A Morrison Government proposal to recognise Australia’s First Peoples in the constitution has been broadly welcomed by key Church organisations.
In a National Press Club address on Wednesday, Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt pledged to “bring forward a consensus option” during the current term of Parliament. Continue reading
About 5000 young people are expected to attend ACYF19/Giovanni Portelli Photography
The countdown is on with only 150 days until doors open on the fourth Australian Catholic Youth Festival, to be held in Perth from December 8-10.
With an anticipated 5000 young people taking part in ACYF19, groups from every Australian state and territory have begun registering and preparing for an incredible and unique encounter of the Church in Australia. Continue reading
General secretaries of the bishops conferences of France, Australia, Germany and England and Wales at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra
The general secretaries of the bishops conferences of England and Wales, Germany and France have completed a three-day visit to Canberra that examined key issues facing the Church in Australia and globally.
Fr Stephen Hackett MSC, general secretary of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said he was “delighted” to host the “very beneficial” gathering, which moves from country to country each year. Continue reading
Sea Sunday will be celebrated in Australia this Sunday, July 14.
In the lead-up to Sea Sunday on July 14, Pope Francis has urged chaplains and volunteers to redouble their efforts to support those working on the high seas.
The Sea Sunday Appeal offers the Church in Australia the opportunity to show its continued support for the ministry to seafarers provided by the Apostleship of the Sea and Stella Maris centres. Continue reading
On July 1, the Plenary Council opened applications for the Discernment and Writing Groups that will play a critical role in helping the Catholic Church move forward in considering the Council’s six National Themes for Discernment.
At Pentecost, the Plenary Council announced that after almost 17,500 submissions reflecting the views of more than 222,000 people were assessed, reflected upon and prayed about, the National Themes for Discernment had emerged. Continue reading
Sr Anne Derwin greets Pope Benedict XVI as he arrives at the chapel in North Sydney that houses St Mary MacKillop’s tomb
Catholic leaders have paid tribute to Sr Anne Derwin RSJ, the former congregational leader of the Sisters of Saint Joseph and president of Catholic Religious Australia, who died earlier this week.
Sr Anne died peacefully at the Mater Hospital in North Sydney on June 23. She was 69. Continue reading
Eileen O’Connor’s cause for canonisation was discussed during the Australian bishops’ Ad Limina Apostolorum visit yesterday (Archdiocese of Sydney photo)
Australian bishops are hopeful that a number of Australians could follow in the footsteps of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop and enter the Church’s Communion of Saints.
As part of their Ad Limina Apostolorum pilgrimage, which commenced on Monday, bishops met Wednesday with officials from the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, including its prefect, Cardinal Giovanni Becciu.
Sr Ruth Durick OSU
There is a “crying need” for the voice, intellect and compassion of women to engage in the mission of Jesus through the Church, according to the newly-appointed coordinator of a peak Catholic leadership program for women.
Sr Ruth Durick OSU, who facilitated The Young Catholic Women’s Interfaith Fellowship from 2006 to 2009 and has been provincial of the Ursuline Sisters, has just been appointed to the role of coordinator for Leadership for Mission. Continue reading
Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP (right) celebrates Mass at St Mary Major, as Bishop Chris Saunders concelebrates
The Australian bishops have commenced a series of meetings with departments of the Holy See by visiting the influential Congregations for Bishops and for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The bishops are in Rome for their Ad Limina Apostolorum pilgrimage, which commenced on Monday with Mass at the tomb of St Peter and a two-and-a-half-hour conversation with Pope Francis – St Peter’s successor. Continue reading
Pope Francis poses for a photo with Australian bishops during their Ad Limina Apostolorum visit to the Vatican on June 24, 2019. (CNS photo/Vatican Media)
Pope Francis has given his apostolic blessing to the Australian Catholic bishops and encouraged them to explore new ways of being missionary in Australia at this time.
Almost 40 Australian bishops today met with Pope Francis for more than two hours as part of their Ad Limina Apostolorum visit, translated as “To the Threshold of the Apostles”. Continue reading