Sydney’s Catholics can get a double dose of a beer and a Bishop, with Cardinal Pell set to speak on “Popes: Vicars of Christ or Anti-Christs” at Theology on Tap next Monday (June 23).

At this month’s talk, audience members can also chat to the broadcast journalist host for WYD with Sky and SBS, Ray Martin.

Martin will be visiting Theology on Tap (ToT) on June 23, to capture footage and do interviews for a package to be broadcast during WYD08.

For those who have never been to a ‘Theology on Tap’ before, they are faith-oriented forums held in the relaxed atmosphere of a pub (PJ Gallagher’s), once a month. In Sydney, they are hosted by the University of Notre Dame’s St. Thomas More Society. 

Like those taking place in Sydney, ToT’s are available all over the world in places such as Denver, Colorado; London, UK; and Calgary, Canada.

In Sydney, the last ToT attracted a crowd over 500 young people (18 – 30) to the event who gather for a pint and answers to their Catholic Faith and advice on how it applies to daily life. And the numbers are set to continue growing.

Second year primary education student Emily Holmes, 20, looks forward to ToT every month, and has attended nearly every one since it started last year – drawn by the community spirit of the event.

“I just really love going, basically because its good to hear all the different issues being talked about – and then being there with like minded people that you can discuss it with afterwards,” Ms Holmes says.

“There’s something about the atmosphere and the feeling of belonging that just draws me in. And its amazing to see the amount of young people it brings in every month,” she says.

So far, Dominican sisters from Nashville Tennessee, journalist Mike Willisee and John Heard have all given talks on topics as varied as the virtues, ‘E-vangelising through the Media’ to Catholicism and homosexuality. 

Although the event has been running for less than a year in Sydney, ToT will host an event as part of World Youth Day’s ‘Youth Festival Events,’ which could see up to 3000 young people gather for the pint-and-theology combination.

On Wednesday 16 July, guest speaker, Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput, the Archbishop of Denver, Colorado, will feature at the World Youth Day Theology on Tap Sydney special.

Although reluctant to spoil the talk by revealing all, the key organiser and host for the ToT event, Patrick Langrell, 20, says the talk will cover the importance and possibility of not leading a ‘double life.’

“Without giving too much detail way, it’ll be about how a life of integrity and conviction can be brought out in whatever we do,” third year philosophy/law student, Mr. Langrell imparts.

“It’ll be about how it is possible to become a saint in the 21st century and about how it’s actually a universal mission that’s given to all the faithful, and that we should all strive to it.”

 “Both Theology on Tap and World Youth Day are a chance to be catholic and cool at the same time,” he says.

“You can get a real sense of peace and joy from taking your faith seriously and you can do that with the help of a whole lot of other young people [at these events].”

Sydney’s ToT events are hosted by the Notre Dame St Thomas More Society and held monthly at PJ Gallagher’s Irish Pub in Parramatta. For more info, click here.

And the good vibes are spreading. Faith on Tap will start in Brisbane soon after WYD. www.faithontap.org.au will be the place for more information. 

(Image by: Giovanni Portelli)