A message for Lent 2015 recorded by Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP.

Each Ash Wednesday the priest says "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return", or similar words, marking an ashen cross on the person's forehead.

As a schoolboy, I remember feeling solemn and proud to receive that sign of my Catholic identity and to wear it for the rest of the day for all the world to see.

Friday abstinence from meat and fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday were additional tokens of our heroism and Catholic identity which our non-Catholic friends had to cope with if we were at dinner with them on Fridays! And there were extra) prayers like Stations of the Cross to do in Lent for the more earnest.

But are Ash Wednesday and Lent just about external show? No: Lent is first and foremost about turning back to God; saying we're sorry for what we've done wrong and resolving, with God's help, to do better. That's a rather private matter, invisible to the world. Ashes, fasting and the rest are tangible signs of that spiritual renewal.

Which is not to say we should give up on such Lenten practices: quite the opposite! Fasting, such as giving up meat on Fridays (or, dare I suggest, giving up sms-texting and Facebook for Lent!) disciplines the body and purifies the spirit, showing our unruly desires who's boss. In a sense, then, fasting brings us closer to ourselves.

Extra prayer, such as weekday Mass, and especially THE Lenten prayer, Confession, brings us closer to God.

Charitable giving, such as Project Compassion or visiting a lonely person, brings us closer to our neighbours.

So these Lenten practices are not just for external show: they bring us closer to our God, neighbours and selves and that allows a genuine, internal, spiritual renewal.

God bless you with a really fruitful Lent this year, so that come Easter you can rise from the tomb with Christ to new life!

Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP's homily of Christmas Midnight Mass at St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney.

Listen to Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP's Message for the 2015 New Year here on Xt3.

For the full text, visit:

Listen to Archbishop of Sydney, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP's Christmas Message for 2014 here on Xt3.

For the full text, visit:

On 19 December 2014, religious leaders from the various Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu and many more Churches around Australia, gathered at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney for an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Sydney siege, and to pray for all victims of conflict and violence around the world.

This podcast is a recording of the address by Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP at the 19 December event.

To listen to the addresses from other religious leaders, click here:

On 19 December 2014, religious leaders from the various Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu and many more Churches around Australia, gathered at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney for an interfaith memorial service for the victims of the Sydney siege, and to pray for all victims of conflict and violence around the world.

This podcast includes an address from Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, as well as:

- Dr Ibraham Abu Mohammad, Grand Mufti of Australia

- Mr Brian White, Chairperson of the Buddhist Council of NSW

- Prof Nihal Singh Agar, Hindu Council of Australia

- Mrs Kulwant Kaur, The Sikh Community of NSW

- Dr Basim Alansari, office of Ayatollah Al-Ansari/Shia Islam

To download just Archbishop Anthony's address, click here:

On 15-16 December 2014, the city of Sydney and all of Australia was rocked by a tragic hostage situation in Martin Place in Sydney's CBD, which claimed the lives of two hostages as well as the gunman.

Only hours later, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney, held a Mass for the victims of the siege at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, only a few blocks away from the event.

Read the Homily in full on the Archdiocese of Sydney website:

On 15-16 December 2014, the city of Sydney and all of Australia was rocked by a tragic hostage situation in Martin Place in Sydney's CBD, which claimed the lives of two hostages as well as the gunman.

Only hours later, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney, held a Mass for the victims of the siege at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, only a few blocks away from the event.

Click on "download this file" to listen to the Archbishop's closing remarks at the Mass.

On 15-16 December 2014, the city of Sydney and all of Australia was rocked by a tragic hostage situation in Martin Place in Sydney's CBD, which claimed the lives of two hostages as well as the gunman.

Only hours later, Most Rev Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney, held a Mass for the victims of the siege at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, only a few blocks away from the event.

Click on "download this file" to listen to the Archbishop's introductory remarks at the Mass.

The youth event Theology on Tap returned to the Archdiocese of Sydney on 1 December 2014, with Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP delivering an address titled “Faith in Sydney”. It was held at Le Pub in Sydney’s CBD.

“I want the Archdiocese to be one in which is the Gospel is preached with joy, the wisdom of our tradition lived with fidelity, the Sacraments celebrated with dignity and welcome, and the seminaries, convents and youth groups teaming with new life, a Church in which our schools, parishes and chaplaincies are truly centres of the New Evangelisation, our laity theologically literate and spiritually well formed, our outreach to the needy effective and growing, and God glorified above all.” - Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, Archbishop of Sydney