The Chair of Peter in St Peter’s Basilica (Wikimedia)

December 8 marks the 150th anniversary of the opening of the First Vatican Council. This is the first is a series of articles on the Council, its key moments and its legacy.

by Bishop Peter J. Elliott

The First Vatican Council defined papal infallibility, a widely misunderstood teaching of the Church. The history of the Ecumenical Council that met in Rome between 1869 and 1870 reveals what the doctrine of papal infallibility really means. Continue reading →

The Bishop Delegate for Disability Issues has used his message for the International Day of People with Disability to call on Catholic communities across Australia to invite people with disability to take up leadership positions.

The theme for the 2019 celebration, held on December 3, is “Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities and their leadership”. Continue reading →

Launching the new book Still Listening to the Spirit, from left, Bishop Vincent Long, book editors Andrea Dean and Sandie Cornish, and Archbishop Christopher Prowse

Two decades since the publication of the document Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus, the Australian bishops concede there is “unfinished business” in promoting women’s participation in the Church.

Published in 1999, Woman and Man: One in Christ Jesus arose from a collaboration between the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the Australian Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes (now Catholic Religious Australia) and the Australian Catholic University. Continue reading →

Broken Bay’s Ashleigh Green will represent young Australian Catholics on the Church’s new International Youth Advisory Body, which the Holy See has just established.

Miss Green, who was the Australian delegate at preparatory meetings for the Synod of Bishops on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment, said that experience was a transformative one for her as a Catholic. Continue reading →

Two inseparable eras have come to an end, with Annals Australasia publishing its final edition after 130 years in print and the death of its editor of several decades, Fr Paul Stenhouse MSC.

Earlier this year, the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart announced that Annals Australasia – which has had several different names since it was first published in 1889 – would cease publication at the end of 2019. The final edition was mailed to subscribers in November. Continue reading →

The organisers of next year’s National Biennial Liturgy Conference say the gathering will examine how the Church’s evolving liturgical practices can help make Christ present in the world.

The meeting, which will be held in Parramatta in March, has been held regularly since the mid-1990s. It provides liturgical education and training and opportunities to participate in various forms of liturgical prayer. Continue reading →

The Council for Australian Catholic Women says the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 aims to bring about cultural change to address injustice, inequality, sexism and exploitation of women.

Council chair Sr Trish Madigan OP said “women and girls everywhere experience extensive abuse and their stories need to be brought to light”. Continue reading →

In the lead up to Pope Francis’ World Day of the Poor on Sunday, November 17, the Church in Australia is focusing on the many volunteers who work daily to help the poor in their communities. Read how Jean Robbins assists the poor in Darwin through her volunteer work with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters.

Darwin’s Jean Robbins has volunteered with the Missionaries of Charity Sisters to assist the poor in the Northern Territory since 2006.

“I am from Chennai, India; I migrated as an accountant. My childhood was a difficult one – we had a good mum and dad, but no resources. My desire to help is to give back to God the blessing I have received from His hands. I too suffered poverty – no food, no money, hardship,” Ms Robbins explains. Continue reading →

In the lead up to Pope Francis’s World Day of the Poor on Sunday, November 17, the Church in Australia is focusing on the many volunteers who work daily to help the poor in their communities. Read how Annette Baker, vice president of the St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland, assists growing numbers of people who are falling into poverty.

Annette Baker is a proud Vincentian of 19 years who believes kindness is at the very heart of her calling to help the poor.

“I believe that we must show kindness to all we meet. Even a smile can brighten someone’s day and my own personal goal is to do something kind or helpful for someone each day,” she said. Continue reading →

In the lead up to Pope Francis’s World Day of the Poor on Sunday, November 17, the Church in Australia is focussing on the many volunteers who work daily to help the poor in their communities. Read how Perth’s Kelvin McConville helps homeless men and women with a mental illness gain independence through his volunteer work with the Emmaus Community.

Retired psychiatric unit worker Kelvin McConville loves his volunteer work with the Emmaus Community, where he helps homeless men and women who suffer from a mental illness.

The Emmaus Community provides long-term independent community living for people of adult age who live with mental health issues. Continue reading →