Media Release 11 Jan, 2014

The Holy Father Pope Francis has today announced the erection of a new Eparchy to serve the growing Syro-Malabar Church throughout Australia.

Thousands of Syro-Malabar Catholics, primarily from the South of India, worship in Dioceses across Australia, and a growing number of priests from this tradition are serving in Australian parishes.

The first Eparch for the Eparchy of St Thomas the Apostle of Melbourne is the Most Reverend Bosco Puthur.

Bishop Puthur is also named Apostolic Visitor for the Syro-Malabar faithful resident in New Zealand.

Bishop Puthur was born in 1946 in Parappur, India. He has a Licentiate in philosophy and studied at the Pontifical College Propaganda Fide in Rome, where he gained a Licentiate and Doctorate. He speaks English, Malayalam and Italian. Continue reading →

Media Release, 19 December, 2013

In the spirit of Christmas, the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office encourages the Australian people to look upon asylum seekers with compassion and mercy.

“Whilst policy is becoming more restrictive and punitive, we ought not lose sight of the fact that on the boats there are people” said Bishop Gerard Hanna, Australian Catholic Bishops Delegate for Migrants and Refugees.

“When people turn up unexpectedly, or when people are despised, we honour their humanity; for they are human persons made in the image of God” said Bishop Hanna.

“At Christmas, our eyes and our hearts gaze upon Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. The Gospel story tells us that they sought refuge in a manger because there was no room for them at the inn (Lk 2:8)” he said.

“Many asylum seekers now live in our community without work rights and receive merely 89 per cent of any relevant government benefits forcing them to live below the poverty line. They live precariously with no possibility to be reunited with their family and are prevented from making an application for any permanent visa or to undertake refugee status determination” said Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of ACMRO.

“This year over 6000 asylum seekers will spend Christmas in immigration detention facilities” said Fr Pettenà “It is part of the mission of Christ’s faithful to ensure no one is excluded from the community (cf. EG 59).” Continue reading →

Photo from ACNC website

Caritas Australia, the Catholic Church’s International Aid and Development agency has a new CEO at the helm. It is Paul O’Callaghan, who brings enormous experience in foreign aid and development, social and disability services and the Catholic sector to his leadership role.

Mr O’Callaghan has held senior leadership roles in the not-for-profit sector and in the Department of Foreign Affairs, including time as High Commissioner in Samoa and as the Australian Representative to the South Pacific Regional Environment Program. He also had diplomatic assignments in Malaysia and Thailand.

He is looking forward to 2014, when Caritas celebrates 50 years of work, living out God’s vision for a just and compassionate world. Continue reading →

Much of what we know about the Catholic Church in Australia today is a result of the work the Pastoral Research Office (PRO) has done over the years.

The Beliefs and Practices of Australian Catholics Conference and the Parish Workshop Day will explore the issues that matter to all Australian Catholics. It will look at the research results and consider what they mean and how we need to respond.

This Conference will take place from: Wednesday evening 19 February to Friday afternoon 21 February. Continue reading →

The Catholic Church in Australia, in its submissions to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and in its communications with both the Catholic and broader communities has made the following commitment:

The leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia recognise and acknowledge the devastating harm caused
to people by the crime of child sexual abuse. We take this opportunity to state:

1 Sexual abuse of a child by a priest or religious is a crime under Australian law and under canon
law.

2 Sexual abuse of a child by any Church personnel, whenever it occurred, was then and is now indefensible.

3 That such abuse has occurred at all, and the extent to which it has occurred, are facts of which the whole Church in Australia is deeply ashamed.

4 The Church fully and unreservedly acknowledges the devastating, deep and ongoing impact of sexual abuse on the lives of the victims and their families.

5 The Church acknowledges that many victims were not believed when they should have been.

6 The Church is also ashamed to acknowledge that, in some cases, those in positions of authority concealed or covered up what they knew of the facts, moved perpetrators to another place, thereby enabling them to offend again, or failed to report matters to the police when they should have. That behaviour too is indefensible.

7 Too often in the past it is clear some Church leaders gave too high a priority to protecting the reputation of the Church, its priests, religious and other personnel, over the protection of children and their families, and over compassion and concern for those who suffered at the hands of Church personnel. That too was and is inexcusable.

8 In such ways, Church leaders betrayed the trust of their own people and the expectations of the wider community.

9 For all these things the Church is deeply sorry. It apologises to all those who have been harmed and betrayed. It humbly asks for forgiveness.

The leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia commit ourselves to endeavour to repair the wrongs of the past, to listen to and hear victims, to put their needs first, and to do everything we can to ensure a safer future for children.

First published in the Truth Justice and Healing Council’s Towards Healing submission to Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, September 2013

Media Release, December 2, 2013

The International Day of People with Disability is celebrated on 3 December each year. The 2013 theme is: “Break barriers and open doors: to realise an inclusive society for all!”

Bishop Terence Brady, the Australian Bishops Delegate for Disability Issues, said that our society is emerging from a long era when most people with disability had been excluded and forced to live separately from others.

“This type of exclusion meant that people were only known in those settings and it led to communities being developed without the participation of people with disability.”

“What is best is that communities engage all members in the giving, the receiving and the building up of a community. This is liberating”, he said.

Michele Castagna OAM, Chair of the Australian Catholic Disability Council, said that people with disability within our parish communities say that the old belief of them being the ‘weak’ members of the community or the ‘suffering ones’ does not acknowledge their abilities and desire to participate.

“Their strength is diminished when they are not affirmed as equal. Barriers can be liberated by discussion, learning and genuine relationships.”

“The Church has taken this day as an opportunity to encourage a truly pastoral view that embraces our total community as the living Body of Christ. The day is observed annually and coincides with the beginning of Advent.”

A spirit of Christian hospitality urges parishes to invite people with disability to participate as fully as they wish. It demands a willingness to change or adapt whatever is necessary to ensure that all feel welcome and that each person can live up to their own hopes and expectations.

Disability Projects Officer for the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Patricia Mowbray OAM, says that faith communities through Baptism must include all members.

“We all have a gift to share in service of the Body of Christ, and the Body is only “whole” when all of its members have a part to play.”

A newly developed resource page is available at catholic.org.au/disability. Resources include liturgy notes and tips for celebrating International Day, prayer cards, as well as three videos that can be used as prayer reflections.

For media enquiries or to arrange an interview with Patricia Mowbray, please contact Beth Doherty on 0407 081 256.

Media Release, 27 November, 2013

Since his election, Pope Francis has surprised and refreshed the Church and the world in many ways. He has done it again with the publication of the first text which is definitely his own, the Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium. The Australian Catholic Bishops welcome its publication and thank the Holy Father for the gift which he has given the Church.

His first Encyclical Letter Lumen Fidei was, as he said, “The work of four hands”. In it, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis spoke with a single voice. But now Pope Francis speaks with a voice that is very direct and very personal. He gathers up the work of the Synod on the New Evangelisation, and the voice of the universal Church is heard in what he writes. But it is also the voice of Francis that we hear unmistakeably.

The Bishops not only recommend this very readable document to all people, but will do all we can to ensure that its teaching is widely known. The document is long; there are many words. But it is geared essentially to action. That is why the Bishops are keen for it to be known as widely as possible. We need action – in our own lives, in the Church and in society as a whole. Continue reading →

Media Release, 26 November, 2013

The Joy of the Gospel for Australians – Reflections on Pope Francis’ first Apostolic Exhortation from leaders of the Church

“The joy of the Gospel is for all people: no one can be excluded.” (EG23)

Challenging all Christians to joyfully share Christ’s love with others is the essence of Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Pope Francis’ first Apostolic Exhortation. Released only hours ago, the conversational teaching document guides and shapes evangelisation and provides “practical implications for the Church’s mission today” (EG18).

Incorporating the Synod on New Evangelisation and his Latin American roots, Pope Francis welcomes all those who “no longer experience the consolation born of faith” and recognises all who express their commitment and beliefs in different ways. “We need to move from a pastoral ministry of mere conservation to a decidedly missionary pastoral ministry” (EG15).

Catholic Mission and Catholic Religious Australia’s Mission Network have partnered to address the opportunities and challenges Evangelii Gaudium presents to Australians living and leading mission across ministries. They have brought together 12 Catholic Australian leaders from multiple sectors to contribute their reflections and will publish these in a book, scheduled for release in mid-December 2013.
Divine Word Missionaries Provincial, Fr Tim Norton SVD is one of the contributors and writes: “This is an exciting opportunity to reflect and respond to Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation, particularly in an Australian context. Some of the challenges before us, especially in multi-cultural Australian parishes, are uniquely ours and the Pope’s message is a clear guide to how we can proceed in a wholesome, life giving way that encompasses everyone.”

The book is only the first step planned in bringing the document to life and assisting Australians in making Pope Francis’ words realised. The start of the 2014 new year will see one day colloquiums held across the country, inviting participants not only to learn from the document, but also to implement its teachings in their lives. Additionally, a national conference will bring the country together for a multi-sector dialogue on mission and evangelisation in May 2015.

Catholic Mission’s National Director Martin Teulan is enthusiastic about the project and the opportunities it will provide Australians to reflect on their role in mission and evangelisation. “The Pope’s enthusiasm is infectious and we greatly appreciate the opportunity to share and contribute to this timely document. Pope Francis’ message is clear: “An evangelising community gets involved…Throughout the world, let us be in a permanent state of mission.” (EG24,25).”

For more information and all media enquiries, please contact Mr Martin Teulan on 02 9919 7800 or 0408 867 046.

By Francis Sullivan

This week I have written to the Attorneys-General of the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments on behalf of the Truth Justice and Healing Council (TJHC) asking them to consider a national compensation scheme for the victims of child sexual abuse.

The proposal for a national scheme was outlined in our September submission to the Royal Commission on Towards Healing.

Last week, the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Organisations released its report, Betrayal of Trust. Continue reading →