On Sunday, 15 February, emeritus Archbishop Mark Coleridge, a renowned Scripture scholar, will give the opening lecture in a monthly series sponsored by the Australian Catholic Historical Society (ACHS).
On its 60th anniversary, he will discuss how the influential Vatican II document, Dei Verbum, has influenced Biblical scholarship.
The free lectures are held on third Sundays in the crypt of St Patrick’s, Church Hill at 2pm.
Established in 1940, the ACHS promotes the study of how clergy, religious, lay persons and groups have shaped Australia’s Catholic history. It has its own online journal and YouTube channel.
The topics of this year’s lectures range from events in the late 19th century to reflections on contemporary issues.
They include the rise and fall of Catholic Scouting, the history of the Benedictine abbey at Jamberoo, and of Gregorian chant in Australia, the trauma suffered by frontline chaplains in World War I, and the work of the controversial Fr Ted Kennedy in Redfern.
Daniel Canaris will analyse Pope Leo XIV’s canon law thesis on leadership in the Augustinian Order and Fr Frank Brennan SJ will reflect on how Catholic bishops responded to the referendum on The Voice.
What’s the point of studying history, The Catholic Weekly asked the president of ACHS, Fr Brian Lucas, somewhat provocatively. We have to learn from the past to appreciate our heritage, Fr Lucas said.
“Some of the stories, particularly about people, can be a source of inspiration and encouragement. A very good story that The Catholic Weekly did recently on Jan Ruff O’Herne would be an example – somebody not very well known at all, but by telling the story, people can find encouragement and inspiration.”
The ACHS does not intend to present a sanitised, Pollyannish version of church history, Fr Lucas suggested.
“Sometimes there are things that we would have preferred didn’t happen in the life of the church. But we have to face the truth,” he said. “If things happen that we regret, then we should acknowledge that and not repeat the errors of the past.”
In this, the ACHS is in sync with all the recent popes, who have urged Catholics to be aware of their past, both times full of light and splendour and times of darkness and shame.
In 2024 Pope Francis wrote an open letter about the importance of church history in the formation of priests.
“A great French theologian used to tell his students that the study of history protects us from ‘ecclesiological monophysitism’, that is, from an overly angelic conception of the church, presenting a church that is unreal because she lacks spots and wrinkles.
“Indeed the church, like our own mothers, must be loved as she is; otherwise we do not love her at all, or what we love is only a figment of our imagination.”
