Media Release from ACU, 9 May, 2013

A rare collection of Indigenous art from the Warmun community in the East Kimberley, featuring precious works from some of Australia’s best-known Indigenous artists, will be exhibited in the McGlade Gallery at Australian Catholic University’s Strathfield campus in May.

George Mung Mung’s famous Mary of Warmun wood carving is the star attraction of the exhibition, titled Gifts of the Artists. The works include spectacular paintings and landscapes, as well as striking sculptures and digging sticks. It is a very significant collection of early Warmun art that highlights the crossover between the cultural folklore of the Gija people and Catholic teachings which they have melded into their own unique spiritual tradition. Continue reading →

Media Release, May 9, 2013

Mr Francis Sullivan, CEO of the Catholic Church’s Truth Justice and Council, has today said the NSW Government should reconsider its reported changes to the State’s victims of crime compensation scheme.

According to reports, the NSW Victims Rights and Support Bill, proposes a statute of limitations for people claiming compensation for violence including child abuse or sexual assault.

Applications must be made within 10 years of the act or, if the victim was a child when it occurred, within 10 years after they turn 18.

“The changes that are being reported, including a statute of limitation on reporting sexual abuse would not be in the best interest of past, and for that matter, future victims of child sexual assault,” Mr Sullivan said.

“For many reasons victims of childhood sexual abuse often don’t report the crimes for many years.

“To limit the disclosure period at all seems like an inappropriate way to encourage victims to come forward,” Mr Sullivan said.

“Despite the Church attempting to settle claims to avoid the added trauma of court for victims we don’t think any law reform restricting access to compensation is in the best interest of victims of child sexual abuse. Continue reading →

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Communications Office has released an eBook and parish resource to coincide with the celebration of the 47th World Communications Day, which takes place in Australia on Sunday, May 5.

Bishops’ Delegate for the Media and Chair of the Australian Catholic Media Council Bishop Peter Ingham said that this unique project is a real testimony to the way in which Social Networks can be used for the greater glory of God.

“Each contribution to this eBook is a specific example of those who, often unconsciously, have become online missionaries, spreading the Gospel in the new “Areopagus” (public square) that is now something of a digital continent.”

“Like the Holy Father says in his World Communications Day Message: “In social networks, believers show their authenticity by sharing the profound source of their hope and joy: faith in the merciful and loving God revealed in Christ Jesus”.

The eBook and Parish Resource are available by clicking below options. ePub version can be read on iBooks, Amazon Kindle, and Android Devices. The PDF can be read on a PC or Mac desktop computer.

World Communications Day Kit:

eBook: epub version:

eBook: pdf version:

Media Statement from Australian Young Christian Students

Australia is facing a crisis against children our age.

1000 children are without proper access to education

1000 children are being imprisoned.

1000 children are without their basic human rights, outlined in the Conventions Of The Rights Of The Child, a UN document Australia signed in 2000.

1000 children are currently being held in immigration detention in Australia and just off our coast.

As a high school student of Australia, I find this totally unacceptable.

YCS is standing with Catholic Mission, Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, Uniting Justice, Catholic Religious Australia and Chilout collectively in the Coalition- End Child Detention Australia- to show solidarity with those facing immigration detention. This May, we are all inviting you to undertake a ‘Detention4Detention’ doing a voluntary lunchtime detention with other high school students all around Australia to provide asylum seekers with a message of hope, and a welcome to our country. We will be asking students to take action by signing a petition and taking photos in support. Continue reading →

Media Release, 2 May 2013

Family members of Bishop William Murray were joined by Bishop Peter Ingham (Bishop of Wollongong), Cardinal George Pell (Archbishop of Sydney), Archbishop Denis Hart (Archbishop of Melbourne and President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference), other archbishops and bishops, many clergy and about 500 parishioners at St Francis Xavier Cathedral, Wollongong, yesterday (1 May) for a Mass of Christian Burial for the late Bishop William Murray (Bishop Emeritus of Wollongong).

In his homily, Bishop Ingham paid tribute to Bishop Murray’s contribution to the life and development of the Diocese of Wollongong over 21 years, particularly his foresight in relation to the development of parishes and schools, the establishment of CatholicCare and the setting up of the Catholic Education Office.

Bishop Ingham said, “Today we celebrate the birth into eternal life of Bishop William Edward Murray, a member of a large extended family, a parish priest, seminary rector and the second Bishop of Wollongong. He came to a multi-cultural, urban and semi-rural part of Australia that was growing and developing and still is.

“In many ways the Bishop’s death has been a happy release after suffering a debilitating stroke that robbed him of his mobility and of his ability to communicate easily some six years ago… Yet to those who knew Bishop Murray well, and to his family particularly, his passing strikes a chord of pain and separation with which the reality of death confronts all of us.” Continue reading →

Remembering Darfur Photo Gallery

“Darfur is seemingly a forgotten crisis. But we must not forget the ongoing suffering of so many Darfuris; they still need our support.”Jack de Groot, CEO, Caritas Australia.

This year marks ten years of war in Sudan’s Darfur region.

Since 2004 Caritas Australia and our international partners have been helping Darfuris in refugee camps, providing clean water, nutrition, health services, education and skills training.

To mark our tenth year in Darfur, we have released a photo gallery with images of our work and the people we have helped with your support.

Ten years on, Darfur has become one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. We must not forget the Darfuris; they still need our prayers and support.

View our photo gallery A Decade in Darfur »»

Pastoral Letter from the Australian Catholic Social justice Council on the feast of St Joseph the Worker

Fifty years ago, Pope John XXIII issued his last social encyclical Peace on Earth. The scope of his call for world peace was wide-ranging – encompassing all aspects of society, from the relationships between individual citizens to the interaction of nation states on the world stage.

Pope John provided a blueprint for a peaceful society based on the human rights of each citizen and the good of society as a whole. He emphasised the primary responsibility of governments to ensure the ‘right to live’ through entitlement to ‘the means necessary for the proper development of life, particularly food, clothing, shelter, medical care, rest, and finally, the necessary social services’. The standard of governance could be judged in terms of the support offered when people faced crises like ill health, disability, enforced unemployment and deprivation. Continue reading →

Media Release, 30 April, 2013

There’s no doubt that mothers around the globe help make the world a better place to live.

This Mother’s Day, Caritas Australia, the Catholic Church’s international aid and development agency, is offering the opportunity to help change women’s lives around the world by giving the Global Gift of Healthcare.

Caritas Global Gifts are an easy way to make giving meaningful and at the same time help vulnerable communities.

When you purchase a Global Gift card for Mother’s Day via the Caritas website, you can choose from one of six gifts ranging from $10 to $200. This card explains to your mother how a donation has been made on her behalf.

The money goes towards funding Caritas Australia’s partners in nearly 200 programs in over 30 countries around the world, which focus on the most vulnerable including, women and mothers. Continue reading →

Media Release, 28 April, 2013

Bishop Joseph O’Connell, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Melbourne has died at Caritas Christi Hospice, Kew on Saturday 27 April 2013. He was 81.

In 1949 Bishop O’Connell commenced studies for teaching, but at the beginning of 1950 he entered Corpus Christi College Werribee to study for the priesthood and was ordained by Archbishop Justin Simonds in St Patrick’s Cathedral on 28th July 1957.

Bishop O’Connell obtained a doctorate in Canon Law in July 1961 from the Gregorian University, and lived at St Peter’s College in Rome while studying.

He worked in the parishes of West Melbourne and Yarraville, combining this with work in the Archdiocesan Tribunal, becoming Vice Officialis on 13 November 1968.
He was named Auxiliary bishop by Pope Paul VI on 12 February 1976, being consecrated by Archbishop Frank Little on 31 March of that year.

Archbishop Denis Hart, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said that Bishop O’Connell’s contribution to Canon Law and a care for migrants will be among the things he will be remembered for.

“His contribution to jurisprudence and tribunal practice has long been esteemed. As Episcopal Vicar for Religious from 17 March 1969 he provided much assistance”, he said. Continue reading →

Media Release, 24 April, 2013

We are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Ross Fox as the Executive Director of the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC). Mr Fox, at present Director of Policy, Research and Communications with the Catholic Education Office, Melbourne, will take up his NCEC appointment in Canberra on 1 July 2013.

Ross was educated at UNSW (Bachelor of Engineering, First Class Honours) and Oxford (Honours MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics). He has a depth and range of practical and consultancy experience in a diversity of situations – from McKinsey & Company in Sydney to a remote Indigenous community in WA to a senior executive policy position in the Melbourne Catholic Education Office. He has also worked in industry and as a political and school education advisor and negotiator at state and federal level along the way. He is active in local parish life and has a strong practical faith commitment. Continue reading →