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A podcast that showcases preaching by Christian women from across all Christian denominations, relevant to contemporary Australian life. We model the Church we want to be: inclusive, diverse and welcoming. An initiative of WATAC Inc. (Women and the Australian Church) and the Grail in Australia. This podcast is produced by Louise Maher. The music on this podcast has been created by theologian, musician, songwriter, and teacher Danielle Anne Lynch. You can listen to more of Danielle’s music on ...
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Christmastide - John 1:1-18 - Weaving the Word. In this time of Christmas tide we have decided to revisit a stunning sermon from 3 years ago. I invite you to take this moment: breathe, relax and immerse yourself in the poetics of palawa woman Alison Overeem as she reflects upon the Gospel of John, weaving stories into the flight of butterflies. Ali…
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Fourth Sunday of Advent - Luke 1:39-45 - Leaping with Joy: Celebrating Divine Energies Embodied. Rena MacLeod is a biblical scholar who researches and writes in the areas of violent biblical narratives, mimetic theory, and feminist theory. Her research draws out the shared space between women’s contemporary experience of men’s violence, and those e…
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Third Sunday of Advent - Luke 3:10-18 Robyn Whitaker is Associate Professor of New Testament at Pilgrim Theological College in the University of Divinity, and Director of The Wesley Centre for Theology, Ethics, and Public Policy. She is also an ordained Uniting Church minister. Robyn specialises in the Book of Revelation and the Synoptic Gospels, w…
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Second Sunday of Advent -Luke 3:1-6 Keren Terpstra is the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral, Sale in the Anglican Diocese of Gippsland. Before coming to Sale, Keren had appointments in Melbourne, and before that in Brisbane, where she trained and was ordained. She is a passionate Trekkie, loses herself in Chinese dramas, engages in imaginative worlds by …
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First Sunday of Advent - Luke 21:25-28, 34-36 Gillian writes: I am the Chaplain and Head of Religious and Values Education at St Aidan’s Anglican Girls’ School in Brisbane, a position I have held for the past 10 years. Prior to that I have been a parish priest, worked in a cathedral, assisted a Primate and most importantly, been mum to 4 amazing ch…
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Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe - John 18:33-37 The Right Rev’d Sarah Plowman is Assistant Bishop in the Anglican Church Southern Queensland. She has spent most of her life in SE Qld, growing up on the Sunshine Coast. She began her career as a Physics and Maths teacher, during which time she explored a vocational call into youth ministr…
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Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time - Psalm 91 Dr Robyn Ober is a Mamu/Djirribal woman from Far North Queensland. She is a Lead Researcher at Batchelor Institute in the Northern Territory spanning three decades. She is well renowned for her expertise of both-ways pedagogy, working to combine Indigenous and non-Indigenous ways of knowing, being and…
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Thirty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 12: 38-44 - How can we be more generous with what we have?Bernadette has had a long career as a secondary school RE teacher, retiring last year from a Catholic girls’ school in Melbourne. She currently teaches Religious Education to both primary and secondary pre-service teachers at Australian Catholic U…
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Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 12:28-34 Di writes: I am a Buandik First Nations woman. I am Reverend Canon Auntie Di Langham, Director of Reconciliation in Newcastle Anglican. I am mother of four, grandmother of 14 and great grandmother of 7. My ministry has included Juvenile Justice Chaplin and 20 years as a gaol chaplain. I am secret…
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30th Sunday Ordinary Time - Mark 10:46-52 Helen Cunningham OP is a member of the Dominican sisters of Eastern Australia and The Solomon Islands. She has a teaching background in various areas of education including adult education. She has a Masters in pastoral ministry (USA) and a Masters in Applied Christian Spirituality (Dublin). Both of these d…
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Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 10:35-45Ann Rennie is a Melbourne writer and teacher. She has a regular column in Australian Catholics and has contributed to The Sunday Age Faith column for the past 25 years. She has been published in The Age, The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, WA Today, Brisbane Times and Madonna. Ann is a form…
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Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 10:17-30 Angela works as a Pastoral Associate for the Passionist led St Joseph's Parish in Hobart, and is the Administrative Assistant for WATAC (Women and the Australian Church). She is passionate about the silenced female voice in the lectionary and finds the presence of God in the gift of the Australi…
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Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 10: 2-16 Penny Jones Penny is an Anglican priest and spiritual companion, who has been offering spiritual guidance and inspiration for more than thirty five years. As a dancer, labyrinth and InterPlay facilitator, and yoga practitioner, she is especially drawn to the interface of spirituality and the bo…
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Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 9:38-43, 45, 47-48 Dr Mayrah Yarraga Dreise says... I am a proud Yuwalaraay and Gamilaraay Woman from Southwest Queensland Northwest New South Wales. I speak and teach our languages in our community and lead local dance (yulagi) ceremonies. I am also a visual artist considering Australian History, stolen …
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Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 9:30-37 - Exploring His Gentleness Patricia Smith is a pastoral musician, composer and liturgist in Ku-ring-gai Chase Catholic parish in the diocese of Broken Bay, in northern Sydney. Her long involvement in parish music, and mission through RCIA, Children’s Liturgy of the Word, special religious educatio…
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Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 8:27-35 - Sacred Spaces – Where Human and Divine Meet The Reverend Melissa Conway (BTh, Grad Cert Public Sector Leadership, Cert Financial Markets (Financial Planning), JP (Qual)) is the Associate Priest in the Anglican Parish of Toowoomba – St James’ in the Diocese of Southern Queensland, with primary r…
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Dr Moira Byrne Garton is a native South Australian who now calls Canberra home. She works as a federal public servant, and is married to Matthew. Together they have four young adult children, including one with disabilities. Moira holds a PhD in political science from ANU, and a Postgraduate Diploma of Theology from Newcastle Uni, completed as part…
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Twenty-Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Special Reading - Matthew 15: 2- 28Professor Dr Anne Pattel-Gray was the former Head of the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Divinity, Melbourne Australia. Professor Pattel-Gray has an earned Ph.D. from the University of Sydney awarded in 1995 in the Studies of Religion with the major focus on …
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Twenty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time - John 6: 60-69 - Lifelong Journey of Discipleship with ChristHeeyoung says: I was born and raised in Seoul within a Christian family. I devoted myself to the kingdom of God through 9 years of study in the practice of Theology and Christian Education at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary. My fa…
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Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time - John 6: 51-58Carmel Posa, SGS, is a member of the Good Samaritan Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict. She held the position of senior lecturer at Notre Dame University, Australia from 1999—2012 and was the executive director of the New Norcia Institute for Benedictine Studies at New Norcia, Western Australia, fr…
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Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - John 6: 41-51 Anne Surtees is an Ursuline sister and is currently living in Arrernte Country in Central Australia. Anne is a Spiritual director and runs a small retreat centre called "Thirsty Heart” in Alice Springs. She travels twice a week to the Ltyentye Apurte ( Santa Teresa) community 80 kms out of Alice Sp…
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Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - John 6: 24-35 Teresa Pirola is a Sydney-based writer with many years involvement in Catholic faith formation for parishioners, families, teachers and parish personnel. She is the author of several books and numerous other publications used in pastoral renewal and spirituality programs. She has a Doctorate in The…
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Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - John 6: 1-15Lana Hanley is Africa and Pacific Associate Director at Caritas Australia. Caritas Australia is the aid and development agency of the Catholic Church. Now in its 60th year the organisation is committed to supporting the world’s most vulnerable, with its work supported by the generous donations of ch…
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Sixteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 6: 30-34 Dr Clare Schwantes has been the Director at Liturgy Brisbane since 2023, having fulfilled the role of Editor from 2012. She prepares annual publications such as the Ordo and the Daily Mass Book on behalf of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, as well as Break Open the Word and Praying Togeth…
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Fifteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 6: 7-13 For more than thirty years Jenny O’Brien has been a liturgy educator for the Adelaide Archdiocese. She gained her Doctorate in Sacred Liturgy from Sant’Anselmo, Rome and also holds Masters degrees in Theology and Religious Education. Jenny has been active on local, national and international levels, …
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Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 6: 1-6 - God of the ordinary Jennifer Wakeling is a professional musician and educator who spent many years performing as a classical pianist but whose interest has extended in more recent years to the field of theology. Jennifer’s research interests centre on worship theology, music theology, and musical-l…
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Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 5: 21-43 The Very Reverend Naomi Cooke is an ordained Anglican priest and is currently the Dean of the Cathedral of Grafton in regional NSW’s Bundjalung and Gumbaynggirr country. Naomi's spiritual formation has been shaped by a rich tapestry of ecumenical experiences. Her childhood faith was nurtured within…
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Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 4: 35-41 “The calming of the storm” Dominique Galea has recently retired from a 43-year career in Education. Married with three children and four grandchildren, her teaching experience has ranged from kindergarten through to high school special needs as well as being a Religious Education Coordinator in primar…
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Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time - Mark 4: 26-34 Michele Connolly RSJ is a Sister of St Joseph of Lochinvar in the Hunter Valley. She is an Associate Professor of Biblical Studies and Biblical Studies Discipline Coordinator at the Sydney College of Divinity and lectures in Biblical Studies at Catholic Institute of Sydney, a pontifical institute of …
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Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 3: 20-35Dr Angela McCarthy is an adjunct senior lecturer in theology at The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle campus. Her first degree from Sydney University included work in Biblical Studies and Fine Arts. After time spent rearing a family, Angela resumed secondary teaching and further studies in th…
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Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ - Mark 14:12-16, 22-26 Carmel is an Australian Sister of St Joseph. Carmel has ministered extensively throughout Australia as a liturgical educator and consultant. She was the only woman to ever be responsible for a Papal Liturgy: The Beatification of Mary MacKillop in 1995. These days she works with First Nati…
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Holy Trinity - Matthew 28:16-20 Dr Cristina Lledo-Gomez is a Filipina-Australian living and working on the lands of the Dharrug and Guringai peoples. She is mother to Sophia and Julian, and wife to Adrian. She is a Senior Lecturer in Catholic Systematic Theology and holds the Presentation Sisters Lectureship Chair at BBI-The Australian Institute of…
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Feast of Pentecost - John 15:26-27, 16:12-15 OR John 20:19-23Mel Williams is an Ursuline sister who is at present working in Brisbane. She has also worked in Sydney, Toowoomba, Maroochydore, and Rome. She is a teacher, counsellor, and spiritual director and her time in Maroochydore was as pastoral associate. Much of Mel’s work has been within the U…
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Ascension of the Lord - Mark 16:15-20 In a career spanning over 25 years, Sharon has gained extensive experience in the education sector, both in independent and Catholic secondary and primary schools in the United Kingdom, Tanzania and Australia with a focus on educational leadership, Catholic Identity, curriculum innovation and experiential learn…
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Sixth Sunday of Easter - John 15:9-17 Ann Zubrick is a member of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). She has a doctorate: and professional qualifications in speech pathology, lifespan developmental psychology, and ageing and pastoral care. She accompanies older persons living with dementia and mental illness: seeking meaning, in ageing—incl…
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Fifth Sunday of Easter - John 15:1-8 - 'The vine grower and the vine’ Roberta Hamilton is the Anglican Vicar of Yarrawonga, Diocese of Wangaratta. She has previously ministered in both the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn and the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne. Roberta is passionate about the Kingdom of God and its outworking in the lives o…
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Fourth Sunday of Easter - John 10:11-18 Naomi is a trawloolway woman with Jewish German & Irish heritage. She is a proud aunty, sister and daughter along with being a kinship carer. She is a historian and theologian. She works at Australian Catholic University and NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community. NAIITS: An Indigenous Learning Community is…
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Third Sunday of Easter - Luke 24:35-48 - "The Resurrection for Transformation" Maureen Gaul currently holds a position with the Identity and Outreach Directorate, Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns, as Leader Formation – Community Engagement. She has been an educator in the Catholic primary school sector throughout her teaching career and has hel…
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Second Sunday of Easter - Divine Mercy Sunday - John 20:19-31Tanya Wittwer lives on the lands of the Peramangk people with her songwriter husband, Leigh Newton, two alpacas and four chickens. Their elastic-sided family live within semi-regular Sunday-night-family-meal distance. Sixty-three years ago Tanya perceived herself as being called to pastor…
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Easter Sunday - Mark 16: 1-8 - And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Rev Assoc Prof Kylie Crabbe is a Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church and Associate Professor of Biblical and Early Christian Studies in the Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry at Australian Catholic University. She was in congregational ministry pri…
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Palm Sunday - Mark 14:1-15:47Dr Catherine Playoust is a Roman Catholic laywoman and a biblical scholar. She comes from Sydney and lives in Melbourne, where she teaches at Catholic Theological College within the University of Divinity. Catherine’s research interests include early Jewish and Christian apocalypticism and non-canonical early Christian …
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Fifth Sunday of Lent - John 12: 20-33 Alison Ryan has worked with young people for all her working life, first in OOSH care and then in different Parish Ministry positions. And over the years those roles expanded to include adult faith formation. Growing up in the Parramatta Diocese she calls St Anthony’s Parish Toongabbie her home. Now, working fo…
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Fourth Sunday of Lent - John 3:14-21 Born in Carlow, Ireland I had a traditional Irish Roman Catholic up-bringing and education. Having successfully completed an honours Baccalaureate in Arts and Theology (1996) at the Pontifical University, St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth, I continued post-graduate studies in Theology and Biblical Studies at the C…
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3rd Sunday of Lent - John 2:13-25 Anne Frawley-Mangan is an experienced educator, presenter, pastoral worker, creative director and artist. She specialises in using The Arts to enhance liturgy, prayer and religious education. Anne presents, leads and prepares liturgy locally, nationally and internationally, and taught at Holy Spirit Seminary and Au…
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Second Sunday of Lent - Mark 9:2-10 Rev Dr Sarah Agnew, Minister in the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) is a poet and liturgist, storyteller and biblical scholar. Though her favourite role in life is ‘Aunt Sarah,’ Sarah also takes joy in her placement with the delightful Christ Church Uniting, Wayville, on Kaurna Land, teaching at Uniting College…
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First Sunday of Lent - Mark 1: 12-15 -Proclaiming the Kin-dom of GodElizabeth Dowling is a Sister of Mercy who lives in Ballarat, Victoria. She has a lifelong commitment to education, working in secondary, tertiary and adult education settings. After completing doctoral studies in 2005, Elizabeth lectured in Biblical Studies at Australian Catholic …
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Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 1:40-45 - Indignant Hearts Rev Dr Megan Powell du Toit is an ordained Baptist minister. She has been preaching for 25 years. She has worked as an editor, academic and pastor. She is currently the Senior Pastor of Rouse Hill Baptist Church in Sydney. She also co-hosts a podcast With All Due Respect with Anglican …
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Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 1:29-39 Vicky Gonzalez Burrows is a mother of a 1 and 3 year old, with two teenage step children living in Whadjuk Noongar country, Perth Western Australia and is married to Ed. She is the Executive Director of Mission and Ethos at MercyCare which is an early learning, community services and aged care organisati…
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Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mark 1:21-28Dawn LaValle Norman is a Senior Research Fellow at Australian Catholic University’s Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry in Melbourne. She grew up in the US and spent some years in the UK before moving to Australia in 2017. Her research focuses on the role that women play in philosophical conversa…
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Third Sunday of Ordinary Time - Mark 1:14-20 Angela has been active in her faith from a young age. From music ministry as a child, to YCS in her youth and with her own ministry business as an adult, Angela has always had a passion to proclaim the Good News of Christ to others, in whatever means available to her, as God has provided. With background…
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