books
The St Thomas More's Forum Papers 2005-2007
films
Definitely, Maybe - Richard Leonard SJ has definite reservations. from February 14
The Jane Austen Book Club - Peter Malone MSC sees the ups and downs of relationships finally go up and up at the end. from January 31
The St Thomas More's Forum Papers 2005-2007
Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair recently sparked controversy by claiming that people who speak about their religious faith can be viewed by society as "nutters". The former Prime Minister's comments came as he admitted for the first time that his faith was "hugely important" in influencing his decisions during his decade in power at Number 10.
In Australia's national Capital, a group of Catholics believed there was a need for a forum for speakers from the fields of politics, the media, business, public service, the universities and the clergy to debate issues in the public square with a Catholic and Christian perspective.
This led to the establishment of the St Thomas More's Forum with the key objective of promoting thought, discussion and debate on the challenges of faith in the workplace, family and public life in the modern world, culminating in the launch of The St Thomas More's Forum Papers 2005-2007. The launch was performed by the Hon. Murray Gleeson, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, on Wednesday, December 12, 2007, in Campbell ACT.
With a Foreword by the Chief Justice, this book contains papers presented at the St. Thomas More's Forum during 2005, 2006 and 2007. Among the Forum speakers who have contributedare:
the now Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Modern Labor and the Catholic Church
Cardinal George Pell, First Annual Lecture St Thomas More's Forum Lecture, Cardinal Newman on Conscience
Tony Abbott, A Catholic in Public Life
Peter Garrett, Peacemaking for Christians in the 21st Century
Archbishop Mark Coleridge
Mick Keelty, Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Keeping the Faith in Policing
Kevin and Margaret Andrews, Marriage and Public Life - Balancing Work and Family
Frank Brennan SJ, AO ,Second Annual St Thomas More's Forum Lecture, Public Ethics in Bioethics
Jim Wallace, Managing Director, Australian Christian Lobby, Christian Involvement in Politics Right or Wrong
Professor John Warhurst, The Catholic Influence in Politics - Then, Now and Looking Forward
Tim Kirk, Winemaker and General Manager, Clonakilla, Balancing Business, Family and a Catholic Life
At the book launch the Forum also announced the list of confirmed speakers for 2008 and 2009:
Mark Raper SJ, AM, Provincial of the Australian Jesuits and President of Catholic Religious Australia, who will present the Fourth Annual St Thomas More's Lecture in June 2008
Professor Greg Craven, Australian Catholic University National Vice-Chancellor, joint St, Thomas More's Forum Lecture with Australian Catholic University
September 2008
the Hon Justice Susan Crennan, High Court of Australia, March 2009
Copies of The St Thomas More's Forum Papers 2005-2007 are available
Bill Mason, Convenor, St. Thomas More's Forum, PO Box 68, Campbell, ACT 2612. T : 02 6248 6445 M : 0417 036 436 E :
sttmforum@homemail.com.au
Definitely, Maybe.
Starring Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher & Abigail Breslin. Directed by Adam Brooks.
Rated PG. (mild sexual references and coarse language).
112 mins
from February 11
Will (Reynolds), a 30-something Manhattan dad in the midst of a divorce, is surprised when his 10-year-old daughter, Maya (Breslin), starts to question him about his life before marriage. Maya wants to know absolutely everything about how her parents met and fell in love.
As Maya puts together the pieces of her dad's mystery love story, she begins to understand that love is not so simple or easy.
At just under two hours Definitely, Maybe is also far too long for the light story it tells.
But from the start there is a distracting and annoying believability problem. Ryan Reynolds is 31 years of age, and he looks boyish for that. As the film goes back from Ryan at 20 and Ryan at 35, Ryan never ages. Reynolds does a good job as far as it goes, although the number and strength of the times Will takes the Lord's name in vain is offensive, but the believability factor unravelled the film for me.
The worst thing by far, however, is that this film does the very thing it parodies abd having a child as the driver of a romantic comedy grates on every level.
Given its odd moral tone, this film comes with definite reservations.
Fr Richard Leonard SJ is the director of the Australian Catholic Office for Film & Broadcasting.
THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB
Starring Maria Bello, Hugh Dancy, Jimmy Smits and Lynn Redgrave
directed by Robin Swicord
rated M (infrequent moderate coarse language)
105 minutes
from January 31
This is a book of product placement (and this is not meant to refer to the many scenes in and mentions of Starbucks). It is product placement for Jane Austen and her novels. While the screenplay tries to explain the many parallels between its characters and Jane's, those not in the know might be hard put to appreciate what the characters are actually talking about. Buy the books!
Another difficulty is that the men in the film have not read Jane Austen's novels while the women definitely have and love them, are happy to discuss them and to see the parallels in their own lives. It may be the same for audiences - though for the women getting the men to watch the film with them, they will be consoled that the men do read the books and finally become part of the Jane Austen book club.
One might call this an allegory of Jane Austen characters and situations. The six members (five women and one man) take a novel each and the film shows us the six months while each takes a turn in leading discussion on a particular novel. And the parallels and the references are there to enjoy.
Yes, it is contrived. In fact, it is very, very contrived. Those not into this kind of structure may be wearied and put off, but those who enter into it and draw on their memories of
the books and characters may well be fascinated.
While the film traces the ups and downs of relationships, it moves definitely at the end to up and up.
Fr Peter Malone MSC directs the film desk of SIGNIS: the World Association of Catholic Communicators, and is an associate of the Australian Catholic Office for Film & Broadcasting.
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