Australian Catholic Media Congress – just two weeks to go!

The Australian Catholic Media Congress will kick off in just three weeks’ time from 30 April – 2 May at the Menzies Hotel in Sydney.

Registration is still open at www.communicatingthewordACMC2012.com and all are most welcome.
The Congress, which takes place just once every three years, is the premier Catholic Media event held in this country and will draw people from the Pacific and New Zealand as well as Australian Catholic professionals.
Here are just some of the presenters who will be sharing their gifts with us at the Congress, and we encourage you to consider registering for some or all of the proceedings! Continue reading →

Archbishop Timothy Costelloe’s Homily at his Installation, 21 March, 2012

Courtesy Michael Connelly/The Record

This is Archbishop Timothy Costelloe’s Homily which he gave at his Installation as Archbishop of Perth on 21 March, 2012 at St Mary’s Cathedral in Perth.

Liturgical Reception and Solemn Mass – Homily

A few moments ago Archbishop Hickey and Archbishop Lazzarotto led me to the Bishop’s chair, the Cathedra, from where I will preside as the Archbishop of Perth. In doing so Archbishop Hickey is representing not just the Archdiocese of Perth or the Church in Western Australia but, in a very real sense, the whole Church found in virtually every part of our great land. Archbishop Lazzarotto, the Apostolic Nuncio, represents the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, and for that reason he represents the universal Church spread throughout the whole world. Tonight we are celebrating the fact that we are members of this One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. In a powerful way we are both expressing and experiencing our belonging to the Church which we love so much. Continue reading →

Year of Grace

The Bishops of Australia have invited the whole Church to a Year of Grace which will commence at Pentecost, 2012. This short video shows the Bishops breaking open the theme “Starting afresh in Christ”.

THE MINISTER, THE BISHOP & THE PEDOMETER: CLOCKING UP KILOMETRES TO END POVERTY

Bishop Max and Minister Bowen

BISHOP Max Davis, Bishop of the Military Ordinariate, today checked in on the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen, who has been on a long walk through the halls of Parliament in a personal bid to help end global poverty.

As part of Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion campaign, Minister Bowen has been participating in what is known as “Caritas Ks” by wearing a pedometer, which counts every single step he takes during this sitting week in Parliament. Continue reading →

St Benedict’s parish Canberra an authentic witness to Christian life and welcoming community

St Benedict's Parish - MGL sisters make final vows at packed ceremony

Media Release
20 March, 2012

St Benedict’s parish in Narrabundah in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn is one of 20 parishes identified by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference Pastoral Research Office (PRO) as having something a little bit “special” in its latest research project “Building Stronger Parishes”. Continue reading →

Women’s advocate to give presentation on new media at Catholic Congress

ACU is sponsoring Melinda's presentation
Media Release
15 March, 2012

Canberra writer, commentator and women’s advocate Melinda Tankard Reist will be one of two Australian keynotes presenting at the Australian Catholic Media Congress 2012, a congress which will take place between 30 April and 2 May in Sydney.

Melinda Tankard Reist has developed a profile over the last 20 years through her work on issues affecting women and girls, and she will speak on building a grassroots movement using new media on day two of the Congress.

The Australian Catholic Media Congress is held just once every three years at the Menzies Hotel in Sydney and is a project of the Australian Catholic Media Council, through the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

The Congress carries the theme “Communicating the Word: Timeless Messages, New Media” and will focus on how social media can be used to proclaim timeless messages of faith.

Melinda will speak to the 150-strong crowd for an hour on 1 May, focussing on how she has used various types of new media such as Twitter, Facebook and blogging to spread a positive message and challenge advertising standards through movement ‘Collective shout.’ (http://collectiveshout.org/)

Melinda is best known for outspoken stands against the objectification of women, sexualisation of girls, pornography, prostitution, trafficking and violence against women, as well as being one of Australia’s first expressly ‘pro-life feminists’. She also blogs and tweets daily at Melindatankardreist.com

Other speakers at the Congress include international keynote and Vatican Official Monsignor Paul Tighe, Secretary to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications; former young Australian of the Year Khoa Do and many others.
Early-Bird registration is $655 and will be available until 30-March, 2012.

All interested in attending the Australian Catholic Media Congress 2012 are encouraged to have a look at the website www.communicatingthewordACMC2012.com or contact Beth Doherty on 0407 081 256, 02 6201 9859 or media@catholic.org.au

Year of Grace website launched: a gift from the Australian bishops to the Church

Media Release
2 March, 2012.

The Official website for “A Year of Grace” has been launched today at www.yearofgrace.catholic.org.au signalling the start of preparations for this important event for the Catholic Church in Australia.

A Year of Grace is the Australian bishops’ gift to the Church to celebrate and renew our faith and life as Catholics. It will begin at Pentecost 2012 and is an exhortation from the bishops of Australia to “Start afresh from Christ.”
Project Officer for the Year of Grace Fr. Peter Brock hopes that the site will become a hub for Catholics during the Year of Grace. Continue reading →