck of the Irish
Some friends recently returned from Ireland where they visited the Marian shrine of Knock. I am completely unfamiliar with this shrine. Did Our Lady appear there as she did at Lourdes and Fatima?
Ordinary Time to be had by all
I am a recent convert and have bought a missal for weekday Masses but I sometimes have difficulty knowing which Mass is being said. For example, what does it mean when it says eighth week of Ordinary Time, or year one?
