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Australian Catholic Historical Society Inc. Program for 2024
The program is correct as of 11 Oct 2024 but changes may occur
Sydney Program
Location, time and contact: Sunday afternoons at 2.00pm (unless otherwise stated) in the Crypt of St Patrick’s at Church Hill [Grosvenor Street], The Rocks. Members and non-members are welcome to join us in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Attendance is free but a gold coin donation for afternoon tea is welcome.
| DATE | TOPIC | SPEAKER |
|---|---|---|
| 18 February | The woman of many names – Jane Hawthornthwaite | Br Rory Higgins FSC Writer, historian, teacher and missionary |
| 17 March | Our Catholic heritage – St Patrick’s Cemetery | Judith Dunn OAM Vice-president, Friends of St Patrick’s Cemetery (Parramatta) |
| 21 April | Behind the scenes of Mother Teresa’s visit to Australia, 1981 | Dr John Whitehall Paediatrician, Western Sydney University, co-organiser of the Saint’s visit here |
| 19 May | St Patrick’s Estate, Manly – then and now (podcast; slides) [AGM and elections at 13:15] | Fr Brian Lucas National Director, Catholic Mission Australia |
| 16 June | Sevenhill – a living archive (podcast; slides) | Dr Julie Thorpe Independent scholar and historian |
| 21 July | Crossing the Tiber: Australian Anglican clergy converts to Rome from the 1840s to the 2000s (slides) | Dr David Hilliard Formerly Associate Professor of History, Flinders University |
| 18 August | The decline of Australian Catholic intellectual life | Gerard Windsor Novelist, essayist and reviewer, author of The Tempest-Tossed Church |
| 15 September | Catholic-mindedness in the Catholic doctor: the Sydney Catholic Medical Guild of St Luke, 1933-1935 | Dr Anne Thoeming Independent scholar and former ACHS Council member |
| 21 September (special event with English Catholic History Association) by zoom, 7pm AEST/10am BST | Monsignor John Hawes, WA priest-architect | Fr Robert Cross, Director of Heritage, Geraldton Diocese |
| 20 October | The St John’s College Act 1857 – the legal antecedents and historical context | Kyle Oliver Barrister-at-law, Sydney |
| 17 November | The Guild of St Pius X – its people and achievements in the liturgical life of Australia from the 40s to the 70s | Patrick Kirkwood Formerly, Head of Religious Program (Radio and TV) and Director, Catholic Audio-Visual Centre, Homebush |
| 7 December | Annual Mass and Christmas Lunch | Mary MacKillop Centre, North Sydney |
Melbourne Program
Melbourne Meetings continue in 2024
Times and dates: Most likely 4 Mar, 3 Jun, 2 Sep, 11 Nov
Location: Yarra Theological Union Study Centre, Classroom 1. 29 Albion Street Box Hill. Time: 5pm. Contact: Dr Max Vodola. Email:
See also the program of the Brisbane Catholic Historical Society.
