Two’s a mass for Michael Willesee and Cardinal Pell
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Former television legend Michael Willesee has constructed a chapel at his Sydney home. That’s wild enough, but the television playboy and leviathan punter invites Cardinal George Pell, AFL-worshipping head of the Sydney archdiocese, to officiate at private masses. At these bizarre religious events, there is a congregation of two — Willesee and his third partner, Jordana, a Croatian-Australian who used to work in Channel Nine’s make-up department. Sydney parishioners are wondering whether Pell receives an emolument for his services but are confident, if he is paid, the money is put into funds to ease the suffering of the poor. Willesee’s re-embrace of the One True Faith took place in the 1990s and it has led him to some weird and wonderful places. Perhaps the most extraordinary was his documentary on Christian miracles filmed largely in South America. There were dramatic scenes of “real” blood oozing from religious icons, a woman bearing the marks of stigmata on her hands and feet and other wizardry performed by people easily recognizable as either charlatans or shamans. While former hard-headed colleagues at Nine fell around laughing, Willesee emerged from the film-making experience more committed to Catholicism than ever before. For his services to the faith — and his healthy financial donations — he was presented to the Pope during his World Youth Day visit to Sydney in July. |
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30 Comments
Can we get an answer for Max? Who’s Evelyn channeling through there at Crikey?
James we may be the lowest common denominator but we highest common numerator.
If that makes any sense, which it doesn’t.
I didn’t think this was anti-catholic at all, more over I think Catholics should be worried if this is true. I don’t trust Pell at all, and I’m sure I’m not alone. He would have to be very transparent for me to be convinced that he’s not profitting wrongly from his position.
Isn’t there something in the Bible about camels, rich men and eyes of needles? I wonder if Willisee realises the irony of this transaction.
Betrothed to the ABC, his harlot mistress Nine has crushingly spurned him. Bent Spoon or not, greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his reputation for his Current Affair.
He knows his numbers….
“Although I’m starting to get the picture…..” says kevboy.
I doubt it.
There are no coke bottles spectacles thick enough to correct the rather obtuse kev’s perceptive difficulties….
Evelyn says Willessee’s conversion was in the 1990s. To my knowledge the first story about it did not occur until the Sydney Morning Herald of 16/17 August 2002 where Willessee’s conversion to Catholicism was reported along with the Catholic conversion experience, apparently in 2002, of another prominent figure: none other than Malcolm Winston Turnbull. Any comment on this Evelyn?
shut up jamesk
A typical leftist autocratic response from a typical jackboot leftist such as Dana
Anti-catholic nonsense is typical Crikey fodder.
It is not journalism nor clearly in this article, intelligent commentary and neither is yours Dana.
We forgot the immortal line
“I’m Derryn Hinch, and I’m Protestant.”
You’re all giving Little Jimmy the oxygen he craves…
Although I’m starting to get the picture……the Crikey comments page is really just another football ground outer with yobbos hurling inane insults at strangers.
How sad is that……..
Far be it from me to claim to understand the thoughts of God (particularly as I’m atheist), but the notion of building private chapels (didn’t that HIH guy have one too?) for worship does seem to be substantially at odds with the words of Christ in the gospels. It would be a funny thing to go to hell over.
It is indeed impressive that the southern states have such a ready supply of priests that masses are conducted regularly at private homes and sometimes with no congregation at all, Catherine. In Queensland, the shortage of priests is so pronounced that many are covering three or four parishes each and you can forget private home masses which featured so prominently in the 70s. I certainly recall my mother’s “special occasion” china being brought out of storage for the home mass when it was the turn for our family to play host. As for the congregation of two in Mike Willesee’s case, I don’t understand how he could take Communion unless his first two marriages have been conveniently annulled by the Catholic Marriage Tribunal. Perhaps I am the only one missing the point here?
Dave actually no adler did not he was Jewish.
Im puzzled Dave why would the Christ frown on worshipping in the home? I think the quote is “wherever two or more of you gather in my name…” Private Catholic chapels date back to the penal days in England and Ireland and the first catholic worship in this country was in private homes. as to Mr willesee and religion we call it reverting to type.
dana dont feed the troll please.
Is Evelyn Waugh a nom de plume, or have you exhumed the noted Catholic’s remains to pen this ridiculous piece?
Anthony Andrews?
I just got off the phone to Colin Farrell and Jude Law and they were led to believe that the assignment was all theirs.
They will be frightfully unimpressed……
What a pleasure to read Evelyn Waugh 40 years plus after his death………in Crikey!
Famous for satire he has clearly lost his touch with this drivel.
Bog standard for Crikey though.
“Here, love had died between me and the Nine Network…”
Now I know why institutions for the mentally insane were established. To cater for the likes of James K. He who lives in his own fantasy world. It is sad to read the ramblings of a sick mind. But as Dana righfully said as JK spends so much time in the billious confines of the Akerman poop, it is no wonder we are subject to such a littany of liberal rubbish.
Willesee’s a walking example of that entertainment industry adage that fame often results in the recipient finding smack or God.
I can’t imagine Mike on smack, so God is probably his best option.
Thanks Evelyn……I particularly enjoyed your early novels.
Ah…… Hinch was a member of Protestants Anonymous!
Willing to go to jail in order to expose Catholic clergy child molesters and the ensuing Church cover-up.
Evelyn would not be pleased
The cardinals’ correct title is “George Cardinal Pell”, just another little bit of useless information. As for the Willesee chapel “Oh dear”, 2 bob each-way on the hereafter.
Dana, you could not be more correct.
JamesK, you are paranoid.
JamesK as you obviously have such a dislike for Crikey and its bloggers, why do you not simply “PISS OFF”? You are a perfect example of a nobody wanting to be a somebody, a sad, humourless, cranky, right biased loon. A total bore, get back to Akermans billious crap column, it suits your type.
It is very presumptuous of the writer to assume the name, Evelyn Waugh, but unfortunately the writer has no hope of matching Waugh’s style with this drivel.
A miraculous change for Mike Willisee! Still better late than never to find a spiritually blessed comfort zone. At 2DAY FM in the early days he, Laws and Kennedy convinced us they were hedonistically-charged. Age works in wondrous ways.
Willesee’s a walking example of that entertainment industry adage that fame often results in the recipient finding smack or God.
I can’t imagine Mike on smack, so God is probably his best option.
Thanks Evelyn……I particularly enjoyed your early novels.
Evelyn is almost as popular as David Flint!
Ah who can forget the immortal line “God says to tell Mike…”
I’d love to see a special in which a jaded former A Current Affair reporter returns to Willesee’s mansion and flashes back to his salad days as a young journo at Nine, his boozy relationship with Quentin Kenihan and his affair with Katya Rivas, until Willessee and all his hangers-on rediscover God.
Can’t see Anthony Andrews playing Quentin though.
Ah ‘kerry’ he/she who always ‘joins in’……..
A typical example of mob mentality but never ever ever an original thought expressed…….
Still, I guess in the absence any perceptive wherewithal, inept and sheep-like adherence to the horde that give expression to the lowest common denominator must be the sole relief….
I thought the endless coke diatribes was as bad as it could get till i read this self indulgent w..k