“Real care, love and compassion – the alternative to euthanasia”  pamphlet cover

Catholics across Australia are being urged to learn more about the nature of euthanasia and the dangers it poses to society, with the launch of a new pamphlet exploring the truth and the myths of this life and death debate.

A pamphlet, called Real care, love and compassion – the alternative to euthanasia, has been released today by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

The Bishops are responding to a fact sheet released by the National Church Life Survey late last year, which found 22 per cent of church-going Catholics are neutral or unsure what they think about euthanasia. Continue reading →

Registrations are now open for the 2015 eConference ‘Religion: Catalyst for Violence or Peace? Probing the Abrahamic traditions for answers’ on Tuesday 23 June.

The 2015 eConference is a joint initiative between the Broken Bay Institute and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

The event will tap into interfaith issues surrounding the three Abrahamic traditions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Continue reading →

Archbishop Christopher Prowse

During December 2014, a delegation of Australian bishops visited persecuted Christians in the Lebanon and Iraq offering their support and prayers.

Recounting his experiences while travelling with the delegation to the Middle East, Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn Christopher Prowse, spoke to journalist Suzanne Hill on ABC Radio Local. The interview took place on Good Friday, 3 April 2015. Continue reading →

John Anderton, Butterfly

In 2006, John Anderton founded Butterfly, a creative digital agency in a Melbourne apartment. Butterfly prides itself on good old fashioned values and service, and long term relationships with clients.

The company develops web solutions for medium to large companies, including a large number of not-for-profit organisations, and assists them in creating beautiful digital assets to improve their communications. Continue reading →

Archbishop Celli

The president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli is an excellent communicator.

In perhaps the most intensive time for social media ever, Archbishop Celli has overseen the PCCS, and been instrumental in Pope Benedict XVI and now Pope Francis entering Twittersphere and YouTube.

Archbishop Celli will be a keynote speaker at the Australian Catholic Communications Congress, an event held once every three years in Sydney, Australia.

Under the auspices of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the Communications Congress will bring together people working across the Catholic Church in Australia at the Rydges Hotel in North Sydney from 4-6 May. Continue reading →

Archbishop Celli

President of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications (PCCS) Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli will be the keynote speaker at the Australian Catholic Communications Congress, to be held from 4-6 May at the Rydges Hotel in Sydney.

Early-bird registration for the communications congress ends at midnight tonight, so those seeking the cheaper rate of $335 are encouraged to register this afternoon.

Continue reading →

Archbishop Hart

Dear Friends,

In these days we remember how Jesus, our God, lived like one of us and died. Now comes the startling and remarkable news that he is risen from the dead.

Easter is the triumph of life over death, of good over evil, of hope over despair. It underlines for us that each person has special gifts and qualities, which Jesus came to redeem so that we could achieve our full destiny.

The hope that Easter brings is a challenge to each of us to see what contribution we can make to family and society and how reflection on the ultimate purpose of human existence is important. Our human life is a body and spirit; though the body may grow sick and die, the human spirit is imperishable and is destined for greatness and for eternal life. Continue reading →

Brigidine Sister and refugee advocate Sister Jane Keogh CSB will be a keynote speaker at the Australian Catholic Communications Congress, an event held once every three years.

The theme of the Congress is: What is our voice? ‘Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks’ (Mt 12:34). It will be held from the 4 – 6 May at the Rydges Hotel in North Sydney.

Early-bird registration is open until 2 April at whatisourvoice.org.au.

Organised by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC), the Congress brings together professionals working in the media, education, communications, health, welfare, justice, and other church-based fields. Continue reading →

Abbey Church window at Jamberoo

When visitors enter the Jamberoo Abbey church, the first thing to strike them is the stunning backdrop of full length glass windows behind the altar and tabernacle, bringing the beauty of God’s creation right into the heart of the church and allowing all who worship there to turn their prayer outward, for the world.

The impact of the windows is no accident, according to the Abbey’s guest mistress, Sr Therese, but is an integral part of the church’s original design.

“We are Benedictines and our work is to pray, so we pray for the world,” she says.

“The glass windows are a symbol of our prayer going out to the world and of the world coming to us, so we’re very connected with everything that’s going on out there. I try to assure our guests that even when they go home they can know that we are here praying for them and then I ask them to pray for us.”

Continue reading →

On Palm Sunday, a newly designed ‘hub’ of online information and resources was launched for pilgrims and organisers in preparation for World Youth Day 2016.

With 16 months to go, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Office for Youth, launched a new look World Youth Day (WYD) website for potential pilgrims and Pilgrimage Coordinators.

The site will become the Australian central repository of information and resources in preparation for the international gathering in Krakow, Poland next year. Various webpages include practical information about the event, suggested prayers, videos and photos from previous WYD’s and areas to register your interest. Continue reading →