Category Archives: Bishops

Church supporting family life with paid parental leave

Church supporting family life with paid parental leave The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference congratulates the Archdiocese of Chicago on its announcement on 19 May that it will offer its employees 12 weeks paid parental leave.

Since 23 September 2008, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has been offering its staff 14 weeks of paid parental leave. A key policy of the Church is supporting parents and creating a family friendly workplace.

In addition to any employer funded parental leave, Australia’s government paid parental leave scheme offers up to 18 weeks of parental leave paid at the national minimum wage.

The Archdiocese of Chicago is innovative in its entitlements given the fact that the United States government considers parental leave to be a benefit that an employer may or may not offer to its employees. Continue reading →

From wandering to journeying, thoughts on a Synodal Church

Fr Shane Mackinlay and Archbishop Mark Coleridge.

Fr Shane Mackinlay, Master of CTC and Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Vice-President of ACBC. Photo: Peter Byrne, Archdiocese of Melbourne.

From the time of his election, Pope Francis’ presence has invited the Church to move on in ways we didn’t quite see coming, Archbishop Mark Coleridge said as he delivered the Knox Public Lecture in Melbourne on 16 May 2016.

Hosted by the Catholic Theological College (CTC), a college of the University of Divinity, the Knox Public Lecture is given annually to honour the founder of CTC, James Robert Cardinal Knox, the fifth Archbishop of Melbourne.

‘This became still clearer when not long after his election he decided to convene not one but two Synods of Bishops on the theme of marriage and the family. We’d been having Synods for almost fifty years since the Council, but we’d never had two Synods twelve months apart like this. Continue reading →

Voice for the voiceless: A statement by the Catholic Bishops of Australia on the election

Election Statement title Australia’s Catholic bishops have called for the voices of the thrown-away people to be heard in the long federal election campaign. The bishops today issued a statement on the 2016 Federal Election, addressed to Catholics and all people of goodwill.

“During the long election campaign there will be much talk about the economy and the need for good economic management at a time of some uncertainty”, the Bishops said. “Both sides of politics will state their economic credentials in a bid to win power.

“The economy of course is important and there does need to be sound management. But, as Pope Francis has pointed out, there is also a danger that the economy can become a kind of false god to which even human beings have to be sacrificed. Continue reading →

Bishops welcome appointment of Ambassador to the Holy See

The bishops of Australia warmly welcome the appointment of Ms Melissa Hitchman as Australia’s next Ambassador to the Holy See in Rome.

The Hon Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs, made the announcement on 5 May last. Ms Hitchman is the third person to be appointed Ambassador following the appointment of the Hon Tim Fischer AC, who served in the role from 2009 to 2012. He was succeeded by John McCarthy KCSG, from 2012 to 2016.

President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Denis Hart said, ‘the bishops of Australia congratulated Ms Hitchman on her appointment and look forward to working with the new Ambassador who brings a wealth of experience to the role. 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 →

Mass of Christian Burial for Bishop Satterthwaite

St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore, 2 May 2016

HOMILY: Before I begin I would like to thank Monsignor John John Kallarakal, Counsellor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Canberra for his presence with us this morning, and for conveying on behalf of the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Yllana, a message of condolence from His Holiness Pope Francis. The message, forwarded by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, reads as follows:

“The Holy Father was saddened to learn of the death of the Most Reverend John Steven Satterthwaite, Bishop Emeritus of Lismore, and he sends his condolences to the priests, men and women religious, and all the lay faithful of the Diocese. Recalling with gratitude the late Prelate’s many years of service to God’s people, Pope Francis joins you and all present at the Funeral Rites in commending his soul to the tender mercy of our heavenly Father. To all who mourn Bishop Satterthwaite’s passing, the Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and strength in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State.” Continue reading →

Vale Emeritus Bishop of Bunbury, Myles McKeon

Bishop McKeon, centre. Photo Credit: The Record, Perth

With great sadness, I have to announce the death this morning, 2 May 2016, of Bishop Myles McKeon, the Second Bishop of Bunbury. He was 97 years of age.

Bishop McKeon served the Bunbury Diocese from 1969 with his resignation for reasons of health in 1982. Prior to this he was a priest of the Archdiocese of Perth from 1947 to 1962 when he was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Perth. He served in that role until his appointment to the Diocese of Bunbury.

Bishop McKeon is well remembered still as a kind and caring pastor. He was also one of the four Western Australian Bishops who collaborated for the founding of the Catholic Education Commission and the Catholic Institution of Western Australia, both of which were unique in the world of that time. Continue reading →

Bishop Satterthwaite RIP

Bishop John Satterthwaite

On Saturday 23 April, Bishop of Lismore, Geoffrey Jarrett, announced with sadness the news of the death of his immediate predecessor, the Emeritus Bishop of Lismore, John Steven Satterthwaite. The bishop died in Port Macquarie, NSW, in the south of the Diocese. He was 87 years of age.

Bishop Satterthwaite’s remains will be received into St Carthage’s Cathedral for a Vigil of Prayer on Sunday, 1 May 2016 at 6.30pm, prior to the Mass of Christian Burial on the following morning, Monday 2 May, 2016, at 10.30am.

Bishop Satterthwaite was born at Randwick in Sydney, on 11 August 1928. His primary education was at Ashford State School, and his secondary education was entrusted to the Marist Brothers at St Joseph’s College, Hunter’s Hill.

Having gained entrance to university, he enrolled in the faculty of Engineering, Civil Division, and took up residence at St John’s College, Sydney, in 1946. Academically brilliant he graduated in 1949 with a degree of Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Division), and thereafter was employed as a junior engineer with Australian Iron and Steel, Port Kembla. Continue reading →

ACBC MediaBlog

Latest media releases and statements by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference