In this podcast Monica Doumit - Editor from Catholic Talk gives us a short informative podcast on bioethics.

In this year's Lenten message Pope Francis asks us to consider the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in the Gospel of Luke. Pope Francis says we should find inspiration in this meaningful story as it provides a key to understanding what we need to do in order to attain true happiness and eternal life.

Fr Tom a young Sydney priest gives his thoughts and reflections on Pope Francis' Lenten message in this Lenten podcast.

2017 marks 100 years since the first apparition of Mary, in Fatima to three shepherd children based in Portugal. The children were given secrets by Mary and the apparitions ended with what is now described as the "Miracle of the Sun". In this interview with Bishop Umbers we ask him about Fatima, the context of the apparitions and why Fatima is still relevant 100 years on.

The Feast of the Annunciation is one of the most important feasts in the Church Calendar. It celebrates the moment when the angel Gabriel declared to Mary that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus. It celebrates the actual Incarnation of Our Saviour -- the Word made flesh in the womb of His mother, Mary.

In this episode, we reflect on this principal Marian feast day with Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, Bishop Tony Randazzo. He reflects on the point that Mary says yes to the Living Word of God Jesus Christ becoming one with her, so that we too might become one with him.

In the podcast, Dr Matthew Tan explores the way sin governs not only our actions, but also our hearts.

Many of us understand ourselves to be sinners in the sense that we may do sinful things, but there is another way in which sin is operating, when we are not intentionally doing anything wicked. For sin not only governs our actions, but also our hearts. More specifically, sin is a wound that distorts the way we love otherwise good things.

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Dr Matthew Tan is Lecturer in Theology and Philosophy at Campion College Australia. He received his doctorate in Political Theology at Australian Catholic University, and his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome. He is the editor of the theological blog the Divine Wedgie.

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Archbishop Nona was the Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Mosul. He is now living in Sydney as his diocese no longer exists - it was overtaken by Islamic State in 2014. In this interview he shares with Catholic Weekly journalist Catherine Sheehan what happened when his people had to flee the city, his hopes for Christianity in the Middle East and how Christians in Western countries can help.

This podcast episode is a conversation about Holy Thursday with Giselle, Joseph, and Laura - three young Catholics from Sydney.

by Cathy Kennedy

At the beginning of Lent, we may feel this urgent need for a drastic change - to make Lent a real time of transformation. But if we go no deeper than our own feeling of urgency, our good start to Lent may run out of steam. Sometimes it may be because we’re too focused on OUR actions and not on GOD’S actions WITHIN us.

In this podcast, Cathy Kennedy, explores these themes, reflecting upon us entering God’s time and space.

She notes that busyness and our understanding of work can be some of the devil’s best weapons.

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ABOUT CATHY

Cathy Kennedy works at the evangelisation office of the Archdiocese of Sydney.

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Lent is a time where we are called to renew our baptismal promises, and deepen our spiritual life. Lent is a call to change. But when we promise to make these great sacrifices and take up more prayer and service, we might find ourselves falling every now and then. It can be difficult to make this change. In this podcast, Simone Fernandes from Sydney, speaks about how we can commit to change during Lent.

"I’ll be honest with you, as a kid I dreaded Lent. I found it difficult to think of something to give up, there was more prayer time at school and I knew that at the end of the whole 40 days I’d have to go to church for three consecutive long services on Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil. I just didn’t get it! Since then, I’ve learnt more about my faith and have come to understand and embrace all the different aspects of it. Nowadays, I jump at the chance to enter into Lent; I now know that it’s good for me and that it’s especially good for my relationship with the One who created me.

One of my favourite aspects of the Lenten season is that we have the opportunity to be changed and transformed. We get to allocate 40 days to going deeper and experiencing a small part of Jesus’ sacrifice with Him by our side. We get to give up things that may have taken hold in our lives and take on new habits that help us to draw closer to God. It’s committing to change not just for Lent but letting habits of gratitude, discipline and prayer take root within us. It is during this time that we can truly empty ourselves so that God can fill us. Lent is the perfect excuse to challenge ourselves, following the footsteps of our Lord who spent 40 days in the desert.

Lent can be life-changing! So how do we enter into Lent and commit ourselves to being transformed over this time? Here are 7 ways to commit to change during Lent."

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In this podcast, we interview Sr Rita Marie Apura CSFN who is a hospital chaplain in Sydney. In our conversation, Sr Rita addresses the common misconception that all Catholic chaplains are priests, and shares some insight into suffering and the beauty of silence.

Intro Music: Y=MX+B by Peppy & The Firing Squad (CC BY-NC-SA)