Faith leaders gathered at Parliament House, Canberra on 2 December 2015

Faith leaders met in Parliament House on Wednesday, 2 December 2015, as part of the Australian Freedom Network campaign against #slavery.

Details about the campaign are available online: www.afn.org.au

Fr Brian Lucas signed the Joint Declaration of Religious Leaders Against Modern Slavery on behalf of Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, President, Archbishop Denis Hart.

Fr Brian made special acknowledgement of the presence and work of the sisters of Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans.

The event was hosted by the Salvation Army. Two women, who were victims of trafficking in Australia, spoke about their experiences and pain. 

A number of politicians addressed the meeting including, The Hon Julie Bishop MP, Foreign Minister, and The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP, Deputy Leader of the Labor Party.

The meeting was also addressed by the head of the Global Freedom Network, Andrew (Twiggy) Forrest.

Official Year of Mercy logo

Lord Jesus Christ, you have taught us to be merciful like the heavenly Father, and have told us that whoever sees you sees Him. Show us your face and we will be saved.

(L-R) Festival MCs, Caitlin Brown (Adelaide), Joshua Rajasingam (Melbourne) and Holly Roberts (Adelaide).

Travelling from dioceses across Australia, around 3,000 young people arrived in Adelaide overnight by air, rail and road to celebrate a three-day faith filled festival.

The Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) takes place from Thursday 3 December to Saturday 5 December 2015 at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

As the final rehearsals are underway and set up concludes, the excitement is building amongst volunteers and staff as they await the arrival of thousands of young people at the opening plenary this afternoon.

The Festival is being hosted by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in partnership with the Archdiocese of Adelaide.

Young people from Year 9 to 25 years will participate in five plenary gatherings where everyone will come together and celebrate as the young Church in Australia. The final plenary will culminate with a closing Mass.

Over 60 exhibitors, from a diverse range of Catholic organisations, have set up interactive stalls and demonstrations to allow young people to experience the breath of the Church in its many expressions. Continue reading →

Inclusion matters for people of all abilities and the Church must take a truly pastoral view that embraces our total community, Bishop Terry Brady said on International Day of People with Disability, celebrated worldwide on 3 December 2015.

This year’s theme is ‘Inclusion matters: access and empowerment for people of all abilities’.

Bishop Brady, Bishops Delegate to the Australian Catholic Council for Disability, said, ‘It is appropriate that we observe and celebrate the International Day of People with Disability as we prepare during the Advent season for the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 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’. Continue reading →

Year of Mercy logo

Continuing an ancient tradition in the Church, dioceses across Australia are preparing to open Doors of Mercy for the Jubilee of Mercy that will commence on the feast of the Immaculate Conception, 8 December 2015, across the Church internationally.

Pope Francis wants the Holy Year to be for believers ‘a true moment of encounter with the mercy of God’. The Holy Father asks the faithful to make pilgrimage to the Holy Door, open in every Cathedral or in the churches designated by the diocesan Bishop. Everyone can participate in the Jubilee pilgrimage.

Throughout Australia, Holy Doors are planned in every diocese to symbolise our entry into a new experience of the mercy of God.

The National Office for Evangelisation will be a source of information and resources about how dioceses are celebrating the Year of Mercy locally.

The Jubilee of Mercy will conclude on 20 November 2016, the feast of Christ the King. Continue reading →

Senator Anne McEwen deputy chair human rights subcommittee.

Opening statement given by ACBC Public Policy Director, Jeremy Stuparich, to a public hearing of the Australian Parliament’s Human Rights Subcommittee inquiry on Australian advocacy for abolition of the death penalty.

27 November 2015

I appreciate the invitation from the Committee to speak with you today about efforts to end the death penalty internationally.

Australia’s Catholic bishops oppose the death penalty and want to see it abolished everywhere.

The bishops welcome the Committee’s inquiry in this area because they want to understand how they can more effectively contribute to the goal of ending capital punishment worldwide.

The death penalty can in Australia be seen as an issue remote from our lives, but earlier this year, the bishops were active not only in lobbying for clemency for Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran but also importantly in prayer vigils on their behalf. The executions of these two young men reminded Australians of the pain and sadness that accompanies all judicial killings around the globe. Continue reading →

Jewish and Catholic leaders gathered at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney.

For the 18th time over many years, the Australian Catholic Bishops Commission for Ecumenism and Inter religious Relations and Australian Jewish leaders met for talks on Wednesday 25 November 2015.

The talks took place while the Australian Catholic Bishops gathered for their plenary meeting at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney from 23 – 27 November 2015.

Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Chairman of the Bishops Commission for Ecumenism and Inter religious Relations, said, ‘There is a great fraternity amongst us. We share our faith on various levels and there is respect and friendship between the Jewish and Catholic leaders.

‘We discussed the area of religious intolerance in our world today and in particular in Australia,’ Archbishop Prowse added.

Brian Lawrence and Elizabeth Proust.

On behalf of Pope Francis, the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia Archbishop Yllana presented a Knighthood of the Order of Pope Saint Sylvester to Brian Lawrence, Chair of the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations, for his nine-year commitment to the work of the Council.

Archbishop Yllana presented the Order during the Australian bishops plenary meeting at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney, on Tuesday 24 November 2015.

The Papal Nuncio said, ‘Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff, received the petition considering the growth and the good of the church, has granted Brian Lawrence of the Diocese of Cairns, to be a Knight of the Order of Pope Saint Sylvester, declared in Rome on the 18 August 2015’.

Continue reading →

Fr Stephen Hackett MSC

Fr Stephen Hackett, a priest of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, has been appointed the new General Secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

The Australian bishops announced the decision during their plenary meeting at Mary MacKillop Place, Sydney on Tuesday 24 November 2015.

Fr Hackett, who is currently parish priest in Tasmania, will commence his new role in early 2016 following the appointment of Fr Brian Lucas as National Director of Catholic Mission. Fr Lucas has been General Secretary since August 2002.

Congratulating Fr Hackett on his appointment, Archbishop Denis Hart, President, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said, ‘The Australian bishops searched the length and breath of the country to appoint a priest who would manage and lead the Conference and the General Secretariat staff with a depth of administrative and pastoral experience. Continue reading →

Despite the tragic events that took place over weekend, France has announced that it will go ahead with the COP 21 Climate Summit later this month.

Prime Minister Manuel Valls told TF1 television that the climate conference “will be held because it’s an essential meeting for humanity”. He said the summit would also be an opportunity for world leaders to show their solidarity with France after the attacks.

From November 30, governments of more than 190 nations will gather at these talks in Paris to try and reach a new binding global agreement on climate change.

The negotiations are critical, as the decisions made by world leaders could very well determine the future of life on this planet. Without a united global agreement to keep temperature rise below 2°C, global emissions will continue to grow. In fact, the recent IPCC report notes that if global emissions continue to grow at the same level, global temperatures will rise between 3.7 to 4.8 °C above preindustrial levels by 2100. This would be catastrophic for the climate, human society and for our planet. Continue reading →