Passing on the Faith Parish Kit This parish kit is presented as a resource to encourage ‘Parents Passing on the Faith’ in the family. It is designed for Sunday October 27th 2013, in solidarity with the ‘International Pilgrimage of Families to the Tomb of Peter’, led by Pope Francis as part of the Year of Faith.

However, the material could be used on any other Sunday appropriate for your parish. The kit includes:

A leaflet which can be easily copied and handed out at mass;
Bulletin clips;
Homily and liturgy notes for the 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C;
The Year of Faith helps to remind us of the joys and challenges in developing our own faith and passing it on to others. These materials focus particularly on the role of parents in passing on the faith to the home.

All resources are at www.acmfc.org.au

Media Release
17 September, 2013

‘The Joy of Faith’ is the theme of an ‘International Pilgrimage of Families with the Holy Father to the Tomb of Peter’. Convened by the Pontifical Council for the Family, it will be led by Pope Francis in Rome on October 26th to 27th.

In solidarity with the Rome pilgrimage, parishes around Australia have been sent a Parish Kit with the theme Passing on the Faith Parish Kit. It contains a handout with motivational suggestions for parents in their role as prime nurturers of the faith. The kit the work of the Australian Catholic Marriage and Family Council (ACMFC), an advisory body for the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life. Members of the ACMFC met in Sydney recently to discuss trends and issues in family life.

“The Rome Pilgrimage was just one of a wide number of many activities discussed”, commented Chair Couple, Ron and Mavis Pirola. “There are many difficulties facing families today and these need to be addressed. But it is important not to lose sight of the joy of faith and family. Joy is an important part of the evangelising role of the family.” Continue reading →

12th September 2013

Dear People of God in the Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn,

You have been waiting patiently for the Holy Father to send you a new Archbishop. Your beloved Archbishop Mark Coleridge was transferred to the Archdiocese of Brisbane about 18 months ago. Thank you for your prayerful watchfulness and intercession.

To my great surprise, His Holiness, Pope Francis, has appointed me as your Archbishop of Canberra & Goulburn. I thank the Holy Father for his trust and confidence in me to be your new Archbishop.

Totally relying on the Lord Jesus’ grace and mercy, I accept humbly and wholeheartedly this appointment.

It happens in the Year of Faith. May this appointment be seen as a way of strengthening our faith in Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.

I come to you as a simple pilgrim in Christ. We are largely unknown to each other. Yet, already we know each other in a certain way by the bonds that unite us together in our Catholic faith. We have much time ahead to “encourage one other and build up each other” (1Thess.5/11). Continue reading →

Media Release, 12 September, 2013

The Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn has a new Archbishop.

Bishop Christopher Prowse, of Sale, will be installed as the Archdiocese’s seventh Archbishop at St Christopher’s Cathedral in Canberra on Tuesday, 19 November.

On behalf of the clergy, religious and lay faithful of the Archdiocese, Archdiocesan Administrator Mgr John Woods welcomed the appointment by Pope Francis with “joy and gratitude to God”.

“We pray for Archbishop-Elect Christopher Prowse as we look forward to his installation,” he said. “May his pastoral ministry in Christ’s name engage all the faithful of the Archdiocese, other Christians, adherents to other religions and all people of good will.”

Bishop Prowse, who will turn 60 only days before his installation, has been Bishop of Sale since mid-2009.

Ordained to the priesthood in August 1980, he served in a number of parishes around Melbourne before he was ordained Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne in May 2003.

He was elected to the permanent committee of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in May this year and chairs the Bishops’ Commission for Ecumenism and Inter-religious Relations.

Born in East Melbourne, the third of six children, Bishop Prowse was educated at St Francis Xavier Primary School and was captain of St Leo’s College in Box Hill. After attaining degrees in arts and theology, he completed a doctorate of moral theology.

His father, Frank, played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League and Bishop Prowse remains a Hawks supporter.

The Archbishop-Elect will be available to the media on Friday, 13 September. 12 noon, outside the CatholicCare office, 42 Canberra Avenue, Manuka.

For further details, contact Fiona van der Plaat on 0412-282256.

ACBC President welcomes appointment of new Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn

President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Archbishop Denis Hart has warmly welcomed the appointment by the Holy Father Pope Francis of Bishop Christopher Prowse as the Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn.

“I join the bishops, priests and people of Australia to warmly welcome the appointment of Archbishop Christopher Prowse as Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn.

“After distinguished service in Melbourne as pastor, lecturer, vicar general and auxiliary bishop he has always shown compassionate and gifted service which has continued in his leadership of the diocese of Sale since 2009, and in his service of the universal Church”, said Archbishop Hart.

Bishop Christopher Prowse is currently the Bishop of Sale in Victoria. He was ordained a priest by Archbishop Sir Frank Little for the Archdiocese of Melbourne on 16 August 1980.

From 1999 he was media spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Melbourne and was appointed Vicar General in 2001.

On 4 April, 2003, he was named by Pope John Paul II Titular Bishop of Bahanna and consecrated as an Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne at St Patrick’s Cathedral on 19 May, 2003.

Archbishop-Elect has a doctorate in moral theology.

“Our prayers and wishes accompany him with esteem as he prepares to take up his new appointment”, said Archbishop Hart.

For media enquiries, please contact Beth Doherty on 0407 081 256 or media@catholic.org.au

Media Release, 11 September, 2013

Author and social commentator John Menadue AO launched the Australian Catholic Bishops’ 2013–2014 Social Justice Statement on Wednesday 11th September. The respondent was Helen Forde, Acting CEO of Caritas Australia. The launch took place at 11.00 am on Wednesday 11th September at the Australian Catholic University’s Leone Ryan Auditorium, 40 Edward Street, North Sydney.

The title of the Statement is Lazarus at Our Gate: A critical moment in the fight against world poverty. The Statement calls on the Australian Government to stand in solidarity with our neighbours around the world by renewing the commitment to address global poverty.

Bishop Christopher Saunders, Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, said, “Australia has a new government. Australia has taken a seat on the United Nations Security Council. And next year, Australia will host the G-20 economic summit in Brisbane. Our nation has a historic opportunity to be a force for peace and generosity in the global response to poverty. Continue reading →

The following videos are of the 3rd annual Migrant and Refugee Colloquium held in honour of Bishop Joseph Angelo Grech. This video includes a welcome to country; introduction by Sandie Cornish and a short address by Fr Maurizio Pettena CS.

The colloquium was held to honour Bishop Joe Grech, who was a steadfast supporter of migrants and refugees until his untimely death in 2010.

With a particular focus on the Catholic Church’s commitment to refugees and asylum seekers, each speaker brought his own personal experience to bear in their addresses.

INTRODUCTION
http://youtu.be/pnM0i02I_N0

His Excellency Archbishop Paul Gallagher | Apostolic Nuncio to Australia
http://youtu.be/SbYyr1AzCNA

The Honourable Tim Fischer | Former Deputy Prime Minister | Former Australian Ambassador to the Holy See
http://youtu.be/IuMb_t36iB0

Bishop Gerard Hanna | Bishop of Wagga Wagga | Bishops Delegate for Migrants and Refugees
http://youtu.be/jhcIaca_uLQ

Media Release, September 5, 2013.

Caritas Australia, the Catholic Church’s international aid and development agency, has expressed deep disappointment and concern over the proposed Coalition plan to cut $4.5 billion from Australia’s foreign aid program over the next four years.

This is the latest blow to Australia’s foreign aid program, which has experienced a string of cuts, diversions and delays over the past two years.

“Australian politicians continue to treat life-saving overseas aid dollars like a blank cheque to help balance the books for domestic policies,” said Caritas Australia Acting CEO Helen Forde.

“Australian foreign aid saves lives. It is not a treasure chest to be raided to help make domestic savings when politicians feel like it.

“We are extremely disappointed at this announcement, particularly given that it’s come at a symbolic time as Australia has taken over the presidency of the UN Security Council.” Continue reading →

Media Release
Saturday 7, September 2013

Catholics are being urged to join Pope Francis today for a day of prayer and fasting for peace in Syria, in the Middle East and throughout the whole world.

President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Denis Hart, said Australia’s Catholic bishops are joining the Pope’s call, with dioceses and parishes across Australia organising to pray with the Pope over the weekend.

“Australians have been very concerned to see the civil war in Syria develop over the past year and a half to a point where it appears poisonous gas may have been used in a chemical attack last month,” said Archbishop Hart.

“There can be no justification for the use of poisonous gas.

“More than six million Syrians are now refugees in neighbouring countries, fleeing the fighting.

“Australia has a special role as president of the United Nations Security Council, to help try to find a way to end the armed conflict.

“We need to pray for the more than 100,000 Syrians who have been killed in this conflict. We need to pray for the maimed, the homeless and the destitute. We need to pray for the armed groups in this conflict, that they can negotiate a peaceful settlement. And we also need to pray for the members of the United Nations Security Council, that they act with wisdom. Continue reading →

Media Release, 4 September, 2013

As leaders of Christian Churches in the ACT we reject the current government policy on the processing of asylum seekers who arrive by boat. Furthermore we reject the asylum seeker policies of both the major political parties.

Current asylum seeker policies for boat arrivals and those proposed by both major parties are unjust, inhumane and a selective, questionable application of Australia’s commitment to the UN Refugee Convention.

As leaders of faith communities who profess to follow the way of Jesus of Nazareth, we call on all candidates in the forthcoming election to reject the current inhumane policies and to embrace policies that protect the human rights of each and every person who seeks asylum in Australia, regardless of the means they use to arrive in Australia.

We call on all political candidates in the forthcoming election to embrace compassionate asylum seeker policies, to fully support Australia’s obligations to the UN Refugee Convention, to permit the processing of asylum seekers on the Australian mainland however they arrive, to expedite as soon as practical the processing of asylum seeker’s claims, to ensure legal advice is available to all asylum seekers who require it, to ensure that no children spend time in detention and to offer successful claimants of asylum permanent residency in Australia.
Continue reading →