Sydney Catholic archbishop Anthony Fisher invites The Project to church

Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher has expressed ‘sadness and deep disappointment’ at a joke made about Jesus on Channel 10’s The Project on Tuesday.

Catholic Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher. Picture: Jane Dempster

Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher has expressed “sadness and deep disappointment” at a joke made about Jesus on Channel 10’s The Project on Tuesday, and invited the program’s panellists to services at St Mary’s Cathedral to “fully experience the reverence that Christians have for Jesus Christ.”

Archbishop Fisher, in a letter posted to Facebook on Friday, said the panellists’ apology on Wednesday “came across as forced and insincere”.

“One gets the impression that the panellists are either unaware or indifferent to the hurt they have caused not only to Christians but people of faith throughout the nation.”

He noted the apology was not shared on the show’s Facebook page and that the original clip was still available and was not taken down.

On Tuesday, comedian Reuben Kaye featured as a guest on the program and remarked, “I love Jesus. I love any man who can get nailed for three days straight and come back for more.”

Archbishop Fisher said the joke was “highly inappropriate”.

“Worryingly, the insult not only went unchallenged, but was even endorsed with spirited laughter by members of the panel,” he wrote.

The Project hosts Waleed Aly and Sarah Harris delivered an apology on Wednesday.

“We want to acknowledge the particular offence and hurt that caused our Muslim viewers but especially our Christian viewers,” Aly said. “Obviously, I understand just how profound that offence was.”

“We wouldn’t normally broadcast a comment like that, we acknowledge the offence it caused and more than that, we’re sorry.”

At the time of writing, the original clip has not been taken down from The Project’s Facebook page and a clip of the apology has not been posted to the page.