Full Weekend

This weekend was the end of four consecutive days in the busy scene of summer Sydney and although enjoyable, it had its drawbacks. The erratic steamy weather for one, which effected a train delay of hours because of an electrical outing, and the resultant non-communication by the NSW transport was as always, extraordinary.

But I survived, and managed to catch this amazing movie by Marin Scorsese, which I went to with some misgivings 'but it turned out to be worth the near- three hours of its screening.

Mainly because it intriguingly treated the plight of Jesuit missionary priests in Japan in the 1700s and how their zeal was not welcomed by the local inhabitants who violently resisted their ways and beliefs. However one of them, after much torture, apostasised, turned in his beliefs and followed their ancient Japaneses teachings of Zen and re-incarnation, which I fully share. The final scene however showed the 'converted' monk, Lliam Neeson, being burned on his death in true Buddhist fashion while the camera zoomed in to see in his grasp a small wooden crucifix. He had, deep down, never lost his Christian faith, Scorsese thus perhaps revealing his own personal beliefs.

However violent some of the torture scenes were, it was still an accurate representation of the mad missionary zeal of these early Christians, as well as the vicious brutaliy of the early Japanese. For me it  reminded me that even today my brother was one of these missionaries in New Guinea for fifty years. I always wonder as to the efficacy of forcefully 'educating' people with totally different beliefs to come over to the Western system which is really one of guilt and suffering. This was only too well illustrated by Scorsese in a very interesting  film, however much I disagreed with its final premise of 'Christianly wins after all'. Or was he just showing the fatuity of zealotry?

A great movie, well acted with excellent minor stars in Garfield and Driver. Ironically entitled 'Silence' which is the great sin of today's Catholic Church regarding the endemic unacknowledged sexual abuse by their priests and brothers in the twentieth century.

The critics seems to have loved it, but is is not for everyone.

The colourful Gay Fair heralding the beginning of two weeks of Sydney Mardi Gras celebrations, which I attended at Newtown where everyone came out in their finest....

Here was really a great Australian, Catholic educated, who worked for social justice all his life, an exemplary man.

The gastric band idea seems to the only effective treatment for some cases of obesity but it is highly   expensive.

This picture of Trump leaving on Air Force One going to his luxury retreat shows what he really wants, that is, luxury and power. Will he survive, I can't believe for too long.

Sounds like this is THE play to see over the Mardi Gras period.

Another football great, South African born Vickerman, dies at only thirty-seven, leaving a wife and small children. Everyone loved him but did he suffer from depression after a life as a sporting star? No-one seems to be commenting on this.