Catholicism

Anthony Fisher, Catholic archbishop of Sydney – St Mary’s Cathedral

I want people to find in religion something that raises up their hearts, senses and minds to something more elevated, perhaps, than what they experience day-to- day; something in which they will find consolation and inspiration.

Regarding the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse, the shame, the disgust, the humiliation of what some of my fellow Catholics priests and fellow bishops have done, the way they have hurt people, it really rocks you especially when you talk to the victims and see how deep the hurt and how long the damage endures.

How could people who represented the church, who make themselves out to have high ideals, have been so cruel and self-serving? We have to change; we have to be better. My hope is the church will be reborn after this. I’m not naive that this will be the end of it but I feel that we will be a better church at the end of it.

All photographs by Michael Wickham



Islam

Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed, grand mufti of Australia – Australian Islamic House

From time to time we hear from misinformed voices, resonating sounds of racism and hatred. They seek to portray Islam in a bad light, blaming all Muslims for extremism. What these voices fail to realise is that we are all aboard on the same ship and in order to keep it afloat we must all work together as one nation. Attacking any part of this ship would only cause us all to sink. The noble Qur’an asks all people to maintain kind relationships, if not for the sake of religion then it should be for the sake of humanity.

Buddhism

Superintendent Venerable Man Wang – Nan Tien Temple

Buddhist practice is said to eliminate stress and anxiety, and promotes happiness and peace of mind. This is exactly what the world needs today. As a child I always knew that there was another way: the materialistic world did not interest me. My motivation to devote my life to Buddhism is simply to see the ultimate truth.

Judaism

Rabbi Dr Benjamin Elton, chief minister – The Great Synagogue, Sydney

Automatic adherence (to religion) is a thing of the past. People don’t just go to a synagogue or church because their parents went there. Everyone who goes now is there by choice, and they determine how they engage, not the way the leaders of the religion think they should.



Mormonism

Nicolas Faivre, bishop of the Leura Ward – Leura Church of Latter Day Saints

In the past 10 years I’ve had two stepbrothers and one aunty take their own lives because of mental illness, namely depression. I feel that they each lived on their own private island. They did not have much involvement with our church and were very private in their lives. I sometimes wonder if they suffered in silence. I often wonder what would have happened if they would have opened their hearts. Would their situations have been different? I know I tried to share hope with them but somewhere inside of me I feel I didn’t do enough. It hurts to know that I had something special that could have changed their lives but either it was dismissed as simply “one’s religion” or that they felt that this message of the gospel simply did not apply to them in their lives.

Anglicanism

Glenn Davies, Anglican archbishop of Sydney – St Andrew’s Cathedral



When I was a 21-year-old high school teacher, I explained to a class what a Christian believes and the importance, as well as the joy, of being a Christian. One Year 9 student said to me after class: “You don’t believe what you have said, do you, Sir?” Indignantly I answered: “Why do you say that?” He said: “Well, if you did, you would be telling people about Jesus full-time not standing here teaching us current affairs!” That was one of many points of conviction that led me to do what I am doing now.

Hinduism

Koviladi Sridhar Bhattar, preist of Vishnu – Sri Venkateswara Temple

As devotees and followers of the Hindu faith we do not expect the temple to offer solutions to problems of the world. Very often during moments of stress and conflicts within our mind we visit the temple to seek a peace of mind. Usually we find a way to meet any challenges.

Hillsong Worship

Pastor Brian Houston, founder of Hillsong – Hillsong church

The church can engage with people in the most ancient and asked questions: what is life all about and what am I here for? I always say that the message (the gospel) never changes, but the methods by which we deliver them have to change. In a society where loneliness, depression and anxiety are ever-increasing epidemics, where bullying and suicide are regular occurrences in schools and plaguing the lives of young people, where social media is dictating worth and status, my hope is that churches can be an inclusive, welcoming, hopeful and helpful place for all people.