God And Beer- Edition 11- Prof Tracey Rowland (Notre Dame University Australia)

A event from the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The tenth face-to-face event (held at the Matthew Flinders Hotel on Wednesday March 20, 2023) featured Ratzinger Prize winner Prof Tracey Rowland of Notre Dame University Australia. Prof Rowland gave a magnificent tribute to the late Pope Emeritus XVI. Born Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI served as the Pope from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. He is widely considered to be one of the most significant figures in the Catholic Church in recent times, known for his strong emphasis on tradition, reason, continuity and the importance of the Eucharist. He was also a strong advocate for the New Evangelization, and worked towards Christian unity and the strengthening of relations between different religions. He also made significant contributions to the Catholic Church's theology, liturgical, scriptural, moral and social teachings, sacred music, art, anthropology, philosophy.

Professor Tracey Rowland is one of the world's leading theologians and has written two books and many articles about Pope Benedict XVI's life and works. She is the former Dean of the John Paul II Institute's Melbourne campus and currently holds the John Paul II Chair of Theology at Notre Dame University in Sydney. In 2020 she was awarded the Ratzinger Prize, informally known as the 'Nobel Prize for Theology'.

Many thanks to those who made this possible, and those in attendance.

God And Beer- Edition 10- Matthew Kennedy (Carlton Football Club)

A new event from the Dandenong North Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The ninth face-to-face event (held at the Matthew Flinders Hotel on Wednesday February 15, 2023) featured Matthew Kennedy, Carlton Football Club footballer. Kennedy spoke on the topic 'Faith, Family and Football).

Kennedy's interview was conducted by his friend, St Mary's Parish Dandenong’s parish priest and former Corpus Christi College, Melbourne rector Fr. Brendan Lane. In a different location than usual (the Matthew Flinders Hotel), our largest crowd yet of over 150 saw Fr Lane ask Matthew how he practises and keeps his Catholic faith in modern society, delving into his motivations and inspirations. They also discussed the importance of his family, and what football means to him.

After the session, an auction was conducted by Matthew’s soon to be father-in-law, famous Catholic auctioneer and comedian John Canavan, for a Carlton jersey signed by the club. Matthew also stayed back to meet with those in attendance, and sign their memorabilia.

Many thanks to those who made this possible, and those in attendance.

God And Beer- Edition 9- Dr Colin Patterson

A new event from the Dandenong North Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The eighth face-to-face event (held at the Notting Hill Hotel on Monday November 14, 2022) featured Dr Colin Patterson. Dr Patterson spoke on the topic 'Light on the Human Heart: Where Faith and Psychology Meet'.

We know that there are parts of our self which are hidden from our view. What really is in the human heart? By analyzing basic human motives - largely closed to our awareness - beneath the persona we present to the world, we can understand ourselves and others better. Dr. Patterson hopes to help believers to deepen their understanding of themselves and the world in which they live, and in so doing grow to a fuller maturity as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Colin Patterson, a former psychologist and now an independent scholar, taught courses in theology and psychology at the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, Melbourne, Australia, until its closure in 2019. He is the author of Chalcedonian Personalism (2016) and a new book Light on the Human Heart: Where Christian Faith and Psychology Meet.

Future events will continue to take place in person, at the Notting Hill Hotel.

God And Beer- Edition 8- Tim Staples (Catholic Answers)

A new event from the Dandenong North Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The seventh face-to-face event (held at the Notting Hill Hotel on Monday October 10, 2022) featured Tim Staples. Tim spoke on the topic 'Renewing The Church'.

Tim related his own recent challenges, having suffered a stroke 11 months ago, and noting how following the experience he felt a spiritual paradigm shift in his life. He related this to how the Church needs a similar paradigm shift in order to renew itself. He also related other aspects of his life, including his time as a Pentecostal minister prior to his conversion to Catholicism. Following his talk, Tim took a number of questions from the audience.

For more of Tim Staples' work, go to the following links:

https://store.parousiamedia.com/searc...

https://www.catholicbookshop.com.au/c...

Who is Tim Staples?

Tim Staples is Director of Apologetics and Evangelisation at Catholic Answers. Raised a Southern Baptist, he fell away from faith in Christ before coming back during his late teen years. After joining the Marine Corps, he was challenged to study Catholicism. His research drove him to conversion, and even try out the priesthood. He has been working in Catholic apologetics and evangelisation ever since.

God And Beer - Edition 7- Dr Jay Bhattacharya (Stanford University)

A new event from the Dandenong North Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The sixth face-to-face event (held at the Notting Hill Hotel on Wednesday September 21, 2022) featured Dr Bhattacharya. Dr Bhattacharya spoke on the topic 'A Christian Response to the Pandemic'.

Dr Bhattacharya gave a balanced talk to those at "The Nott" on the unfortunate consequences of harsh lockdowns, vaccine mandates and passports (such as experienced here in Melbourne), and argued that they made little difference in halting the spread of the virus, instead advocating for a more focused and targeted approach, by focusing on protecting the most vulnerable, and allowing the less vulnerable to continue their lives and manage their own risks. The negative psychological and economic impacts throughout society were highlighted in his talk.

Dr Bhattacharya was also critical of the response of many Christian Churches, who complied with government lockdown orders rather than finding ways to safely reach out to their parishioners. He also discussed his involvement in the Great Barrington Declaration.

Who is Dr Jay Battacharya?

Dr Jay Bhattacharya is one of the world's leading experts on public health policy and is appearing live in the heart of Melbourne. He is a Professor of Health Policy at Stanford University and directs the Stanford Center for Demography and Economics of Health and Aging.

His research focuses on the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, with a particular emphasis on the role of government programs, biomedical innovation, and economics. Recently, he has evaluated the epidemiology of COVID-19 as well as an evaluation of policy responses to the epidemic, and was co-founder of The Great Barrington Declaration.

With 135 articles published in leading peer-reviewed journals in medicine, economics, health policy, epidemiology, statistics, law, and public health, don't miss what the professor has to say to Victorians this September.

Future events will continue to take place in person, at the Notting Hill Hotel.

God And Beer - Edition 6- Dr Kevin Donnelly (Australian Catholic University)

A new event from the Dandenong North Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The fifth face-to-face event (held at the Notting Hill Hotel on Monday September 12, 2022) featured Dr Kevin Donnelly. Dr Donnelly spoke on the topic 'Christianity and the Future of the West'.

The recently published results of the 2021 Australian Census have many public commentators gleefully proclaiming that Christianity in Australia is a dying religion. Many critics of Christianity, however, are blissfully ignorant of the profound role it is has played in the development of the political, cultural, economic and legal world in which we live. Can the West continue to thrive and survive without the Christian religion that gave it life?

Kevin Donnelly is one of Australia’s leading conservative public intellectuals and cultural warriors. In opposition to politically correct indoctrination and group think exemplified by critical theory, identity politics and victimhood Kevin argues for what TS Eliot describes as the "preservation of learning, for the pursuit of truth, and in so far as men are capable of it, the attainment of wisdom".

As an experienced and much sought after educationalist, author and public commentator Kevin has years of experience researching, publishing and speaking on topics as diverse as the purpose of education, how best to raise standards, international developments in education, school funding, the impact of political correctness, the origins and impact of the ‘culture wars’ and the significance of Western civilisation and Judeo-Christianity.

Future events will continue to take place in person, at the Notting Hill Hotel.

God And Beer - Edition 5- Dr Adam Cooper (Lecturer, Author, Theologian, Catholic Theological College Melbourne)

A new event from the Dandenong North Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The fourth face-to-face event (held at the Notting Hill Hotel on Monday July 11, 2022) featured Dr Adam Cooper. Dr Cooper spoke on the topic 'Failing Up - How Failure Can Bring You Closer to God'.

We all want to succeed and so we spend our lives trying to avoid failure but what if we could actually use it to bring ourselves closer to God? This is the idea that Dr Cooper will address at the this installment of 'God and Beer'.

A theologian, lecturer and sometime mountain climber and weight lifter, Dr Cooper formerly worked at the John Paul II Institute and the University of Durham. He now teaches and writes at Melbourne's Catholic Theological College and has a special interest in patristics, the Theology of the Body and the work of Maximus the Confessor.

Future events will continue to take place in person, at the Notting Hill Hotel.

God And Beer - Edition 4- Dr Andy Mullins (Lecturer, Author, renowned Catholic High School Principal)

A new event from the Dandenong North Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The third face-to-face event (held at the Notting Hill Hotel on Tuesday June 14, 2022) featured Dr Andy Mullins. Dr Mullins spoke on the topic 'Passing on the Faith in Our Families'.

The Catholic faith has been passed from generation to generation for nearly 2000 years but suddenly, in the modern west, it seems a herculean task. Why has it become so challenging and what can each of us do to ensure the faith is passed on to the next generation?

Passing on the Faith in Our Families

Whether you are a parent, grandparent, aunty, uncle, etc., if you care about passing on the faith, this talk is for you.

Dr Andy Mullins was Headmaster of Redfield College, one of the best Catholic schools in Australia. He has taught at the John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, the Australian Defence Force Academy and now, University of Notre Dame Australia. Dr Mullins is the author of 'Parenting for Character' and a new book 'Parenting for Faith'.

Future events will continue to take place in person, at the Notting Hill Hotel.

God And Beer - Edition 3- Fr Frank Brennan SJ AO (Rector, Newman College, University of Melbourne)

A new event from the Dandenong North Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The second face-to-face event (held at the Notting Hill Hotel on Monday May 9, 2022) featured Fr Frank Brennan SJ AO. Fr Frank Brennan spoke on the topic 'Reflections on the Pell Saga Two Years On'.

As a trained lawyer who attended all sessions of Cardinal George Pell's trial, read all publicly available evidence briefs and followed the case as closely and has written a book about it, Fr Brennan is in a unique position to speak on this topic. How did the allegations against Cardinal Pell come about? How is it possible that he was found guilty despite a mountain of evidence that he was innocent? Who was responsible for what took place, and what needs to be done to ensure similar miscarriages of justice don't happen again?

Join us to find out what happened in the Pell saga and what lessons can be learned from it.

Fr Frank Brennan attended every day of Pell's initial trials and has written a book: "Observations on the Pell Proceedings".

Frank Brennan is a Jesuit priest and Rector of Newman College at the University of Melbourne. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the PM Glynn Institute at Australian Catholic University, an Adjunct Professor at the Thomas More Law School at ACU and research professor at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture. Future events will continue to take place in person, at the Notting Hill Hotel.

God and Beer- Edition 2- Angela Schumann (PhD Candidate, Monash University)

A new event from the Dandenong North Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to bring together Catholic men and women of all ages from across the south-east suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, several times a year. The aim is to inspire and strengthen Catholics by providing ideas and inspiration for renewal by drawing on the truth, beauty and goodness of the Catholic faith.

The first face-to-face event (held at the Notting Hill Hotel on Monday April 11, 2022) featured Angela Schumann. Angela Schumann is an academic, PhD candidate and writer who specialises in Shakespeare. She is the winner of Monash University's 'Three Minute Thesis' competition. Her YouTube Channel, 'The Shakespeare Whisperer', can be found at the following link:

   / @theshakespearewhisperer4451  

William Shakespeare is considered by many the greatest writer of the English language to put pen to paper. His plays are still performed and admired all over the world. Find out about the man behind the plays and how Catholicism, and in particular the sacrament of confession, had such a huge influence over his work.

Future events will continue to take place in person, at the Notting Hill Hotel.