Pope Francis the 1st

Statement of Archbishop Denis Hart

As Archbishop of Melbourne and President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, I joyfully welcome the glad news of the appointment of Pope Francis.  For two weeks the Catholics of the world have been without the spiritual father of their family.

We have been looking forward to this special moment when our new Holy Father, chief teacher and shepherd would be announced.

The announcement brings great joy and hope and readiness to walk with him on the way to Jesus Christ.

Pope Francis, formerly Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio SJ was born in Buenos Aires in 1936, ordained a Jesuit priest in 1969 and subsequently was novice master, teacher of literature and psychology, has been Archbishop of Buenos Aires since 1998 and a Cardinal since 2001.  He was Jesuit Provincial in Argentina from 1973 to 1979.  He is known for a commitment to doctrine and social justice, and is a humble man of simple lifestyle.

His appointment is a sign to the Catholics of Latin America and the whole world of the invitation given to all to follow Jesus closely.  He has served as member of a number of offices in the Holy See”

Continue reading →

Fr Christian Fini OMI launches Youth Festival

By Malcolm Hart

The Australian Catholic Youth Festival will be held on December 5-7, 2013 in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Festival will invite young people from Year 9 to 25 years of age to come together for an encounter with the Catholic Church in Australia.

To prepare for the Festival, the National Steering Committee has announced a timeline for information releases and briefing meetings. These dates will provide assistance to coordinators as they prepare to promote and develop plans to attend the Festival. Continue reading →

Cardinal George Pell

11 March 2013

Fairfax media today carried a story, repeated by other media outlets, alleging that Cardinal George Pell is “tainted by sex abuse scandals” and “long dogged” by allegations of sexual abuse against him.

These statements are utterly false and seriously defamatory. They have no basis in fact and deliberately misrepresent the outcome of a 2002 inquiry by a retired Victorian Supreme Court judge which completely exonerated Cardinal Pell of allegations made against him.

At all times, including in sworn evidence before the Southwell Inquiry, Cardinal Pell denied the allegations. Continue reading →

Media Release, 28 February

The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office fully support the current policy of hosting asylum seekers in the community on bridging visas and in community residence determination. We have great respect for the decision to increase Australia’s humanitarian intake to 20,000 each year and also believe it is appropriate for Australia to defend the right of all people to seek asylum.

“Asylum seekers are not criminals and should not be treated as such. The suggestion that serious crimes committed by one asylum seekers gives grounds for treating all asylum seekers as criminals is greatly concerning” said Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of ACMRO.

“The hosting of asylum seekers in the community is an entirely appropriate, effective and humane way for Australia to respond. We have thousands of Australians who have volunteered their time to help asylum seekers and in the process have developed wonderful friendships” said Fr Pettenà. Continue reading →

Fellowship participant

Media Release, 26 February, 2012

Seventeen women from right across Australia have embarked on a journey of faith and leadership development as they take up the new-look Young Catholic Women’s Interfaith Fellowship.

The Fellowship, which has been relaunched with a new structure this year, will see the women, from 12 dioceses, undertake a formation program which includes theological studies, interfaith engagement and leadership development.

It is a project of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) and is being sponsored by various religious congregations, institutions and Church agencies. For the first time, the academic component of the Fellowship will be undertaken through The Broken Bay Institute (BBI).

Chairman of the ACBC Commission for Church Ministry, Bishop David Walker, said the Fellowship, which first began in 2006, acknowledged and supported the essential place of women in the Church and the important role they can play in interfaith relations. Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day Kit

To download resources for Valentine’s Day, click here

In 2010, the Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life launched the St Valentine’s Day initiative. We are delighted to offer you our 2013 edition which continues our ongoing desire to use the innate joyfulness of the feast of St Valentine to promote and affirm marriage as life-long romantic love.

In a culture that is increasingly intolerant of Christian values and beliefs, feasts that have captured the imagination of the secular community, like St Valentine’s Day, represent a unique opportunity for the Church. It is an opportunity for us to proclaim our beliefs in a way that is affirming and life-giving to deeply held values that are shared by many in the wider community. In doing so, we highlight the positive good that such values have and reinforce the need to protect them for the benefit of the whole community.

I invite you to use the resources enclosed to focus parish or school attention on the role of marriage on or around St Valentine’s Day.

Yours in Christ,
Bishop Eugene Hurley
Chairman, Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life