In the age when he lived, Newman stood for the life of the spirit against the forces that would debase human dignity and human destiny.

In the age in which he attains sainthood, his example is needed more than ever - for the manner in which, at his best, he could advocate without accusation, could disagree without disrespect and, perhaps most of all, could see differences as places of encounter rather than exclusion.

At a time when faith was being questioned as never before, Newman, one of the greatest theologians of the nineteenth century, applied his intellect to one of the most pressing questions of our era: what should be the relationship of faith to a sceptical, secular age?

His engagement first with Anglican theology, and then, after his conversion, Catholic theology, impressed even his opponents with its fearless honesty, its unsparing rigour and its originality of thought.

Whatever our own beliefs, and no matter what our own tradition may be, we can only be grateful to Newman for the gifts, rooted in his Catholic faith, which he shared with wider society: his intense and moving spiritual autobiography and his deeply-felt poetry in ‘The Dream of Gerontius' which, set to music by Sir Edward Elgar - another Catholic of whom all Britons can be proud - gave the musical world one of its most enduring choral masterpieces.

Harmony requires difference

At the climax of ‘The Dream of Gerontius' the soul, approaching heaven, perceives something of the divine vision:

• a grand mysterious harmony:
• It floods me, like the deep and solemn sound
• Of many waters.

Harmony requires difference. The concept rests at the very heart of Christian theology in the concept of the Trinity. In the same poem, Gerontius says:

• Firmly I believe and truly
• God is three, and God is One;

As such, difference is not to be feared. Newman not only proved this in his theology and illustrated it in his poetry, but he also demonstrated it in his life. Under his leadership, Catholics became fully part of the wider society, which itself thereby became all the richer as a community of communities.

Newman engaged not merely with the church, but with the world.

While wholeheartedly committed to the Church to which he came through so many intellectual and spiritual trials, he nonetheless initiated open debate between Catholics and other Christians, paving the way for later ecumenical dialogues.

On his elevation to the Cardinalate in 1879, he took as his motto Cor ad cor loquitor ('heart speaks to heart'), and his conversations across confessional, cultural, social and economic divides, were rooted in that intimate friendship with God.

His faith was truly catholic in that it embraced all aspects of life.

Immense influence

It is in that same spirit that we, whether we are Catholics or not, can, in the tradition of the Christian Church throughout the ages, embrace the unique perspective, the particular wisdom and insight, brought to our universal experience by this one individual soul.

We can draw inspiration from his writings and his life even as we recognise that, like all human lives, it was inevitably flawed.

Newman himself was aware of his failings, such as pride and defensiveness which fell short of his own ideals, but which, ultimately, left him only more grateful for the mercy of God.

His influence was immense.

As a theologian, his work on the development of doctrine showed that our understanding of God can grow over time, and had a profound impact on later thinkers.

Individual Christians have found their personal devotion challenged and strengthened by the importance he attached to the voice of conscience.

Those of all traditions who seek to define and defend Christianity have found themselves grateful for the way he reconciled faith and reason.

Those who seek the divine in what can seem like an increasingly hostile intellectual environment find in him a powerful ally who championed the individual conscience against an overwhelming relativism.

And perhaps most relevantly of all at this time, when we have witnessed too many grievous assaults by the forces of intolerance on communities and individuals, including many Catholics, because of their beliefs, he is a figure who stood for his convictions despite the disadvantages of belonging to a religion whose adherents were denied full participation in public life.

Through the whole process of Catholic emancipation and the restoration of the Catholic Church hierarchy, he was the leader his people, his church and his times needed.

His capacity for personal warmth and generous friendship is shown in his correspondence.

There exist over 30 collected volumes of his letters, many of which, tellingly, are not addressed to the fellow intellectuals and prominent leaders but to family, friends and parishioners who sought out his wisdom.

His example has left a lasting legacy.

As an educator, his work was profoundly influential in Oxford, Dublin and beyond, while his treatise, The Idea of a University, remains a defining text to this day.

His often overlooked labours on behalf of children's education are testimony to his commitment to ensuring those of all backgrounds shared the opportunities learning can bring.

Laity

As an Anglican, he guided that church back to its Catholic roots, and as a Catholic he was ready to learn from the Anglican tradition, such as in his promoting the role of the laity.

He gave the Catholic Church renewed confidence as it re-established itself in a land in which it had once been uprooted.

The Catholic community in Britain today owes an incalculable debt to his tireless work, even as British society has cause for gratitude to that community for its immeasurably valuable contribution to our country's life. Continue reading

• Image: BBC

It talks about the supremacy of the European people and deporting all non-Europeans. He says he decided to take a stand to ensure a future for ‘my' people.

‘The White Genocide' is how he refers to his actions; he labels himself as a part-time kebab removalist.

Tarrant says he carried out the attack to, most of all, show the invaders that our lands will never be their lands, and to directly reduce immigration rates to European lands by intimidating and physically removing the invaders themselves and to incite violence, retaliation and further divide between the European people and the invaders currently occupying European soil.

He says he's taking revenge in New Zealand for events that happened elsewhere in the world.

The manifesto ends with: "Europa arises."

Difference

As a Church, over the years, we've had our issues with differences in creeds.

Catholics were told there was no salvation outside the Catholic Church and interpreted this as there were only Catholics in heaven.

We make light of it now; I'm sure we've all heard or read Irish comedian Dave Allen about St Peter showing a person around heaven and saying to be quiet around the Catholics because they think they're the only ones there.

For most of her life, my mother was an Anglican.

As an Anglican, she was the one who heard our Catechism questions and knew more of the Catechism than either my sister or me.

My mother was also an excellent cake decorator, and not long after Vatican II, the ecumenical Council, the Brigidine Sisters at St Benedict's school in Wellington, asked her to decorate our first Holy Communion cake.

A non-Catholic decorating the first Holy Communion cake! It raised some eyebrows in the parish.

I consider having a non-Catholic mother as one of the greatest blessings in my life.

She and my father taught me religious differences could work.

• Differences often make us look twice.
• Differences make us think.
• Differences may even confront.
• Differences were part of the reason for Jesus' crucifixion.

And, just when you thought the examples were over, "that was then, and this is now", our church's dealing with difference is perhaps not so historic; for example, relatively recently, we changed the words of consecration, so now Jesus' blood is not shed for ‘all' but just for 'many,' the few.

Thumbs up to Egg Boy

Whatever the liturgical semantics, being different does not give anyone the right to senselessly slaughter another. Nor does it give Australian senator Fraser Anning the right to blame Friday's mass murder on Muslim migration. Please, Mr Anning. There is no excuse.

Australia, you can keep Tarrant and Anning. Whereas there is an open invitation to "Egg Boy", the 17-year-old William Connolly, to come to New Zealand any time.

The people who died in Christchurch on Friday were in what they thought was a safe place with their God.

Tarrant's actions crossed religious lines.

Tarrant crossed ethnic lines.

He also crossed the line of what it means to be human.

The impact of Tarrant's actions was also felt beyond the Christchurch boundary line, and friends of mine, immigrants, here long enough to be New Zealand citizens, but who on Saturday were so scared they were holed up in their Wellington home.

They didn't come to New Zealand for this, nor did they come to see other people on social media "liking" Tarrant's live video stream and witness others giving a "thumbs up" to his manifesto.

What can we learn from Friday?

Is there something we can learn from what happened?

In time, there are bound to be many "learnings", but as a start, as fellow human beings, let's use this Christchurch horror as a reminder to be less judgmental, to understand a way of life that may seem foreign to us and in a society dominated by fences and boundaries, let's try to appropriately reach out.

Christians familiar with the letter of St James will remember that faith, without actions, is dead.

On Sunday, we heard God, The Father's voice, in the scriptures. The account of the Transfiguration ends: "This is my Son, the chosen one. Listen to him."

At no point does Jesus condone murder, racism, or hate.

We are all different from each other but are together in this world.

Let our actions speak volumes.

• John Murphy is a Marist priest working in communications and new media.

For these individuals whose own families have abandoned them, God is their only refuge. Religion doesn't matter anymore and denominational differences are irrelevant. While the individuals in the lepers' colony don't necessarily believe in the same god, their common belief in the divine is enough to sustain them, to empower them and to enrich them in their destitution.

I have visited this chapel twice, on both my trips to India. The diversity that exists amongst its visitors is what makes the chapel such a special place. Had the chapel only opened its doors to lepers of a particular religion or denomination, it would not be the sacred place that it is today. Over many years, the chapel has been infused with tremendous depth, diversity and human experience.

This depth and diversity of human experience is what we are celebrating on Harmony Day (March 21), with this year's theme being, "Many Stories: One Australia". If you locate the word ‘harmony' in the dictionary, you are likely to find two meanings. The first definition will describe harmony as a situation in which people live or work well with other people. The second definition will describe harmony as a musical term that occurs when different notes are played at the same time, making a pleasant sound.

Harmony, in the music world, is a pleasant, beautiful thing. It doesn't simply occur when three amateur singers gather for the first time. Learning how to harmonise takes time. It requires you to listen to the other person, and to create your note in accordance with theirs. This year's Harmony Day theme calls us to remember that difference is no barrier to harmony. As humans, we all have unique and vivid stories. Our backgrounds are diverse, and harmony, in light of this, is about encouraging individuals and communities to flourish in their uniqueness. Continue reading

Sources

• Article and Image: The Good Oil