18 November 2014 | Broken Bay Institute eConferencing delivers the Good News

Pope Francis has tweeted that “The Church is ever on a journey, seeking new ways to announce the Gospel.” [8 November 2014]

The BBI-ACBC eConferences have played their part by delivering the Good News via the world wide web for free across the country and abroad, every year.

Now, the much anticipated DVD of the 10th eConference on Pope Francis: Modelling the Ministry of St Peter is available and BBI is encouraging all Catholics to give and receive the gift of knowledge this Christmas with a selection of adult faith resources.

Continue reading →

Media Release | 13 November 2014

Ninth Archbishop of Sydney Anthony Fisher

The Most Reverend Anthony Fisher OP was installed as the ninth Archbishop of Sydney during a solemn Mass of Installation at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney on 12 November 2014.

President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Denis Hart concelebrated the Mass with archbishops and bishops from overseas, priests of the Archdiocese of Sydney and of other dioceses and religious congregations.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, Archbishop Paul Gallagher DD, read out in latin the Papal Bull appointing the Most Reverend Anthony Fisher OP DD Metropolitan Archbishop of Sydney. Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Mgr John Usher, read out the English translation of the Papal Bull. Continue reading →

Bishop Peter Ingham takes up Pope Francis’ call in South West Sydney as new evangelising ministry is announced

11 November 2014 | Media release from the Diocese of Wollongong

The Catholic Guy Impact Communities (TCGIC) includes: weekly prayer, worship events, formation and hospitality.

Taking inspiration from Pope Francis’ call for the Catholic Church to reach out in new and radical ways, Bishop Peter Ingham has announced a bold initiative in South West Sydney (part of the Diocese of Wollongong), to reach out to those in the community who are disconnected from church and faith, with a particular focus on Catholics who have stopped attending Church.

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Media Release | 7 November 2014

The Holy Father Pope Francis has appointed as Auxiliary Bishops of Melbourne, the Reverend Monsignor Terence Curtin and the Reverend Father Mark Stuart Edwards OMI.

Mgr Terry Curtin appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne

Mgr Curtin is currently Parish Priest of Greythorn and the Episcopal Vicar for the Eastern Region of the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Fr Edwards is presently Rector of Iona College in Brisbane.

Congratulating both priests on their appointments, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Denis Hart said: “On behalf of the people of Melbourne, I welcome the Holy Father’s care for us in appointing bishops-elect Terence Curtin and Mark Edwards as auxiliary bishops.”

Born in Cremorne, Sydney on 20 July 1945, Mgr Curtin was educated at St Kevin’s College, Toorak. Joining the Regional Seminary of Melbourne, he completed his priestly formation at the Pontifical Urban College, Rome. Continue reading →

Robyn Mitchell (left) CatholicCare Sydney being presented, with a merit award in the Norma Parker Award Category for Most Innovative Program, by Donella Johnston (right) ACBC Director of the National Office for the Participation of Women.

Judging the 12th annual Catholic Social Services Awards in Canberra recently, Donella Johnston writes about the experience.

On 21 October, I attended the 2014 Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) Awards as a member of the awards judging panel.

CSSA works with Catholic organisations, governments, other churches and all people of good will, to develop social welfare policies, programs and other strategic responses that work towards the economic, social and spiritual well-being of the Australian community. Continue reading →

Award winner Margaret Pirotta from CatholicCare Sydney

Media Release from Catholic Social Services Australia |23 October 2014

Margaret Pirotta, the Coordinator of CatholicCare Sydney’s Tree of Hope program, is the 2014 Catholic Social Services Australia Award winner of the Perkins Award for Excellence in Service by an Individual.

Across Sydney, Tree of Hope provides emotional and practical outreach support to people living with HIV, their family and supporters. Margaret Pirotta has worked to ensure that Tree of Hope, based in Lewisham in Sydney with outreach in Surry Hills, provides a confidential, non-judgemental environment for people living with HIV, their family and support person, to connect with other people who understand the challenges and issues they experience. Continue reading →

President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Archbishop Denis Hart

20 October 2014

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference welcomes the concluding message released by the Synod Fathers at the III Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome on 18 October 2014.

We support the Synod Fathers in their acknowledgement that as priests and bishops we have lived alongside families who have spoken to us and shown us the saga of their joys and their difficulties. Their example of generous faithfulness in marriage stands as an example for every society. Continue reading →

Cover of  ‘A Crown for Australia: Striving for the best in our sporting nation’

This coming Sunday (28 September) is Social Justice Sunday. Last week the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference launched the Catholic Bishops’ Social Justice Statement at St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney.

The Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Bishop Saunders, says of the Statement:

‘Australians are passionate about their sport, whether as participants or as supporters … Sport brings us together, builds communities and lets us celebrate the joy of movement and skill.

‘Sport also holds a mirror up to our society. As the Statement says, we like to think that it reflects the best in us as individuals and as a community – but we also have to admit that it can reflect the worst in us. Sport can show us a side to our society that is not only ugly but often unjust as well.’

The goal of sport is the good of humans everywhere. How, then, can we help build the Kingdom of God through our sporting experience – whether playing or cheering from the sidelines?

Continue reading →

Desmond Tutu at the 2008 Freedom Awards. University of Southern California, Los Angeles

A statement from Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on 21 September 2014, International Day of Peace

On World Peace Day 2014, I pray for the rights of the Aboriginal Peoples of Australia to determine their own destiny.

It is a severe indictment on Australia that many of its indigenous people still feel that their culture and dignity are being eroded, and that they continue to be treated as second class citizens – 42 years after the country signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Aboriginal elders say that although the Aboriginal Land Rights Act of 1976 transferred control of much of the Northern Territory to Aboriginal peoples, the people never had the opportunity to draw true advantage from the land. They were ill prepared to deal with complex Western bureaucracies, and their efforts have been undermined by under-development and neglect.

The imposition of legislation generally known as the Northern Territory Intervention, in
2007 virtually stripped them of their voice. Continue reading →