The organisers of next year’s National Biennial Liturgy Conference say the gathering will examine how the Church’s evolving liturgical practices can help make Christ present in the world.
The meeting, which will be held in Parramatta in March, has been held regularly since the mid-1990s. It provides liturgical education and training and opportunities to participate in various forms of liturgical prayer. Continue reading
The Council for Australian Catholic Women says the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 aims to bring about cultural change to address injustice, inequality, sexism and exploitation of women.
Council chair Sr Trish Madigan OP said “women and girls everywhere experience extensive abuse and their stories need to be brought to light”. Continue reading
In the lead up to Pope Francis’ World Day of the Poor on Sunday, November 17, the Church in Australia is focusing on the many volunteers who work daily to help the poor in their communities. Read how Jean Robbins assists the poor in Darwin through her volunteer work with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters.
Darwin’s Jean Robbins has volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters to assist the poor in the Northern Territory since 2006.
“I am from Chennai, India; I migrated as an accountant. My childhood was a difficult one – we had a good mum and dad, but no resources. My desire to help is to give back to God the blessing I have received from His hands. I too suffered poverty – no food, no money, hardship,” Ms Robbins explains. Continue reading
In the lead up to Pope Francis’s World Day of the Poor on Sunday, November 17, the Church in Australia is focusing on the many volunteers who work daily to help the poor in their communities. Read how Annette Baker, vice president of the St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland, assists growing numbers of people who are falling into poverty.
Annette Baker is a proud Vincentian of 19 years who believes kindness is at the very heart of her calling to help the poor.
“I believe that we must show kindness to all we meet. Even a smile can brighten someone’s day and my own personal goal is to do something kind or helpful for someone each day,” she said. Continue reading
In the lead up to Pope Francis’s World Day of the Poor on Sunday, November 17, the Church in Australia is focussing on the many volunteers who work daily to help the poor in their communities. Read how Perth’s Kelvin McConville helps homeless men and women with a mental illness gain independence through his volunteer work with the Emmaus Community.
Retired psychiatric unit worker Kelvin McConville loves his volunteer work with the Emmaus Community, where he helps homeless men and women who suffer from a mental illness.
The Emmaus Community provides long-term independent community living for people of adult age who live with mental health issues. Continue reading
Dhurringile Prison chaplains, from left, Fr Michael Morley, Debbie Turvey, Denise Woodman, Denice Bourke and John Lilford
In the lead up to the Pope’s World Day of the Poor, on Sunday, November 17, the Church in Australia is focusing on the many volunteers who work daily to help the poor in their communities. Read how parishes in rural Victoria are helping minimum security prisoners transition back into society.
Community Church Program, a parish prison ministry, is helping to transition serving prisoners to a life back in the community in country Victoria.
Long-time prison chaplain Denice Bourke is the liaison chaplain for the Hume region in Victoria and is a member of the Tatura parish. She works with a team of prison chaplains and volunteers in the parishes of Beechworth, Tatura, Kyabram and Mooroopna to drive participants to and from the Dhurrringle and Beechworth prisons to the parish community for Mass. Continue reading
Members of the Australian delegation that attended the recent ICMA conference in Taiwan (photo supplied)
Australian delegates at the recent International Christian Maritime Association conference say the gathering helped strengthen their resolve to minister to people who make their living on the ocean.
Six Australian Catholics were among the more than 250 people from 40 countries in Taiwan for the week-long conference, which marked the 50th anniversary of the organisation’s founding. Continue reading
In the leadup to next month’s World Day of the Poor, the Church in Australia is recognising volunteers who work to bring hope to those in need.
The third World Day of the Poor, to be observed on Sunday, November 17, will focus on the theme “the hope of the poor shall not perish for ever”.
The Catholic Church in Australia is dedicating the month of November as a time to pray for those affected by crippling drought conditions and to pray for the gift of rain.
Parishes, schools, families and other Catholic communities across the country are being encouraged to participate in the National Prayer Campaign for Drought, which also invites people to provide assistance to those most in need. Continue reading
The Catholic Church in Australia has made significant progress in responding to the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse, Archbishop Mark Coleridge said today on the anniversary of the National Apology to survivors and victims.
On October 22 last year, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and then-Opposition Leader Bill Shorten delivered apologies on behalf of the Australian people to those who were sexually abused as children. They followed the final report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, published in December 2017. Continue reading