As the debate about ‘same-sex marriage’ gains momentum nationally, the Australian Catholic Bishops believe it is important to highlight the meaning of marriage.

Given the implications of redefining marriage, today we are issuing a pastoral letter to the Catholic community.

You will be aware this week, in the context of the Irish referendum, both the Labor Party and the Greens have announced they will introduce draft legislation to allow two people of the same sex to marry.

Marriage is both a personal relationship between a man and a woman, and the protective institution for their children. Marriage includes an emotional union, but it goes further than that. It involves a comprehensive bodily and spiritual union of a man and a woman. Continue reading →

Bishop Greg OKelly sj

Caritas Australia CEO, Paul O’Callaghan has welcomed the appointment of a new Chair of Caritas Australia, Bishop of Port Pirie, Bishop Greg O’Kelly SJ AM DD and Deputy Chair, Bishop Peter Stasiuk CSsR AM DD.

Bishop O’Kelly has also been appointed to the Chair of the Bishops Commission for Justice, Ecology and Development. From 2012-2015 Bishop O’Kelly was appointed Deputy Chair in the Commission overseeing the work of Caritas Australia.

“We are delighted that Bishop Greg is taking up the leadership of Caritas Australia. He brings a wealth of experience to his role and already has substantial knowledge of the work of Caritas,” Mr O’Callaghan said. Continue reading →

New Bishops Commission for Family, Youth and Life with Executive Secretary, Ms Alison Burt.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference voted to divide the capacity of the Bishops’ Commission for Pastoral Life by establishing a new commission for family, youth and life during their plenary meeting this week.

‘In order to reflect the growing importance of the Church’s care for youth, and support for marriage, as well as care for the lives of all especially the very young and elderly, the Bishops’ Commission for Pastoral Life has been divided, so that the new commission will give greater attention where it is needed most,’ said Archbishop Denis Hart, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. Continue reading →

The Bourke family with Bishop of Darwin Eugene Hurley

Hailing from the Diocese of Darwin in the Northern Territory, Matt and Cathy Bourke have been named as the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference official delegate couple at the 8^th World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia from 22-27 September 2015.

From St Martin de Porres Catholic Aboriginal Community, the Bourke family with their four children, three boys and one girl, will travel to Philadelphia as part of an Australian pilgrimage. Matt and Cathy Bourke have been active members of the Community for a number of years. Continue reading →

Dr Terry Wilson, Editor, Bishop Les Tomlinson, Australian Catholic Bishops’ Delegate for Employment Relations, and Tony Farley, Member of ACCER.

The Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations (ACCER) published a handbook today for Catholic employers and employees, entitled Good Works: the Catholic Church as an employer in Australia.

Australian Catholic Bishops Delegate for Employment Relations, Bishop Les Tomlinson, launched the book on Monday 11 May, 2015 during the bishops’ plenary meeting at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney.

The Catholic Church is one of Australia’s largest employers with over 180,000 employees spread across a range of dioceses, congregations and agencies, employing two percent of the Australian workforce. Continue reading →

New book, Tweet others as you wish to be tweeted

On Sunday 17 May parishes across Australia will celebrate World Communications Day, an annual celebration promoted by the Holy See.

This year, the theme is Communicating the Family: A privileged place of encounter with the gift of love, and a letter from the Holy Father Pope Francis focuses on communication within families and the work of the extraordinary Synod.

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference communications office has developed four new resources for use in parishes, including a new book about social media and its use.

Tweet others as you would wish to be tweeted: a Scripture-based guide to social media for the Church is written by Catholic journalist Beth Doherty. Continue reading →

Address by Archbishop Celli at the Australian Catholic Communications Congress

Photos by Fiona Basile, Media & Communications Office, Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.

Archbishop Celli delivering the keynote address
Photo credit: Fiona Basile

I would like to begin by saying how pleased I am to be with you for this very important Congress. Your theme – – takes us directly to one of the key challenges for the Church today. How are we to speak of Jesus, how are we to witness to his presence, in a world that is changing rapidly? Can we find the voice that will most effectively proclaim God’s word of love for all.

I would like to begin by saying how pleased I am to be with you for this very important Congress. Your theme – What is our voice? – takes us directly to one of the key challenges for the Church today. How are we to speak of Jesus, how are we to witness to his presence, in a world that is changing rapidly? Can we find the voice that will most effectively proclaim God’s word of love for all. Continue reading →

Photos by Fiona Basile, Media and Communications Office, Archdiocese of Melbourne

Communicators, journalists and multi-media experts from across Australia spent three days in North Sydney this week for the Australian Catholic Communications Congress from 4-6 May 2015. Held at the Rydges Hotel, a total of 172 delegates registered and attended the Congress.

The theme of the Congress was: What is our voice? ‘Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks’ (Mt 12:34). The Twitter hashtag #Whatisourvoice was used throughout the event to make comments, posts and photos on social media platforms. Continue reading →

Society fails its citizens where the economy does not generate sufficient employment and when government does not adequately intervene to promote job creation and maintain basic wages and income support, the Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council has said. Work has a dignity that comes from its threefold capacity: for individual and family fulfilment; for building up the community and for securing the wellbeing of future generations.

Issuing the annual Pastoral Letter for the Feast of St Joseph the Worker (1 May), Bishop Christopher Saunders said, ‘Australians who have enjoyed a stable career and worked hard at their job – even if it pays just enough to cover the bills, raise the children, and put a little away for retirement – will know the meaning of the dignity of work. We know there are many, however, who have not shared the benefits of over two decades of economic prosperity. Continue reading →

Archbishop Hart

President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Denis Hart expressed his deepest sympathies today to the families of Andrew Chan and Myurun Sukumaran following their executions in Indonesia last night. ‘Today, I assure both families that you are in my thoughts and prayers.’

The imposition of the death penalty doesn’t achieve what people think it achieves, Archbishop Hart said. ‘When it comes to crime and punishment, we must recognise and honour the human dignity of both victims and offenders.’ Continue reading →