Parliament House, Canberra
A proposal to abandon formal prayer in the Senate has been strongly opposed by Australia’s Catholic bishops.
Senator Lee Rhiannon’s motion to create an inquiry proposes that the Senate should abandon the long tradition of formal prayer and replace it with a bland statement inviting senators to private reflection and prayer. Continue reading
Fr Peter Malone MSC
Many would regard a career reviewing all the latest films before they are publicly released as the “dream job”.
But for Fr Peter Malone MSC, reviewing movies for half a century has been a special joy, in addition to his many other priestly duties. Continue reading
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The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has used its 2018-19 Social Justice Statement to express deep concern about Australia’s alarming growth in homelessness and insecure housing.
In A Place to Call Home: Making a home for everyone in our land, released this morning, the bishops have called on Australians to look beyond the immediate challenges of the average household budget and to consider those who are homeless or facing housing stress because of skyrocketing rents and property prices. Continue reading
Fr Hans Zollner SJ
The Catholic Church in Australia is among the top five countries worldwide in adopting processes to safeguard children and vulnerable people, according to a key Vatican advisor.
Fr Hans Zollner SJ, one of the leading Church experts in safeguarding minors and on areas concerning sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church and beyond, said Australia had made great strides forward and had much to teach the wider Church. Continue reading
Fr Fabio Baggio CS and Fr Maurizio Pettena CS, director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office
Policies addressing migrants and refugees should always respond with mercy and solidarity, according to Fr Fabio Baggio CS, Under-Secretary of the Migrant and Refugee Section, a Vatican office directly guided by Pope Francis.
“Our shared response may be articulated by four verbs: to welcome, to protect, to promote and to integrate. This is part of a common action that should be actively promoted by all the local Churches,” Fr Baggio said. Continue reading
Dozens of Catholic organisations across Australia have installed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander acknowledgement plaques on their buildings since their approval by the Bishops in May.
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has endorsed the wording on the plaques for use in schools, parishes and organisations nationally. Continue reading
Mark and Tink Boyd
A large contingent of Australian couples and families have made their way to Ireland to participate in the World Meeting of Families.
Mark and Tink Boyd, from Yeppoon, in central Queensland, are leading a group of almost 40 pilgrims from Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT. Continue reading
More than 5000 young Catholics are expected to converge on Perth next year for the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF).
As the largest Catholic gathering in Australia, the ACYF promotes and engages the life and voice of young Catholics, equipping them to live out their faith in the world. Continue reading
The hopes and concerns of young Australian Catholics were given a voice at an Australian Catholic Youth Council workshop in Sydney yesterday.
In preparation for the upcoming General Synod of Bishops on Young People, the Faith and Vocational Discernment, Australia’s Synod delegates Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP and Melbourne Auxiliary Bishop Mark Edwards OMI listened to attendees and discussed a wide range of issues. Continue reading
A connection between Gospel values and the core tenets of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander life – family, spirituality and culture – is attracting more of Australia’s First Peoples to the Catholic faith.
Australia’s First Peoples now constitute more than 130,000 of all Catholics in Australia and the numbers are increasing, according to the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC), a peak advisory body to Australia’s bishops. Continue reading