The major business of the coming Synod is the Mission that we have been talking about since the last Synod. The Presidential Address will explain the Mission. The debate on the first evening will centre on the Mission and will give Synod the opportunity to accept the Mission as the major task of the Diocese, or to reject it. If the members accept the Mission, it is my hope that the Synod will make further opportunity later in the week to discuss the details of Mission strategy at considerable length. On the second evening of Synod we will debate the budget, which has been prepared in line with the strategy of the Mission.

Synod adopts the Mission Strategy for the Diocese of Sydney with its Mission Statement, Initial Goal, Fundamental Aim and Fourfold Policy as set out in the Mission Strategy Document and explained by the Archbishop in his Presidential Address.

I begin by stating that I have committed myself in unity of heart and spirit with my colleagues, the regional Bishops, under the leadership of the Archbishop, to give example, energy and leadership to this Mission.

The world of crime – at least in its cinematic form – has its own particular idioms and terminologies. From bean shooters and stool pigeons to the more recent verbal offerings of mullinskis and pikies, language has long been a key part of the underworld culture. For years we've become accustomed to the dialect of the crim, grifter, flim flam man and gangster. The latest celluloid moniker for a con man is ‘matchstick man'. As far as job titles go, Roy (Nicholas Cage) can live with it, but he prefers to think of himself as a con artist. He doesn't take people's money, they give it to him.

It was in the 1960's that ‘secularism' began to bite seriously in Australia. This was felt in the push for abortion on demand and the liberalisation of standards in media and entertainment. South Australia was in the vanguard of such changes, led by Steele Hall and Don Dunstan. In Sydney big debates were held on university campuses over such issues. Our leading and most effective champion in NSW was Bruce Smith, sadly taken from us in recent times.

It was no merely superficial thing that happened to Jesus on that ‘high mountain.' He was ‘metamorphosed' – his very ‘being' was changed into something else. Two great prophets, Moses and Elijah were also there, though not transformed as Jesus was. He was the Christ, no less; they were only prophets. God addressed the three men, ‘This is my beloved Son. Obey him.' This event is more important than we often think.