Bosses at a council-run crematorium said if more than one person joined in, it counted as "chanting" and was not allowed.

Minister Alison Davies, 53, was left in tears at the ban at the funeral of a 94-year-old woman.

She said: "When I started reciting it, mourners stood up and joined in.

"The family were only mumbling it quietly and were all socially distanced and wearing masks.

"But the chapel superintendent wagged her finger at me and said ‘you can't do that'."

She added: "Banning the Lord's Prayer is ridiculous at a time when people are saying goodbye to a loved-one."

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Since 1918 the Our Father has been said before the state parliament opens its daily sessions.

The proposal is being reviewed by a Victoria Legislative Council committee, the state parliament's upper house.

Gavin Jennings, Special Minister of State for the Labour Party government suggested the change.

The Lord's Prayer is currently said during legislature proceedings in the Australian federal parliament and the parliaments of every state and province.

In addition, in the Australian Capital Territory assembly a moment of silent reflection is held.

Victoria's state premier Daniel Andrews, who is Catholic, says he is open to the proposal. Marlene Kairouz, the state's Minister for Consumer Affairs and also a Catholic, agrees.

"If we need to share other prayers and recognise other religions or other traditions, I am more than happy to consider that" she said.

The leader of the Reason Party, Fiona Patten, is supportive of the proposed change, saying it's "a nod to how diverse the Victorian parliament is".

The state of Victoria has the highest non-Christian affiliation rate in the country, accounting for more than 10 percent of the population.

Religions observed by state MPs include Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Hinduism.

Last year a Senate inquiry in the Australian federal parliament rejected a similar call led by Green Party MPs.

Source

• ABC News
• Catholic News Agency
• Image: Macau Daily Times

Pope Francis believes the current translation suggests God is capable of leading us "into temptation".

Most translations used throughout the world say: "lead us not into temptation".

Francis says he'd like this amended to the phrase used in France.

In this, the French say: "do not let us enter into temptation".

This implies it is through human fault people are led to sin, rather than by God.

Francis suggested changing the Lord's Prayer translation during a televised interview on Wednesday evening.

He said the traditional phrasing is "not a good translation".

"I am the one who falls. It's not him [God] pushing me into temptation to then see how I have fallen.

"A father doesn't do that, a father helps you to get up immediately.

"It's Satan who leads us into temptation, that's his department."

The current Lord's Prayer translations are from the Latin vulgate, which was an early 5th century version of the Bible.

It was translated from ancient Greek, but was originally in Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus.

Liturgical translations are usually done by local Churches in coordination with the Vatican.

Any change to the text of the Mass takes a long time and much discussion.

It is unlikely, therefore, that there will be a change in the Lord's Prayer for some time.

Source

• Washington Post
• Reuters
• The Telegraph
• Image: SlidePlayer