Bishop Philip writes…
Our thoughts and our prayers today are for the sixteen people killed in the shootings on Bondi Beach. May they rest in peace and may the Lord extend His loving consolation to all the families affected. Members of the Jewish community were celebrating the feast of Hanukkah, the feast of lights. Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney (pictured) and other Catholic leaders in Australia have issued strong condemnations of what they described as a “festering” atmosphere of antisemitism. “That a celebration of the Jewish feast of Hanukkah could end in at least 16 dead, including a young child, and many more injured, horrifies ordinary Australians,” Archbishop Fisher said. “The brazen and callous disregard for human life, and the hatred of some people toward all Jews, is an unspeakable evil that must be repudiated by every Australian.” The archbishop himself has Jewish ancestry: “My great-grandmother was a Jew… Christians are children of the Jews,” he wrote. “And so, an attack on the Jews is an attack on all of us.”
Meanwhile, amidst all of this, I welcome you to this edition of e-News for Tuesday 16th December 2025. Christmas is now very close! Our thanks to Deacon Craig for editing it and for all those who have sent in items for inclusion. Please pray for our Diocese over the coming week, especially for more vocations. May God bless you, your family and friends.
With all good wishes and an assurance of my prayers,
In Corde Iesu
+Philip
Bishop of Portsmouth
[Image: Catholic News Service/Lola Gomez]
