Memorial services are taking place across Australia for the innocent victims of MH17

The incredible has happened to Australian citizens and so many of other countries, including the Netherlands, Malaysia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, Philippines, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States of America.

The terrorist attack on the Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 has violently ended the promising, creative, fruitful lives of hundreds of innocent people. Their God-given dignity has been violated in the ultimate way: their life was destroyed. Then, even after death, they were further demeaned.

On behalf of all of the faithful of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy in Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, and in the name of all Ukrainians, we express our heartfelt condolences and spiritual solidarity.

In these days in our churches we have conducted memorial services for the innocent victims. As the President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko has said: We, Ukrainians, have been shedding tears for the last half year because of the violence, terrorism, and war in our country; today we shed them with you. We thought we could not have more tears, but we do, and our tears and prayer is with you.

We are moved by the response of the Australian government, Churches, religious communities and especially the families of the victims. May the unity and integrity of the Australian people and all who bear the burden of this heinous crime serve to inspire the world in this time of tragedy and profound moral confusion and paralysis.

The grief and wartime anxiety of the Ukrainian people is exacerbated by the criminal inhumanity that occurred in the skies of Ukraine. We are at once tormented by the violence and shamed by the disgraceful treatment of the victims of this tragedy. It is hard to comment on our powerlessness in the face of enduring brutality. At this time we seek from God the wisdom and fortitude to understand and act according to God’s will.

For many months the Ukrainian people have done what they can to confront naked evil with peaceful demonstrations, night vigils in the bitter cold of winter, and unceasing prayer in the squares of Ukraine and in many countries of the world. They have been beaten, tortured, and shot before the cameras of the world. Ukraine has lost hundreds of citizens, the best of the nation. We have lost territory. At a great price Ukrainians have, however, gained dignity and unity. We are tormented by the authoritarian violence brought to our land; that has been our scourge and suffering. Today, this suffering brings us together and gives us common cause.

May we unite in spirit and deed to confront the evil besetting Europe and the world. We recommit ourselves to prayer, witness, and dialogue with all people of good will. Let us encourage each other with the promise of the Gospel that evil will be overcome and that in God we will find the truth and live it.

May the memory of the innocent victims be eternal!

Вічная Пам’ять! Eternal Memory !

+Peter Stasiuk, C.Ss.R.

Bishop of the Eparchy of Sts Peter & Paul for Ukrainian Catholics

In Australia, New Zealand & Oceania

+Borys Gudziak

Head of the Department of External Church Relations

of the Synod of the Ukrainian Catholic Bishops.

Current Fellowship participants Snezana Taneveska and Rebecca Beisler

Media Release, 25 July 2014

The Young Catholic Women’s Interfaith Fellowship, an initiative of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Office for the Participation for Women, is searching for inspiring women to participate in our 2015-2016 leadership programme.

The aim of the two-year Fellowship is to cultivate women’s capacity for leadership within the Catholic Church and society.

Ideal candidates should demonstrate an openness to spiritual growth and respect for other faith traditions. Continue reading →

Homily by Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney Peter Comensoli

St Mary’s Cathedral, 20 July 2014

The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. (Matt 13.24-25)

One of the most profound and mysterious events in every person’s life is the moment of realisation that we human beings are a complex mixture of light and dark, of good and evil. In that moment when we first acknowledge this reality, honestly and humbly, we start to claim ownership of our humanity.

We know we are created for that which is good, true and beautiful, yet we allow ourselves to absorb that which is evil, false and ugly. God’s most marvellous creature of light and life often enough becomes lost in the shadows of corruption and death.

Continue reading →

Media release, 22 July 2014

PROCLAIM 2014, a conference on the new evangelisation, will awaken delegates to the challenges facing the Church in Australian to revitalise parish life.

The three-day conference from 21-23 August 2014 takes place at The Concourse, Chatswood, Sydney.

The conference theme, “Living the Joy of the Gospel in Parishes,” applies Pope Francis’ Apostolic Letter Evangelii Gaudium to the parish scene. Keynote addresses include: “Make Church Matter”; “What’s Working in Other Churches” and “Moving Members from Consumers to Contributors.”  Continue reading →

Celebraing 50 years of priesthood Bishop of Wollongong Peter Ingham

Bishop Peter Ingham was surprised last week to receive a letter from Pope Francis congratulating him on his 50^th anniversary as a priest on Friday 18 July 2014.

The letter from Pope Francis, in Latin, conveyed his good wishes and blessing upon Bishop Ingham, the clergy and the people of the Diocese of Wollongong.

Pope Francis wrote in the letter, “I send you this letter my venerable brother, because you will celebrate your 50th anniversary of your ordination to the priesthood. I wish to convey my good wishes to you for having consistently exercised the sacred ministry. For this you are to be congratulated…May the blessing be both to you and through you to your Vicars General and the Church community of your diocese. I very lovingly impart my Apostolic Blessing and ask from you prayers for me and my Petrine Ministry.”  Continue reading →

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin at the Catholic Leadership Centre, Melbourne

Global Perspectives for Local Action: The European Perspective

Speaking about Pope Francis and his Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Archbishop of Dublin Most Rev. Diarmuid Martin addressed a Catholic Leadership Forum of priests, school principals and archdiocesan agency leaders gathered at the Catholic Leadership Centre, Melbourne on 14 July 2014.

A few weeks ago I was speaking with a Parish Priest in my diocese who told me that he was a little worried about his Curate. He said that his curate was a hard worker and that he got on reasonably well with people, but that he had a problem.

I asked what this problem was and the Parish Priest replied that the problem was with a person and when I asked further, to my surprise the answer was Pope Francis.

Continue reading →

Sunday, 20 July 2014

By Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe SDB

As we gather in the Cathedral for Mass this morning, we are all deeply aware of and profoundly shocked by the terrible act of violence in Ukraine which has cost so many lives and horrified the world.

Families the world over are in mourning. We are no different here in Western Australia. The most recent information indicates that nine residents of our state have been killed, the youngest just eight years old.

Continue reading →

18 July 2014

Dear Brother Priests,

We are all shocked and deeply saddened at the terrible news of the Ukrainian airline tragedy, Malaysian Airlines MH17.

Firstly, I offer my prayers for all those who perished in this disaster and for their families and friends. We know there were a number of Australians on the flight, as well as many delegates for the 20th International Aids Conference in Melbourne, and I would encourage everyone to join me in prayer for them.

Continue reading →