Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
23 Aug 2012
Leading Sydney lawyer John McCarthy, QC, flies out to Rome today to take up his new position as Australia's Ambassador to the Holy See.
Mr McCarthy will officially take up his new role when he presents his credentials to Pope Benedict XV1 at the Vatican later next month.
A senior counsel for the NSW ALP for about 20 years, Mr McCarthy, 64, replaces the Hon Tim Fischer AC, who served as Australia's first resident Ambassador to the Holy See from February 2009 to January this year.
One of Mr McCarthy's specialisations has been in native title. He was counsel for the Dunghutti in their native title action in 1997 which was the first successful determination of native title on the mainland.
However he has also been involved in many and varied public and church affairs including university and education governance, sports administration, arts administration, legal and professional committees and international charitable and disaster relief activities. In 2006 he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great by the Holy See for services to the Catholic Church in Australia and to the wider Australian community.
Since the new Ambassador's appointment was announced, Mr McCarthy has consulted widely across Australia and not just with church leaders and organisations. He has been speaking with people from all tiers of government and public service which will assist him in his position to represent Australia.
But don't expect to see this Ambassador stepping out across St Peter's Square wearing an Akubra - the trademark of Tim Fischer.
If anything you are more likely to see the new ambassador wearing a Canterbury Bulldogs cap or Sydney Swans cap during finals week - but not in any official capacity.
Tim Fischer certainly helped put Australia on the map in Rome with the build up to and the canonisation of Mary MacKillop. However John McCarthy says there is much to be done to keep up Australia's presence but he adds Tim Fischer was a benchmark and a challenge.
"I will not even attempt to compete with Tim about trains for example but this position is a privilege and an honour and I hope to build on the good work already achieved here in Rome.
"I have consulted widely and am very much looking forward to this new challenge," he said before leaving for Rome where he will take up residence at Domus Australia for the short term.
"There are many events coming up in Rome featuring Australians, visits and presentations by a variety of people and certainly other ambassadors to get to know. It will be a busy time."
One of the Ambassador's first duties will be to accompany Archdiocese of Sydney Auxiliary Bishop, Bishop Peter Comensoli to Il Gesu Church in Rome to accept a relic of St Francis Xavier which is coming to Australia for a national tour starting here on 16 September. The relic (the right forearm) is under the protection of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and has only been allowed to leave Rome a few times. St Francis died in 1552 and is credited as "the greatest missionary since St Paul".
Mr McCarthy married concert pianist Christine Slattery who has been the National Convenor of the Society for Eucharistic Adoration and has served on the Liturgical Commission for the Archdiocese of Sydney. They have three daughters and three sons including Claire McCarthy, internationally acclaimed film director, writer and producer and Fr James McCarthy, Sydney Harbour North parish assistant priest. Fr James was the architect of a special program which saw a number of disabled youth accompany Cardinal George Pell and other young pilgrims to Egypt and the Holy Land in the lead up to World Youth Day in Madrid last year.
The official reception when John McCarthy presents his credentials, or Letters of Credence, to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will be at the Pope's summer residence at Castel Gandolfo next month. A number of the new Ambassador's children, and grandchildren, will also be at the presentation.
23 Aug 2012
Leading Sydney lawyer John McCarthy, QC
Mr McCarthy will officially take up his new role when he presents his credentials to Pope Benedict XV1 at the Vatican later next month.
A senior counsel for the NSW ALP for about 20 years, Mr McCarthy, 64, replaces the Hon Tim Fischer AC, who served as Australia's first resident Ambassador to the Holy See from February 2009 to January this year.
One of Mr McCarthy's specialisations has been in native title. He was counsel for the Dunghutti in their native title action in 1997 which was the first successful determination of native title on the mainland.
However he has also been involved in many and varied public and church affairs including university and education governance, sports administration, arts administration, legal and professional committees and international charitable and disaster relief activities. In 2006 he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great by the Holy See for services to the Catholic Church in Australia and to the wider Australian community.
The McCarthy family at a private audience with Pope John Paul II in 1994, when James (second form the left) was twelve years old.
But don't expect to see this Ambassador stepping out across St Peter's Square wearing an Akubra - the trademark of Tim Fischer.
If anything you are more likely to see the new ambassador wearing a Canterbury Bulldogs cap or Sydney Swans cap during finals week - but not in any official capacity.
Tim Fischer certainly helped put Australia on the map in Rome with the build up to and the canonisation of Mary MacKillop. However John McCarthy says there is much to be done to keep up Australia's presence but he adds Tim Fischer was a benchmark and a challenge.
"I will not even attempt to compete with Tim about trains for example but this position is a privilege and an honour and I hope to build on the good work already achieved here in Rome.
Fr James McCarthy organised a number of disabled youth to join pilgrimage to Egypt and the Holy Land prior to WYD Madrid.
"There are many events coming up in Rome featuring Australians, visits and presentations by a variety of people and certainly other ambassadors to get to know. It will be a busy time."
One of the Ambassador's first duties will be to accompany Archdiocese of Sydney Auxiliary Bishop, Bishop Peter Comensoli to Il Gesu Church in Rome to accept a relic of St Francis Xavier which is coming to Australia for a national tour starting here on 16 September. The relic (the right forearm) is under the protection of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) and has only been allowed to leave Rome a few times. St Francis died in 1552 and is credited as "the greatest missionary since St Paul".
Fr James McCarthy (blue shirt) with a group of pilgrims.
The official reception when John McCarthy presents his credentials, or Letters of Credence, to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI will be at the Pope's summer residence at Castel Gandolfo next month. A number of the new Ambassador's children, and grandchildren, will also be at the presentation.
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
Comments
information. Keep posting these kind of nice blogs.
Conveyancing Sydney