Category Archives: Press Releases

Habemus Papam: Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio SJ: Pope Francis: statement from Archbishop Hart

Pope Francis the 1st

Statement of Archbishop Denis Hart

As Archbishop of Melbourne and President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, I joyfully welcome the glad news of the appointment of Pope Francis.  For two weeks the Catholics of the world have been without the spiritual father of their family.

We have been looking forward to this special moment when our new Holy Father, chief teacher and shepherd would be announced.

The announcement brings great joy and hope and readiness to walk with him on the way to Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio SJ was born in Buenos Aires in 1936, ordained a Jesuit priest in 1969 and subsequently was novice master, teacher of literature and psychology, has been Archbishop of Buenos Aires since 1998 and a Cardinal since 2001.  He was Jesuit Provincial in Argentina from 1973 to 1979.  He is known for a commitment to doctrine and social justice, and is a humble man of simple lifestyle.

His appointment is a sign to the Catholics of Latin America and the whole world of the invitation given to all to follow Jesus closely.  He has served as member of a number of offices in the Holy See”

Continue reading

Australian Catholic Youth Festival draws closer

Fr Christian Fini OMI launches Youth Festival

By Malcolm Hart

The Australian Catholic Youth Festival will be held on December 5-7, 2013 in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Festival will invite young people from Year 9 to 25 years of age to come together for an encounter with the Catholic Church in Australia.

To prepare for the Festival, the National Steering Committee has announced a timeline for information releases and briefing meetings. These dates will provide assistance to coordinators as they prepare to promote and develop plans to attend the Festival. Continue reading

Cardinal rejects smear

Cardinal George Pell

11 March 2013

Fairfax media today carried a story, repeated by other media outlets, alleging that Cardinal George Pell is “tainted by sex abuse scandals” and “long dogged” by allegations of sexual abuse against him.

These statements are utterly false and seriously defamatory. They have no basis in fact and deliberately misrepresent the outcome of a 2002 inquiry by a retired Victorian Supreme Court judge which completely exonerated Cardinal Pell of allegations made against him.

At all times, including in sworn evidence before the Southwell Inquiry, Cardinal Pell denied the allegations. Continue reading

Support for hosting asylum seekers in the community

Media Release, 28 February

The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office fully support the current policy of hosting asylum seekers in the community on bridging visas and in community residence determination. We have great respect for the decision to increase Australia’s humanitarian intake to 20,000 each year and also believe it is appropriate for Australia to defend the right of all people to seek asylum.

“Asylum seekers are not criminals and should not be treated as such. The suggestion that serious crimes committed by one asylum seekers gives grounds for treating all asylum seekers as criminals is greatly concerning” said Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of ACMRO.

“The hosting of asylum seekers in the community is an entirely appropriate, effective and humane way for Australia to respond. We have thousands of Australians who have volunteered their time to help asylum seekers and in the process have developed wonderful friendships” said Fr Pettenà. Continue reading

New-look Young Catholic Women’s Interfaith Fellowship underway

Fellowship participant

Media Release, 26 February, 2012

Seventeen women from right across Australia have embarked on a journey of faith and leadership development as they take up the new-look Young Catholic Women’s Interfaith Fellowship.

The Fellowship, which has been relaunched with a new structure this year, will see the women, from 12 dioceses, undertake a formation program which includes theological studies, interfaith engagement and leadership development.

It is a project of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) and is being sponsored by various religious congregations, institutions and Church agencies. For the first time, the academic component of the Fellowship will be undertaken through The Broken Bay Institute (BBI).

Chairman of the ACBC Commission for Church Ministry, Bishop David Walker, said the Fellowship, which first began in 2006, acknowledged and supported the essential place of women in the Church and the important role they can play in interfaith relations. Continue reading

Marriage and Family Council’s Valentine’s Day kit

Valentine’s Day Kit

To download resources for Valentine’s Day, click here

In 2010, the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life launched the St Valentine’s Day initiative. We are delighted to offer you our 2013 edition which continues our ongoing desire to use the innate joyfulness of the feast of St Valentine to promote and affirm marriage as life-long romantic love.

In a culture that is increasingly intolerant of Christian values and beliefs, feasts that have captured the imagination of the secular community, like St Valentine’s Day, represent a unique opportunity for the Church. It is an opportunity for us to proclaim our beliefs in a way that is affirming and life-giving to deeply held values that are shared by many in the wider community. In doing so, we highlight the positive good that such values have and reinforce the need to protect them for the benefit of the whole community.

I invite you to use the resources enclosed to focus parish or school attention on the role of marriage on or around St Valentine’s Day.

Yours in Christ,
Bishop Eugene Hurley
Chairman, Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life

Pope Benedict XVI’s passion for integral human development inspires Project Compassion 2013

Project Compassion 2013

Media Release, 13 February, 2013

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) today called on Australians to support Project Compassion, the annual Lenten appeal of Caritas Australia, the Catholic agency for international aid and development.

As one of Australia’s largest humanitarian fundraisers, Project Compassion brings together thousands of Australians in solidarity with the world’s poor and in 2013 its message of hope remains as powerful as ever.

Project Compassion 2013 is based on these inspiring words of Pope Benedict XVI’s encyclical Spe Salvi, 35:“We work towards a brighter and more humane world so as to open doors into the future.” Continue reading

Statement from His Eminence Cardinal George Pell on resignation of Pope Benedict XVi

Cardinal George Pell

The Archbishop of Sydney, His Eminence Cardinal George Pell has made the following comments after hearing of the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in Rome overnight.

Cardinal Pell said; “Pope Benedict has always loved the Church and worked to do what was best for her.

“His resignation came as a surprise to me.

“We thank him for his years of devoted leadership and service and his brilliant teaching.

“We will pray for him as he enters retirement.

“We must also pray for the Church as she prepares to choose the next successor of Saint Peter.”

A Statement from Bishop Anthony Fisher OP, Bishop of Parramatta on the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI

 

Bishop Anthony Fisher OP

Bishop Anthony Fisher OP, the Bishop of Parramatta said that the resignation of Pope Benedict is a time of grieving but thanksgiving for Catholics.

“The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on health grounds is a cause of great sadness for the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, but also of great gratitude. This Pope has given his all,” Bishop Anthony Fisher said.

In Pope Benedict’s only visit to Australia in 2008 he began his time in the Diocese of Parramatta resting for three days in Kenthurst.

“Australians will remember him first, as the World Youth Day Pope, joining the young people of the world in Sydney in 2008. Here he engaged as a great teacher and spiritual grandfather to half a million young people. He also made his historic apology to victims of clergy child abuse while he was here in Sydney.” The NSW Bishops will repeat the apology to victims tomorrow in their Lenten Pastoral letter.

“Secondly, he is the Pope who canonised Australia’s first saint, St Mary MacKillop. He recognised in her a woman of great faith who helped to build this country through education for the poor. This great spiritual leader is a holy man himself and therefore readily recognises holiness in others.”

Bishop Anthony will be offering Mass 12:30pm today at the Parramatta Cathedral and has asked for other Catholics in the Diocese to join him in prayer for the Holy Father and the Church. Continue reading

Full text of the Pope’s declaration

Pope Benedict XVI

Dear Brothers,

   I have convoked you to this Consistory, not only for the three canonizations, but also to communicate to you a decision of great importance for the life of the Church. After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and suffering. However, in today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of Saint Peter and proclaim the Gospel, both strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months, has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me. For this reason, and well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer.

From the Vatican, 10 February 2013

BENEDICTUS PP XVI