Ever since humans gained consciousness, we have wrestled with the question of suffering. Why do we suffer? Why does evil exist in our world? Whether it’s Adam & Eve recognising their own nakedness (Genesis 3:7), the Psalmist pleading with God through suffering (Psalms 6, 13, 22, 38), or even Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, “take this cup from me…” (Luke 22:42). 

We have all experienced our own suffering, or witnessed it around us, and have perhaps also questioned “why?” How do we make sense of this suffering in our world today? In this workshop, we’ll look at some of these questions by exploring our use of “masks,” as well as the Catholic understanding of the human person. This gives us a way of continuing to wrestle with these questions today (just like Jacob in Genesis 32:22!). 

Fr Luke Bulley CP is the Melbourne Coordinator of the Passionist Retreat Team. The Team runs retreats for schools across Australia, connecting with staff and students (over 15,000 in 2025!), focussing on its mission of creating a world where unconditional love shapes, moulds and guides everything we do. This follows in the footsteps of St Paul of the Cross (1694-1775), the Founder of our Congregation. Luke brings both his faith as a religious priest, as well as his energy as a young person, into his work as a facilitator. He is passionate about sharing our Passionist charism, and does so with a deep joy and knowledge of God’s love for us all.