International Day of the Girl Child

More than one million children are being trafficked annually and forced into prostitution, according to the United Nations.

The UN is highlighting the various forms of discrimination and abuse suffered by girls around the world to mark the International Day of the Girl Child on 11 October 2015.

Marking this significant day, the Council for Australian Catholic Women prepared a parish resource that includes a parish bulletin notice, a suggested petition for the general intercessions and links to online resources.

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Left to right: Bishop Terry Brady, Fr Peter Carroll msc, Dr Ruth Webber, James Koulouris; Assistant Commissioner, Governance & Continuous Improvement, NSW Government, Dr Ann Marie Martin; Assistant Commissioner, Offender Management & Policy, NSW Government, Patrick Aboud; Governor Long Bay Correctional Centre.

The role of the prison chaplain goes far beyond just looking after the religious and spiritual needs of prisoners, Dr Ruth Webber told delegates gathered for the inaugural Catholic Prison Chaplains National Gathering this weekend.

Dr Webber is a Professor (Honorary) at the Australian Catholic University. In her keynote address on Thursday 24 September, she said, ‘Prison chaplains provide much-needed emotional, practical and social support to prisoners’. Continue reading →

Yili and Salome Li, Ron Pirola, Bishop Kennedy, Bradley and Natalie Wilkinson with their children Hannah, Joel, Jemima and Eve.

Bishop Michael Kennedy departs with representatives from many Australian dioceses today to join with 150 other nations at the World Meeting of Families in America later this month.

The World Meeting of Families will take place at Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia from 22-25 September 2015.

Pope Francis will attend the gathering that centres on the theme, ‘Love is our mission: The family fully alive’.

Twenty one adults and 23 children, aged between three years and 14 years, will travel on the official Australian pilgrimage led by the Bishop Delegate for Marriage and Family, Michael Kennedy, along with Dr Ron and Mrs Mavis Pirola, Co-Chair Couple of the The Australian Catholic Marriage & Family Council (ACMFC). Continue reading →

Australia’s Catholic bishops have urged politicians to resolve the divisive debate on proposals to redefine marriage. A Senate report on holding a popular vote on marriage was tabled today.

In a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee for the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the Chair of the Bishops Commission for Family, Youth and Life, Archbishop Anthony Fisher, asked senators to uphold the traditional understanding of marriage.

“Marriage is a fundamental institution for all societies because of its importance in uniting spouses as potential parents and in providing for the upbringing of their children”, said Archbishop Fisher. Continue reading →

Kimberley landscape, the location of the Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA) conference in September 2015

A very warm welcome, endless hospitality and a buzz of energy marked the 60^th anniversary of the Australasian Catholic Press Association (ACPA), celebrated in the Diocese of Broome last week, 8-11 September.

From the bishop to the diocesan staff, the elders to the missionaries, the people of Broome ensured that every journalist and communications specialist was made to feel welcome and encouraged to learn about this unique part of Australia during the annual conference. Local support and generosity was in abundance to help ACPA celebrate its diamond jubilee.

The 35-degree days of warmth and humidity gave the event a tropical feel with delegates donning their shorts and hats for the conference excursions. Professional cameras and iPhone selfies were in abundance during a visit to Broome’s famous Cable Beach to watch a sunset.

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Dr Maria Harries AM

Pope Francis has appointed Dr Maria Harries AM as an independent auditor at the 14^th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which will take place at the Vatican in Rome next month. This means Dr Harries will contribute to the Synod discussions on the family as a Catholic laywoman.

Dr Harries is Chair of Catholic Social Services Australia and a member of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council.

She will join Archbishop of Brisbane, Mark Coleridge, and Bishop of Darwin, Eugene Hurley, who were elected to represent the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference at the Ordinary Synod on the Family.

Prefect of the Vatican Secretariat for the Economy, Cardinal George Pell, will also attend the Synod, which takes place from 4 – 25 October 2015. Continue reading →

Cheryl Curnow gathered with colleagues at the ACBC Secretariat for a farewell dinner

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference hosted a special thank you dinner and bid farewell to Mrs Cheryl Curnow, Program Manager of Natural Fertility Australia (NFA), this week.

Over the last twenty years, Cheryl combined her strong work ethic, a commitment to her family and her faith, with her career at NFA.

Dedicated to raising her family, Cheryl gave up a promising career to care for her children, something she and her husband saw as a shared vocation. She describes the Curnow family as ‘very close’.

Cheryl returned to the paid workforce after more than a quarter of a century spent nurturing her family. Continue reading →

Genevieve Bryant performing at ACYF, Melbourne in 2013

‘Where can we see God?’, a simple question that triggered a young song writer to compose the lyrics chosen as the theme song for the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) this year.

Taking the theme of the Festival, ‘Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God’, Genevieve Bryant asked herself, ‘where can we see God?’

The question prompted a deep musical response in singer-song writer Genevieve. ‘When our eyes are truly opened we see God as the poor and thirsty, the heart of justice, the lost and searching.’

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Bishop of Sale Pat O’Regan, Auxiliary Bishops of Melbourne Mark Edwards OMI and Terence Curtin.

VICTORIA’S newest bishops are currently in Rome attending a seminar for recently ordained bishops, often fondly referred to as ‘baby bishop school’.

Bishop Pat O’Regan from the Sale diocese and Melbourne auxiliary bishops Terry Curtin and Mark Edwards OMI are attending the seminar, which includes a personal audience with Pope Francis for each bishop.

125 new bishops are participating in the seminar run by the Congregation for Bishops from Monday 7 to Wednesday 16 September. Bishops Curtin and Edwards have both graciously provided some lovely, interesting, and even humorous, reflections on their time at the seminar in Rome. Continue reading →

Criticisms of the economics of Laudato Si’ are without foundation, a new paper by the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations (ACCER) states.

The paper titled, The Economics of Laudato Si’ – no surprises here, clearly demonstrates that what Pope Francis has said on economic issues is sound and is perfectly consistent with earlier Catholic social teaching on economic issues, including the operation and regulation of markets.

Brian Lawrence, Chairman of the ACCER said, ‘the encyclical’s analysis and consideration of economic issues has been criticised in some quarters. Prominent attacks on the encyclical, and Pope Francis personally are unjustified’. Continue reading →