PUBLICATIONS

A selection of past and recent publications by Teresa Pirola are listed below.

Books & Booklets

Nostra Aetate: The Toil and Triumph of a Conciilar Journey. 32pp booklet. Digital format. Published by Bat Kol International, 2025. Details here.

October 7: A Response to the 2023 Massacre in Israel and Surging Antisemitism in Australia. Sydney: The Story Source, 2024. 176pp. Details here.

Catholic-Jewish Relations: Twelve Key Themes for Teaching and Preaching. New Jersey: Paulist Press/Stimulus, 2023. 140pp. Details here.

Sweeter Than Honey: Tasting and Teaching Scripture. 80pp. resource booklet for Catholic school teachers, published by Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay, 2018. This booklet was also the basis of a substantial scripture-teaching website until 2021.

Walking the Way: Inspiration for the journey as we walk with our children. 90pp. booklet of spiritual inspiration and formation for parents, published by Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay, 2017

River of Mercy, Streams of Joy. 60pp. resource booklet for Catholic school teachers in the Jubilee Year of Mercy, published by Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay, 2016.

God is in the Ordinary: Reflections on the Life of Blessed Edmund Rice. Perth: The Holy Spirit Province of the Christian Brothers (Western Australia & South Australia), 2000.

Stories from the Prophet Next Door. Melbourne: Lovell/Aurora, 1998. Also published as 100 Inspiring Stories: Finding Love and Laughter, Hope and Healing, Forgiveness and Faith. Twenty-Third Publications, 1999.

Clay In the Potters Hands: Images of Priesthood. Melbourne: Spectrum Publications, 1997.

Becoming A Catholic: Journeys of Faith. Melbourne: Collins Dove, 1992. Interviews exploring the experiences of 22 people who become members of the Catholic Church through the RCIA.

The Reluctant Prophet: and other stories from the Antioch Movement in Australia. Sydney: National Antioch, 1991. Hungarian translation by Miklos Csanady (A vonakodó próféta) for Antioch Hungary, 1992.

Programs

Walking the Way e-Bulletin. 150 weekly bulletin items supporting a home-based spirituality program for parents of school students. Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay, 2017-2020.

Family-based Sacramental Program. Five resource books for Infant Baptism, Baptism of Young Children, Confirmation, Reconciliation and Eucharist for Children. Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay, 2014.

Seven Challenges. A pastoral resource based on Pope Francis' Evangelii Gaudium ("Joy of the Gospel'). Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay, 2013. Circulated internationally.

Walking Together In Faith. Weekly ‘homework’ sheets for strengthening the parent-teacher partnership and encouraging a climate of faith in the home. The Story Source, 2004.

The Soul of our Week: Five-session parish discussion program. Sydney: The Story Source, 2000. Commissioned by the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong.

Bread for New Life. Eight session discussion program for the Great Jubilee. Sydney: The Story Source, 1999. Commissioned by the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong.

Enquiry: The Catholic Story. An 18 leaflet program of introduction to the Catholic faith published 1994 by the Catholic Enquiry Centre, a work of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

Articles

"The Power of Presence: A Reflection at the Site of the October 7 Massacre." Catholic Outlook (Diocese of Parramatta). 25 October 2025.

124 entries for God’s Word. Daily Reflections. 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025 editions. St Pauls Publications Australia.

"A Week of Goodness.” The Southern Cross (Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide). July 2024.

"Ten Ways to avoid anti-Judaism in Holy Week". Catholic Outlook (Diocese of Parramatta). 23 March 2024.

Pope Francis: Antisemitism is 'a sin against God'". Catholic Outlook (Diocese of Parramatta). 18 February 2024.

"Coming to Faith. A reflection on John 20:19-23." Tilling the Soil. Biblical Formation Resource of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion Australia Region, July 2023.

“'Drip feed' of anti-Judaism from Catholic pulpits has to stop". Accepted for Winter 2023 issue of The Swag (quarterly magazine of the National Council of Priests Australia).

"Antisemitism and Adelaide Writers Week - why Catholics should care.” The Southern Cross (Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide). 29 March 2023.

"Five ways to avoid anti-Judaism this Lent." Catholic Outlook (Diocese of Parramatta). 25 March 2023.

“Why the Catholic Church does not seek to ‘convert’ Jews”, co-authored with Peter Wertheim AM. The Catholic Weekly (Archdiocese of Sydney). 24 March 2023.

“Perrottet’s shame presents a teachable moment for us all: A Catholic’s perspective.” ABC Religion & Ethics. 23 January 2023.

"Our changing Church: a Columban priest’s journey". Catholic Outlook (Diocese of Parramatta). 8 July 2022. Originally published at "Pathways" (Catholic Religious Australia, 2022)

“Jewish-Christian Relations. Continuing Challenges.” Australasian Catholic Record. Vol. 98, No. 4 (October 2021): 401-409.

“Scripture and Jewish-Christian Relations.” Australasian Catholic Record. Vol. 97, No. 4 (October 2020): 411-424.

“The Hour of the Domestic Church is Now.” Marriage Resource Centre E-Journal. 1 May 2020. Abridged version printed in Catholic Outlook (Diocese of Parramatta) 6 April 2021.

“Shifting Views of Israel and Palestine.” Eureka Street. 6 May 2019.

Columnist for Madonna (spirituality magazine). Melbourne: Jesuit Publications. Six articles annually, 1997-2013.

Contributor to Mission and Spirituality News. Broken Bay Institute. 2008-2016 (25 articles).

“A new era in Jewish-Christian relations.” Aurora. Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. March 2015.

Chapter contribution to Australian Catholic Youth Ministry: Theological and Pastoral Foundations for Faithful Ministry. Edited by Fr Christian Fini and Fr Chris Ryan. Melbourne: Garratt Publishing, 2014.

“Learning from Judaism. A Christian Journey.” Eremos Spirituality Magazine, 2014.

“Family life in a post-conciliar pastoral agenda.” Australian Catholic University. Australian e-Journal of Theology. Vol.19, No.2, 2012.

“The Development of the Antioch Movement in Australia.” Australasian Catholic Record. Vol 75 No 4 (October 1998): 417-423.

“Church Professionalism: when does it become lay elitism?” Redefining the Church: Vision and Practice. Edited by Richard Lennan. Sydney: EJ Dwyer, 1995.

Parish bulletin resources and pamphlet series

Light of Torah

A series of 200 short articles promoting home-based Torah-study for Christians using Jewish sources. Published by Light of Torah, 2009-2014. Revised online version 2021: www.lightoftorah.net

Real People

Weekly Sunday bulletin sheets connecting Sunday lectionary themes with the inspirational stories of everyday life), published by The Story Source, 1992-2002.

Landmarks

A3 leaflet series consisting of reader-friendly presentations of ecclesial documents for parish and classroom use, published by The Story Source from 1995 to 2002.

Ten Ways

Ten Ways. 30 leaflets promoting faith in the home, published by The Story Source, 1994-2002. Revised 2010.

Handy Hints & Hand-Outs

Three collections of parish pamphlets (approx. 100 titles) published by The Story Source 1992-2002.

OTHER

Many other educational resources were written during my employment with the Catholic Schools Office, Broken Bay Diocese (2014-2020) and with the Parish Support Unit, Broken Bay Diocese (2014-2015) on topics relating to Scripture, Parent Formation, Teacher Formation, Studies in Catholic Thought, Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations. A resource addressing antisemitism was a project I gave particular attention to as part of my employment with Catholic Religious Australia (2021-2025).

Editorial role: Our Stories, Our Lives, Our Mission: Catholic Religious in Australia. Edited by Teresa Pirola and Sylvia MacRitchie Hook. Catholic Religious Australia and St Pauls Publications, 2023. Details here.

Podcast for Australian Women Preach, No.178, 4 August 2024.

Response presented at the official launch of the 2023 Statement of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference "Walking Together: Catholics with Jews in the Australian Context", 21 March 2023, Mary Mackillop Place, North Sydney.

Presentations to: clergy conferences - Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn (2022); Catholic Diocese of Parramatta (2023); to Catholic teachers - Sydney Catholic Schools (2022); to Australian Catholic University students (2023).

Abridged versions of the six Thematic Discernment Documents for the preparatory phase to the Plenary Council in Australia. Commissioned and completed September 2020.

Scripture in Song. World Youth Day Preparatory Gathering (CD). Presentation to 500 Antioch Youth. Sydney: National Antioch, September 2018.

Act Now for Persecuted Christians. Online parish education and prayer resource. Developed as an employee of the Pastoral Support Unit, Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay, 2015.

Regular contributor to CathKids online resource for schools. Sydney: Living Well Media, 2014.

Collaborative work on a series of Parish Kits on family-related topics produced by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Committee for the Family and for Life, 1997-2002.