Members of the Australian Catholic Diocesan Vocations Directors Conference at their Adelaide meeting this week.

Diocesan vocations directors from across Australia met in Adelaide this week to discuss opportunities for creating a “culture of vocations” in the Church in Australia.

Fr David Cartwright, executive officer of the Australian Catholic Diocesan Vocations Directors Conference (ACDVDC), said one of the clear messages from the gathering was the need to refocus efforts to promote vocations and have that reinforced at the parish level. Continue reading →

The National Centre for Pastoral Research has published the final report of the Listening and Dialogue phase of the Plenary Council, capturing the voices of more than 222,000 people.

The 314-page report provides insights into the 17,457 individual and group submissions received from May 2018 until March 2019. It also outlines the Listening and Dialogue process, including the questions asked, the research methodology and the preparation of the final report. Continue reading →

Pope Francis has this evening appointed Fr Shane Mackinlay, currently Master of Catholic Theological College Melbourne and a parish priest in Ballarat, the next Bishop of Sandhurst.

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Archbishop Mark Coleridge recalls teaching Fr Mackinlay and said the qualities he observed then have developed in the years since. Continue reading →

The Catholic Church is developing new national policy guidelines to strengthen and standardise Church authorities’ responses to historical and contemporary concerns and allegations of abuse of children and vulnerable adults.

Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said the development of the guidelines is a critical step forward in the Church’s ongoing response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Continue reading →

Gary Williams and Br Steve Morelli. Br Steve has been recognised for his efforts to keep Indigenous languages alive. (Photo supplied)

Preserving and promoting the languages of Australia’s First Peoples has been at the heart of the ministry of a New South Wales Christian Brother recently recognised with Australia’s premier award in teaching languages other than English.

Br Steve Morelli is one of two teachers of Australian Indigenous languages to be jointly awarded the Patji-Dawes Award in this, the International Year of Indigenous Languages. Continue reading →

A Morrison Government proposal to recognise Australia’s First Peoples in the constitution has been broadly welcomed by key Church organisations.

In a National Press Club address on Wednesday, Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt pledged to “bring forward a consensus option” during the current term of Parliament. Continue reading →

About 5000 young people are expected to attend ACYF19/Giovanni Portelli Photography

The countdown is on with only 150 days until doors open on the fourth Australian Catholic Youth Festival, to be held in Perth from December 8-10.

With an anticipated 5000 young people taking part in ACYF19, groups from every Australian state and territory have begun registering and preparing for an incredible and unique encounter of the Church in Australia. Continue reading →

General secretaries of the bishops conferences of France, Australia, Germany and England and Wales at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra

The general secretaries of the bishops conferences of England and Wales, Germany and France have completed a three-day visit to Canberra that examined key issues facing the Church in Australia and globally.

Fr Stephen Hackett MSC, general secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said he was “delighted” to host the “very beneficial” gathering, which moves from country to country each year. Continue reading →

Sea Sunday will be celebrated in Australia this Sunday, July 14.

In the lead-up to Sea Sunday on July 14, Pope Francis has urged chaplains and volunteers to redouble their efforts to support those working on the high seas.

The Sea Sunday Appeal offers the Church in Australia the opportunity to show its continued support for the ministry to seafarers provided by the Apostleship of the Sea and Stella Maris centres. Continue reading →

On July 1, the Plenary Council opened applications for the Discernment and Writing Groups that will play a critical role in helping the Catholic Church move forward in considering the Council’s six National Themes for Discernment.

At Pentecost, the Plenary Council announced that after almost 17,500 submissions reflecting the views of more than 222,000 people were assessed, reflected upon and prayed about, the National Themes for Discernment had emerged. Continue reading →

Sr Anne Derwin greets Pope Benedict XVI as he arrives at the chapel in North Sydney that houses St Mary MacKillop’s tomb

Catholic leaders have paid tribute to Sr Anne Derwin RSJ, the former congregational leader of the Sisters of Saint Joseph and president of Catholic Religious Australia, who died earlier this week.

Sr Anne died peacefully at the Mater Hospital in North Sydney on June 23. She was 69. Continue reading →

Eileen O’Connor’s cause for canonisation was discussed during the Australian bishops’ Ad Limina Apostolorum visit yesterday (Archdiocese of Sydney photo)

Australian bishops are hopeful that a number of Australians could follow in the footsteps of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and enter the Church’s Communion of Saints.

As part of their Ad Limina Apostolorum pilgrimage, which commenced on Monday, bishops met Wednesday with officials from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, including its prefect, Cardinal Giovanni Becciu.

Continue reading →