Author Archives: ACBC Communications

Nationwide Month of Prayer and Fasting for Marriage and Families

bigstock-happy-family-having-fun-on-flo-13104605-web1_200 A national month of prayer and fasting for marriage and families will be initiated in October 2016 by the Australian Catholic Marriage and Family Council.

‘The month of prayer and fasting is intended to be held in parishes across Australia during October 2016 as the nation prepares for a conversation on marriage,’ Bishop Michael Kennedy, the Bishops Delegate for Marriage and Family, said.

‘I encourage you to support your parish community to celebrate Mass, pray the Rosary and undertake Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament during this time with the special intention of marriages and families in mind.’

The Australian Catholic Marriage and Family Council have created a prayer resource to assist parishes during the month of prayer and fasting.

‘The resource includes prayers for people who are same-sex attracted or gender questioning and their families,’ Bishop Kennedy said. Continue reading →

ACBC Media Blog recognised in 2016 Catholic Media Awards

fullsizerender1_200 Archbishop Mark Coleridge’s daily blog during the Synod on the Family, ‘On the Road Together’ was awarded ‘Best Column or Blog’ at the Australian Catholic Press Association’s annual awards for excellent this year.

The judges acknowledged the daily personal insights into the Synod process, which the blog provided and highlighted the Archbishop’s ‘self-deprecating sense of humour’ throughout the blog posts.

This Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Media Blog, was also highly commended in the ‘Best Editorial’ category for an opinion-editorial, ‘Interconnectedness a major principle of encyclical’, written by Bishop Michael Kennedy following the publication of Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si’. Continue reading →

Celebrating Marriage, 65 years on

Bruce and Paulene Creenaune. Photography by: Daniel Hopper

What’s the secret to a happy and lasting marriage? Why not ask Bruce and Paulene Creenaune who are celebrating 65 years of marriage and will be honoured along with 71 other couples at the Diocese of Wollongong’s annual Marriage Anniversaries Mass this weekend at St John Vianney’s Catholic Church, Fairy Meadow.

When asked this question, Bruce and Paulene said, “Generally we’re not ones for giving advice out to others. Although the times have changed, the fundamentals are the same – marriage is about give and take, it’s about communicating with each other, respecting each other’s points of view and about being there for the other person.

“We both see ourselves very much within the context of our broader family and agree that it’s the bonds of the family we have that has kept us together. When times are tough or when big decisions need to be made, we always do it together and with our family’s love and support. Our faith has also been a big part of our lives. We grew up in the faith and continued to carry it into our marriage. Prayer in particular has been a great source of comfort in difficult times.” Continue reading →

Pope Francis accepts Bishop Hanna’s Resignation

Bishop Gerard Hanna

The Holy Father Pope Francis has today, 12 September 2016, accepted the resignation of Bishop Gerard Hanna as the fifth Bishop of Wagga Wagga due to health reasons.

Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn, has been appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga.

On 9 December 1968, Bishop Hanna was ordained a Priest of the Diocese of Armidale. He was appointed Bishop of Wagga Wagga on 5 February 2002 at the age of 60.

Bishop Hanna will turn 75 years old on 22 December this year.

Speaking about his retirement, Bishop Hanna said, ‘It has been a special time ministering to the people of the Diocese of Wagga Wagga. Due to continuous ill health, it is no longer possible for me to continue my ministry across the diocese. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the families, parishes and communities across the diocese for their support, engagement and welcome throughout my time as Bishop of Wagga’. Continue reading →

Call for communities of compassion as population ages

As more and more Australians are living longer, we should celebrate the great ‘success story’ of our ageing population and, as a fair and compassionate nation, foster solidarity among all generations, Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay from the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council said today.

‘Australia must protect older people who are most vulnerable to hardship and who are at risk of feeling they are a burden on society.’

Bishop Tarabay was speaking at the launch of the Australian Catholic Bishops 2016-2017 Social Justice Statement, entitled ‘A Place at the Table: Social justice in an ageing society’.

The Statement highlights the significant contribution that older people continue to make to the life of the community. The number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double from 3.6 million today to 8.9 million by the middle of the century. Around 75 per cent of men and 85 per cent of women are reaching retirement in good health and with around 20 years of life ahead of them. Continue reading →

New Evangeliser has four qualities: courage, confidence, a sense of urgency and joy, Cardinal Wuerl tells Proclaim 2016 delegates

Cardinal Wuerl

The new evangeliser needs four qualities for successful parish renewal: courage, confidence, a sense of urgency and joy, keynote speaker Cardinal Donald Wuerl told Proclaim 2016 delegates during his opening address on 1 September in Sydney.

‘Many young people today have these qualities,’ the Archbishop of Washington said.

‘Courage could also be described as boldness. We only have to think of Mary’s visitation to Elizabeth in order to understand the sense of urgency in our task, she set off at pace. We are not passive bystanders.’

Speaking about Pope Francis, parish renewal and evangelisation, the Cardinal said, ‘others have gone before us but the responsibility of parish renewal falls to us. It’s our turn now. Continue reading →

Show Mercy to our Common Home

Pope Francis’ message for today’s World Day of Prayer for the care of creation

United with our Orthodox brothers and sisters, and with the support of other Churches and Christian communities, the Catholic Church today marks the “World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation”.

This Day offers “individual believers and communities a fitting opportunity to reaffirm their personal vocation to be stewards of creation, to thank God for the wonderful handiwork which he has entrusted to our care, and to implore his help for the protection of creation as well as his pardon for the sins committed against the world in which we live.” 1

It is most encouraging that concern for the future of our planet is shared by the Churches and Christian communities, together with other religions. Indeed, in past decades numerous efforts have been made by religious leaders and organisations to call public attention to the dangers of an irresponsible exploitation of our planet.

Here I would mention Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople who, like his predecessor Patriarch Dimitrios, has long spoken out against the sin of harming creation and has drawn attention to the moral and spiritual crisis at the root of environmental problems. Continue reading →

Pope Francis sends message to PROCLAIM 2016 delegates

‘The Holy Father asks you kindly to convey his cordial greetings to all assembled in the Diocese of Broken Bay for the third National Conference on Evangelization, Proclaim 2016,’ Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State wrote a message to the Most Reverend Peter Comensoli, Bishop of Broken Bay.

Pope Francis trusts that ‘in this Holy Year devoted to the preaching and practice of mercy, the Conference will contribute to a more effective proclamation of the Gospel message of forgiveness, redemption and interior renewal’.

‘In a world increasingly wounded by alienation, fragmentation and forgetfulness of God, he urges Christian families and young people in particular to be missionary disciples, radiating in their homes, parishes and communities the joy of the Gospel and the hope it offers for the building of a society of true solidarity and freedom. Continue reading →

Scale of migration from Syria is staggering, Bishop Rabbat told Colloquium on Christian-Muslim relations

Bishop Robert Rabbat

The sixth annual Bishop Joe Grech Memorial Colloquium has been held in Melbourne, at Australian Catholic University. This year, the Australian Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO) convened the Colloquium, in association with ACU.

Father Maurizio Pettena, Director of the ACMRO, introduced the speakers, His Eminence Bishop Robert Rabbat, the Eparch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church of Australia and New Zealand, Mr Bayram Aktepe, President of the Islamic Council of Victoria, and Scalabrian priest Father Fabbio Baggio, a dean and professor at the Pontifical University in Rome.

The theme for the 2016 Colloquium was ‘Ethics and Migration’, with the topic, ‘Christian-Muslim relations in a persecuted region and the impact on immigration.’ In his introductory remarks, Father Pettena reminded the audience that this week is the week leading up to the 102nd World Day for Migrants and Refugees on Sunday 28 August.

Pope Francis has chosen the theme for this year’s World Day: ‘migrants and refugees challenge us – the response of the gospel of mercy’. Justice without mercy, says Pope Francis, does not constitute true and lasting justice. Continue reading →

ACBC MediaBlog

Latest media releases and statements by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference