Author Archives: ACBC Communications

To the ends of the earth

Bishop of Toowoomba, Robert McGuckin

On Sunday 8 May, Bishop Robert McGuckin celebrated Mass in St Mary MacKillop Chapel, North Sydney, with his brother bishops during the plenary meeting of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

Below is the homily Bishop McGuckin preached celebrating the Feast of the Ascension and World Communications Sunday.

A number of times in the past weeks we have heard Jesus telling his followers that He was going to the Father and the Holy Spirit would come upon them.

The followers of Jesus, we are told in the Acts of the Apostles, would be his witnesses throughout Judea and Samaria and indeed to the ends of the earth.

Some years ago I was at an overseas conference, where the President of one of the Pontifical Councils, the Venezuelan Cardinal, Castillo Lara, gave a wonderful address on the spirit of law empowering all of us to engage in ministry and be involved in ministry. Afterwards I suggested to him that he should also come to Australia and deliver the same message. In a very delightful way he said to me, but Australia it is the end of the earth. (He very much meant this in a geographical manner, from where he usually resided in Rome). Continue reading →

New publication to assist Latin clergy

How do the Eastern Catholic Churches in Australia differ from the Latin Catholic Church and where do they exist?

These are just some of the questions addressed in a new publication about the Eastern Catholic Churches in Australia.

A simple 15-page booklet has been produced to assist priests and deacons of the Latin Catholic Church in their parish pastoral ministry.

As a result of religious persecution, war and political unrest, there has been an unprecedented emigration of Eastern Catholics from their countries of origin.

This has created a situation globally where Eastern Churches have become a minority group struggling to maintain their faith and traditions.

The twenty-three Eastern Catholic autonomous Churches are bound by The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

The document was prepared by Bishop Robert McGuckin, Chairman of the Bishops Commission for Canon Law and Professor Ian Waters, Senior Lecturer in Moral Theology and Canon Law at the Catholic Theological College, University of Divinity, Melbourne.

Beginning with some historical background about the term Eastern Churches and the notion and nature of a Church and a Rite, the booklet uses simple language to describe the similarities and differences between the Eastern and Latin rites.

‘Eastern Churches refers to the Churches that developed in the eastern half of the Roman Empire, and those outside the Empire dependent on them.’

‘Some (but not all) non-Catholic Eastern Churches are called Orthodox Churches.’

‘The Eastern or Oriental Churches are not a strict unity, but a number of individual Churches.’

The publication includes a section on the pastoral care of Eastern Catholics in Australia; for those who have an eparchy established, for those who have no eparchy but there is a priest present from an Eastern Church and for those who don’t have a bishop or priest present from their Eastern Church.

Guidance about ‘sacramental interecclesial legislation’ is also provided along with the instruction that no distinction is to be made between Latin Catholic children and Eastern Catholic children when considering entry into Latin Catholic Parish Schools.

The booklet can be download from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference website.

Elections to the ACBC Permanent Committee

Archbishop Hart, President of ACBC

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference elected the following members to the Permanent Committee during the plenary meeting at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney today.

Archbishop Denis Hart – elected President

Archbishop Mark Coleridge – elected Vice-President

Archbishop Christopher Prowse

Archbishop Anthony Fisher

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe

Archbishop Philip Wilson

Bishop Eugene Hurley

Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen ofm conv

Bishop Vincent Long Appointed Bishop of Parramatta

Most Reverend Vincent Long Van Nguyen

Pope Francis has announced today the appointment as the fourth Bishop of Parramatta, the Most Reverend Vincent Long Van Nguyen, O.F.M. Conv., who has been until now an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne.

Archbishop Denis Hart, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference welcomed the appointment, ‘after distinguished leadership in the Conventual Franciscans, Bishop Vincent Long van Nguyen has been Auxiliary Bishop in Melbourne since 2011, working as a gifted and compassionate pastor, Episcopal Vicar and Chair of the Victorian Catholic Education Commission’.

‘We joyfully welcome his appointment as Bishop of Parramatta, knowing that his Christ-like gifts and simplicity will serve the people of his new diocese so well.’

‘I feel a sense of responsibility and honour to be appointed to the Diocese of Parramatta. I accepted the appointment by Pope Francis with humility,’ Bishop Long said following the announcement. Continue reading →

Detention and the Human Person

I would like to begin by expressing my sincere condolences to the friends and family of Omid Masoumali, in particular his wife, after his tragic death on Friday 29 April, writes Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office.

It is of particular concern that, only days later a second person, a young Somali woman by the name of Hodan Yasin, set herself alight on Monday 2 May after being returned from Australia to Nauru. She is now in a critical condition in a Brisbane Hospital.

This is the second occurrence of self-immolation in as many days. We have been exposed to the extreme end to which the hopelessness of detention can lead to. It is becoming more and more clear that the mental health of those left in limbo as a result of ongoing detention and a lack of resolution as to their immigration status is deteriorating at an alarming rate.

It is my concern that the dignity of the human person is increasingly lowered among the priorities when discussing policy around refugees and asylum seekers. At a time where mental health is more and more at the forefront of the psyche of our communities, it is alarming that people placed in the ‘care’ of Australia in places of detention are left to spiral into hopelessness. Continue reading →

50th World Communications Day opportunity for parishes to speak out

The ACBC World Communications Day initiative to gather ‘grassroots’ stories of compassion and mercy from around Australia is an opportunity for ordinary Catholics and child abuse survivors to speak directly to the Church leadership.

As part of the 50th World Communications Day, the Australian Catholic Media Council is inviting each diocese to share local stories about ‘Communication and Mercy’.

The CEO of the Catholic Church’s Truth Justice and Healing Council, Mr Francis Sullivan, said the initiative could be of huge benefit to the church leadership as it hears directly from the people in the pews about their reactions to the Royal Commission and what they have seen and heard about the way the church leadership is responding.

‘One of the big challenges for us now is to find the language and the way in which we can communicate the very significant changes that have taken place within the Church over the past years to protect children and help survivors. Continue reading →

Tax cuts to the rich and service cuts to the rest

In responding to the Federal Budget, Marcelle Mogg, Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) CEO said:

“Vulnerable Australians have again been overlooked in this third Federal Budget from the Coalition Government. The 2016-17 Budget provides tax cuts to the rich and service cuts to the rest. This Budget has given tax relief to those earning over $80K. This measure will cost $4 billion which could have been spent on investment in families and communities.”

“Australia has an estimated 600,000 children living in poverty and this Budget offers them little hope. If the Government invested in these children’s families directly they could have secured the future of the children and stimulated the economy.”

“For the third year running, this government offers nothing to those who are homeless or experiencing significant housing stress. Securing the basics in life – a house, an education, and health care – are increasingly beyond the means of average Australians, and impossible for those on low incomes. The successive failure of this government to address Australia’s housing crisis, rental affordability and rising homelessness is a disgrace. A long term strategy and binding agreement between the Commonwealth and States and Territories is needed to ensure all people have a home.” Continue reading →

Aid cuts signal shift to an insular Australia

Caritas Australia (CA) has expressed deep disappointment in this year’s federal budget, specifically the decision to cut even deeper into an already diminished Australian official aid program.

The cut of an additional $224m is the third successive cut by this government and has reduced Australia to its least generous role among OECD countries in 40 years.

Caritas Australia CEO, Paul O’Callaghan said that Australia has had a prominent and bipartisan record of strong support for economic improvement and poverty alleviation, both in our immediate region and beyond.

“Together with Australia’s outstanding contribution through peace-keeping missions, this aid and development role over many decades led to Australia being regarded as a significant leader and middle power,” Mr O’Callaghan said. Continue reading →

Communicating the Power of Mercy

Celebrating the 50^th World Communications Day, the Australian Catholic Media Council is launching a grassroots initiative by inviting each diocese to share local stories about ‘Communication and Mercy’.

This year, Pope Francis has chosen the theme ‘Communication and Mercy’ and invites us all to reflect on this relationship.

Launching the initiative ahead of World Communications Day, celebrated on Sunday 8 May 2016, Bishop Peter Comensoli, Bishops Delegate for Media, said, ‘The stories will celebrate the local heroes in our parishes – the agents of mercy and compassion in our midst – and encourage further local engagement and inspiration by using the hashtag #Thepowerofmercy’.

The initiative will run from World Communications Day, Sunday 8 May 2016, until the conclusion of the Year of Mercy on Sunday 20 November 2016. The stories will be told in print, broadcast or digital media platforms and will be published on the Bishops Conference website: Worldcommunicationsday.org.au Continue reading →

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