Compass - Season 27

The life and legacy of outgoing Pope Benedict XVI who surprised the world by resigning after less than eight years at the helm of the Catholic Church.

As the world waits for Benedict XVI's successor Australian Catholics are considering what they'd like from their new Pope.

St Patrick, Patron Saint of Ireland, is also one of the world's most popular saints, but does his life live up to his legend?

A bold new approach is harnessing the power of the bystander to put an end to cyberbullying.

Horses and humans traumatised by the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria are finding comfort in each other, thanks to an innovative therapy program.

From the Vatican in Rome, Geraldine Doogue tells the story of Pope Francis's election, and looks ahead to the challenges he now faces as leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Survival and success, the stories of Jewish families who lost everything in WW2 and rebuilt their lives from scratch here in Australia.

Is donating one of your kidneys an inspirational act of kindness or a naïve and irrational gesture?

Compass tells the story of six bells rescued from Wales about to be installed in a Sydney church in time for its centenary celebrations... St. Leonard’s Catholic Church in Naremburn turns 100 this year and, for the first time in its busy history, bells will be ringing in the mass.

The story of two unlikely friendships that might never have formed if not for a groundbreaking scheme... Called “Best Buddies”, the program matches up disabled and non-disabled students and has had growing success in NSW public high schools.

What will happen when Kim, a committed Anglican youth leader from Launceston switches lives with Aakash, a devout Hindu with a love of Bollywood dancing, from western Sydney?

Freeman, a young Buddhist monk switches lives with Anthony, a devoted Maronite Catholic. Over the two-week switch, Freeman opens up to many new experiences while Anthony's swap is somewhat different.

Mobinah, a committed Muslim woman from Bonnyrigg in Sydney switches lives with Jordane, a Jewish woman, recently returned to her home in Melbourne after a year on a kibbutz in Israel.

On his 60th birthday Australian clown and mime Jean-Paul Bell leads a travelling circus troupe to Nepal to perform for school children in remote villages, only to find he’s taken on more than he bargained.

The extraordinary story of one of Britain's fastest-growing religious groups, and its eccentric creator.

Compass sets off deep into the Australian desert to join a camel trek for Muslims.

When it comes to offering a helping hand to those in need Australians are among the most generous in the world, but why are our wealthy are among the most reluctant when it comes to giving money?

A new breed of fashion designers is turning heads on the Australian catwalk catering to Muslim women eager for cutting edge designs better suited to our lifestyle and climate...

Geraldine Doogue talks to Australian singer-songwriter Archie Roach about his journey of survival and transformation.

The Hare Krishna movement arrived in the West in the 1960s, at the height of the youth revolution. Temples and farming communities soon sprang up around the world. Chandra and Dhara were raised communally on Australia’s biggest Hare Krishna farm in northern NSW, where – contrary to popular myth - devotees lead a highly disciplined life as strict vegetarians, abstaining from drugs, alcohol, gambling and illicit sex, while worshipping Krishna, their supreme God, through prolonged chanting. So, who joined the Hares and why? And, where are they now?

Charismatics believe through God they can heal the sick, receive signs and speak directly to God in a special language... 40 years ago a radical new religious movement erupted in Australia and one of its flag-bearers was Harry Westcott, a Methodist preacher from Canberra, who had an experience of God so powerful, it transformed him and his style of ministry. Charismatic renewal attracted tens of thousands of Christians, giving them a new and deeper sense of God, and transformed parts of the Anglican, Catholic and Protestant churches. But within 20 years it was over... So what was the Charismatic Movement? Why did it burst onto our scene when it did? And, whatever happened to Harry Westcott?

The first Kibbutz was founded in Israel just over 100 years ago. A radical socialist experiment, it combined communal living and Zionist philosophy with the aim of “making the desert bloom”. Soon there were dozens, and training farms were set up in countries like Australia, to prepare young people for the physical hardship of kibbutz life where - in exchange for outdoor manual labour – volunteers were provided with food, shelter, education and medical care. In the late 60s and 70s many young Australians, Jewish and non-Jewish, went to Israel to join a Kibbutz. Why did they go? How has the experience shaped their lives? And, do Kibbutzim still operate? Compass finds out.

The Girl Guides began in Britain 100 years ago when a band of girls gate-crashed a Boy Scouts Rally in London demanding a group of their own. The movement spread worldwide and in its Australian heyday boasted 80 000 members helping shape a whole generation of girls, now women. Today Girl Guides still go camping and learn outdoor skills, but they are also focused on climate change, poverty, body image and preventing bullying. And, among its newer members are young Muslim girls. So, what values lie at the heart of this 100 year old girls-own group? In a time of gender equality, where anything’s possible for a modern Australian girl, what is its enduring appeal?

In the ‘70s and ‘80s followers of “sex-guru” Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh stood out in Australia with their bright orange clothes and unusual names. Combining eastern mysticism and western capitalism, the Bhagwan urged devotees to explore sex as a path to enlightenment, and many devotees gave up everything to join his ashram in India, then later in America. But when the controversial movement imploded in a cloud of corruption and murder allegations, almost overnight the Orange people seemed to disappear Who were the "Orange People"? What persuaded people to join? And, are they still around? Compass finds out.

Freemasons arrived in Australia with the First Fleet and up until quite recently were shrouded in secrecy and tightly maintained traditions. Freemasonry is not a religion, but members must believe in a supreme being, and in its heyday most were either Protestants or Jews. Catholics were forbidden by their church from joining. Now, faced with declining membership, the Freemasons have had to relax some of their rules and reinvent themselves. So, what does this silent band of brothers actually do? Are they viable anymore? If so, who belongs and why?

Chance and Ann were both struck down in their 30’s by freak accidents. Ann was horribly burnt in the Ash Wednesday bush fires 30 years ago. Chance has just broken his neck and is facing life as a quadriplegic. How have they coped with severe pain and adversity? What has helped get them through? And, is religious belief an asset or a liability? Through their journeys, Compass examines the human capacity to survive.

As demand for Foster Carers in Australia increases, Compass meets several foster families to learn about the challenges and rewards fostering can bring.

Assad Karem, Maha Sukkar, Mohammed El-Ieissy, Noha Sayed and Susan Carland talk about what being a Muslim means to them, how their faith informs their lives and the challenges they face in a post 9/11 world.

Bram Presser, Timmy Rubin, Mark Baker and Ronni Kahn talk about how their faith has informed their values, what makes ‘a good Jew’, the role of women in Judaism, and the contentious Israeli-Palestinian divide.

So, what’s in it for those who remain true to their faith? In Episode 3, Kristina Keneally, Christopher Geraghty, Thomas Wilson and Mary-Clare Meney - talk about what God means to them, how their faith informs their lives, what makes ‘a good Catholic’, and how they reconcile their Catholic identity with the shame of the sexual abuse crisis that has engulfed their church.world.

When disaster strikes, what determines who lives and who dies? Does luck, chance, Karma or God decide our fate?

The story of an unlikely friendship between a young Afghan asylum seeker and a 71 year old Australian pensioner.

Geraldine Doogue meets Irish writer Colm Toibin accused of blasphemy for his latest work, a reimagining of Mary, mother of Jesus, 20 years after his crucifixion...

The inspiring stories of two remarkable women who’ve overcome huge odds to realise their own dreams in later life...

As Australia continues to grapple with boat arrivals, Compass looks at who is helping asylum seekers already here and why...

The private life of a successful church minister beloved by her congregation, but behind the scenes lonely and yearning for change ... Marilyn Sewell is an outspoken and socially progressive Unitarian minister who has re-energized her congregation in Portland, USA. While serving a community that relies on her for wisdom and advice (on both personal and ethical issues), Marilyn struggles quietly with decisions about her own future. This film follows her over two years as she seeks to reconcile the commitments of her profession with a longing for intimacy and love, alongside difficult childhood memories.

In part two of this compelling portrait of a church minister, Marilyn Sewell tells her congregation of her decision to leave. As she prepares to do so, she embarks on a journey to her past and a childhood fractured by memories of her mentally ill mother and alcoholic father. Unexpectedly she falls in love for the first time in her life.

Ifrah Ahmed is the founder and organiser of the “Miss Ethnic Ireland” contest, a pageant she created to raise awareness about female genital mutilation of which she herself was a victim... when she was 8 years old.

The extraordinary stories of three missionaries who have devoted their lives to working with people in some of the most challenging and dangerous corners on Earth... Father John Glynn carries out his work for We Care Foundation in Papua New Guinea. Sister Pat Murray is a Loreto sister in charge of Solidarity with South Sudan. Father Pat Brennan is a Divine Word Missionary living in the Amazonian rainforest in Brazil. With honesty and candour, they all discuss their religious beliefs, their motivations and the meaning of a life spent in missionary service.

Father John Glynn in Papua New Guinea, Sister Pat Murray in South Sudan and Father Pat Brennan in the Amazonian rainforest in Brazil. All tell stories of endurance and faith in the face of extreme adversity. In this concluding episode they grapple with difficult questions: Have they made a difference? Has their life sacrifice been worth it? And what have they learned about themselves, their God and the church they serve?