Archbishop Mark Coleridge and Archbishop Makarios

The president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and the head of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia say Hagia Sophia’s revised status as a mosque risks sowing division in a world seeking common ground.

In a statement signed by Archbishop Mark Coleridge and Archbishop Makarios released today, the two leaders “join our voices to the many around the world who have expressed deep regret at the recent decision in Turkey to change the status of Hagia Sophia/Aya Sofya”.

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“Love your neighbour as you love yourself”. That’s a commandment not often repeated in public debates, perhaps because it seems obvious. Perhaps also because it is difficult.

But could it be that the reason non-indigenous Australians have not achieved reconciliation with Australia’s First Nations people is we don’t love each other enough?

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In his message for Sea Sunday 2020, Bishop Promoter for the Apostleship of the Sea Bishop Bosco Puthur has sent a pastoral greeting to seafarers dealing with a pandemic that keeps them at sea for even longer periods than normal.

Bishop Puthur, speaking ahead of Sea Sunday on July 12, said his message took on special significance as the world seeks to respond to COVID-19.

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The hospitality they usually offer seafarers can’t be delivered on dry land, but the Stella Maris Seafarers Centre in Mackay is ensuring those working on vessels that come into port feel valued and supported.

The centre, which has been offering spiritual, social and material support to seafarers since 1995, had to close its doors on March 20 due to COVID-19 restrictions. It would normally be a lively place for men and women to access wifi, play games, buy souvenirs and other items.

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With many local events not able to be held on July 5 to mark Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday, a national Mass will be livestreamed from St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Adelaide to celebrate the occasion.

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC), like so many other groups, saw its plans have to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Archbishop Mark Coleridge says a new national office for safeguarding will streamline and coordinate the Church’s work to protect children and vulnerable adults.

“The Catholic Church in Australia is bringing into a single entity several national agencies working in the area of child protection and safeguarding,” he said.

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While COVID-19 saw the postponement of the inaugural Australian Catholic Bishops Conference National Catholic Men’s Gathering, some aspects of the event will proceed in August using online technology.

The one-day gathering originally scheduled to be held in Sydney next month was postponed in April, with the expectation that a similar program would proceed in July 2021.

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Pope Francis has this evening appointed Msgr Greg Bennet, a priest of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, the 10th Bishop of Sale.

Msgr Bennet was born and raised in Melbourne, completing his secondary education at Braemar College in Woodend, northwest of Melbourne. After working in banking for several years, he entered Corpus Christi College in 1986 and was ordained priest in 1992.

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The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference says a 1.75 per cent increase in the national minimum wage falls well short of the boost needed, leaving many families vulnerable during a pandemic.

The Conference, which has made submissions to the annual review of the minimum wage for decades, argued for a 4 per cent increase – before COVID-19 led to additional financial uncertainty for many low-paid workers and their families.

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The two assemblies for the Fifth Plenary Council of Australia will be held in Adelaide from October 3-10, 2021, and in Sydney from July 4-9, 2022.

The new dates mean that the celebration of the Plenary Council has effectively moved 12 months from the original plan of a first assembly in October 2020 and a second assembly in June/July 2021.

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Counselling to support children traumatised by the bushfires is among the projects funding by Catholic Emergency Relief Australia

Fifteen organisations have received funding from Catholic Emergency Relief Australia to support communities recovering from bushfires that devastated large parts of the country last summer.

Catholic Emergency Relief Australia (CERA) was officially launched in February and brings together a number of key national organisations.

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The final version of a report into diocesan and parish governance will be published after a series of amendments and clarifications have been made, likely by mid-August, it has been announced.

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Archbishop Mark Coleridge on June 12 announced a timeline for the report’s release after a draft version was leaked to international Catholic media earlier this month.

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