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Religious leaders celebrating the 30th anniversary of St. John Paul II's Assisi interfaith peace gathering in 1986 called on people from around the world to continue its legacy to combat today's indifference and violence.

The event held on 18-20 September was sponsored by the Rome-based Community of Sant'Egidio, the Diocese of Assisi and the Franciscan friars to reflect on the theme, ‘Thirst for Peace: Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue.’

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Source: Melbourne Catholic

Australian Anglicans can live with same-sex marriage if a "yes" vote wins a national plebiscite on marriage equality, the church's head says.

Melbourne Archbishop Philip Freier has written to the country's Anglican bishops insisting the church can preserve its view on "holy matrimony" while accepting the will of the people.

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Source: SBS

Mother Teresa has been made a saint of the Roman Catholic Church, 19 years after her death.

The ceremony to proclaim the Nobel peace prize laureate, who is recognised globally for her work with poor people in the slums of Kolkata in India, drew 100,000 pilgrims from around the world to St Peter's Square in Vatican City.

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Source: ABC

The Zoroastrian Association of Victoria (ZAV) showcased all that it had to the Victorian community on Sunday 28 August at the occasion of Nowruz.

With close to 500 people in attendance, the Zoroastrian community was proud to present and explain its ancient culture and religion that dates back some 3,500 years.

Food, song and dance performances, a history documentary, a cultural exhibition and, possibly, the entire Zoroastrian community in Victoria, were all on offer at Kingston City Hall in Moorabbin!

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Source: Indian Link

Vilification on the grounds of religion is now illegal and in serious cases could result in a criminal conviction with a fine of up to $7500, under laws passed by the ACT parliament.

Both Labor and Liberal supported the move put by the Greens Shane Rattenbury, who said the display of hatred, intolerance and offensive behaviour towards Muslims was one of the biggest intolerance issues in Australia today.

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Source: Canberra Times

Religious schools and bodies could soon find it harder to discriminate against employees because of their sexuality or faith.

The Andrews government's revamp of Victorian equal opportunity laws has been condemned as "anti-religious" by faith-based groups, who say it threatens their right to freedom of religion.

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Source: The Age

A group of Muslim boys and girls have entered a treasured, and at times deeply eccentric, Australian institution by joining the Cub Scouts. But Rasha Ahmed said she signed her three sons up to Australia's first all Islamic Cub pack, attached to the Australian International Academy, a Muslim school in Coburg, for the discipline and values, as well as the fun, offered by the Scouting movement.

At an investiture ceremony on Tuesday in the school hall, state Scouting commissioners presented 14 children aged eight to 10, including five girls, with their certificates and badges and handed the pack's inaugural flag to the "Akela", or leader, Academy teacher Carlo Belfiore.

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Source: The Age

A vast collection of early photographs of Jerusalem and the Holy Land has been sold for almost £1 MILLION in one of the 'most memorable' sales of travel images.

The stunning collection, which is made up of more than 1,000 black and white images, date back as far as 1840 when photography was still in its infancy.

It consisted of some of Jerusalem's most historic landmarks including Mount Zion, the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Jewish cemetery.

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Source: Daily Mail Australia