Catholic education keen to unpack the Gonski Funding Report


Media Release, 1 May, 2012

The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) will accept the Australian Government’s invitation to participate fully in the analysis of the recommendations of the Report on Funding for Schooling released on 20 February.

“There is much detailed work to be done”, said Mrs Therese Temby, Chair of NCEC.

“We have asked Minister Garrett and his department to release as a matter of urgency the detailed modelling that has already been completed on the Gonski recommendations”, she said. Continue reading →

Prayers of General Intercession International Women’s Day 2012

The following prayers, written by Beth Nolen, are provided for use on International Women’s Day.

Priest: We are called to be people who listen to God’s Word and respond. Let us turn to God in prayer now, so that our prayers can help make a difference to our world.

We pray for men and women who hold positions of leadership and power within the Church, that their work will help empower all those influenced by their ministry, to know their full dignity and value. (Pause to enable the faithful to pray this prayer in their hearts.) Gracious God, hear our prayer. Continue reading →

Catholic Women’s Fellowship relaunches with new flexible structure


Media Release
March 1, 2012

The Catholic Women’s Fellowship will re-launch in 2012 with a new structure, allowing young women to complete a program of theology, spiritual formation, personal development and interfaith dialogue.

The Fellowship is the result of a partnership between the Bishops’ Office for the Participation of Women (OPW), The Broken Bay Institute (BBI), and the Sisters of the Good Samaritan. Continue reading →

Secretary to Pontifical Council to head influential line-up at Media Congress

Media Release
23 February, 2012

Monsignor Paul Tighe, Secretary to the Pontifical Council for Social Communications heads an influential line-up of guests for the Australian Catholic Media Congress 2012, an event which is held once every three years in Sydney.

The Media Congress is organised by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and will take place from 30 April – 2 May at the Menzies Hotel.
The event carries the theme “Communicating the Word: Timeless Messages, New Media”, to focus on the way the Church and the world can engage with social media to share important messages. Continue reading →

President of Bishops’ Conference expresses delight at appointment of new Perth Archbishop

Media Release
20 February, 2012

President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Archbishop Philip Wilson has expressed his delight at the appointment by the Holy Father of Bishop Timothy Costelloe as Archbishop of Perth.

Bishop Timothy replaces Archbishop Barry Hickey who has led the faithful of the Diocese since 1991.

Archbishop Philip Wilson said today that this was good news not only for the people of Perth, but for the Church in Australia.

“Bishop Timothy Costelloe is a gifted, highly intelligent pastor who has shown consistent leadership in Melbourne where he has been an Auxiliary Bishop over the past five years”, he said

. Continue reading →

Families must come first in new school funding model – NCEC responds to Gonski report

Media Release, 20 February, 2012

Commenting at the release today of the much anticipated Gonski Report on Funding for Schooling, the Chair of the National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC), Mrs Therese Temby, said that this was just the start of the process, and much work remains to be done.

“This is a major piece of work and a roadmap for a way forward,” Mrs Temby said.

Continue reading →

A mercy sister, a school girl and Kevin Rudd – our three faces to fight poverty

PROJECT COMPASSION 2012 – BRISBANE LAUNCH

AN AUSTRALIAN Sister of Mercy based in Peru, a Brisbane schoolgirl hit by floods and Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd make up the three faces of Australia’s fight against poverty at this morning’s launch of Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion one of Australia’s largest humanitarian fundraisers. Continue reading →

Asylum seeker community support more than reasonable says Catholic Church

Pic: Kym Smith Source: The Daily Telegraph

Media Release
February 17, 2012

The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO) supports the Government’s efforts to reduce the human cost of prolonged and indefinite detention.

Media reports which criticise the Government for providing asylum seekers released into community detention with up to $10,000 of home furnishings, electrical goods and other financial support has been called misleading and provocative by the ACMRO. Continue reading →

Australian Catholic Film Office welcomes R18+ legislation.

Media Release
16 February, 2012

The Australian Catholic Office for Film (ACOFB) and Broadcasting has cautiously welcomed the introduction of legislation which looks to create an R18+ classification for computer games.

Director of the ACOFB, Jesuit priest Fr Richard Leonard said that the submission from the Bishops was very clear that they do not condone the material contained in such games, and that their support would be qualified. Continue reading →