Archbishop Hart, President of ACBC
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference elected the following members to the Permanent Committee during the plenary meeting at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney today.
Archbishop Denis Hart – elected President
Archbishop Mark Coleridge – elected Vice-President
Archbishop Christopher Prowse
Archbishop Anthony Fisher
Archbishop Timothy Costelloe
Archbishop Philip Wilson
Bishop Eugene Hurley
Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen ofm conv
Most Reverend Vincent Long Van Nguyen
Pope Francis has announced today the appointment as the fourth Bishop of Parramatta, the Most Reverend Vincent Long Van Nguyen, O.F.M. Conv., who has been until now an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Archbishop Denis Hart, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference welcomed the appointment, ‘after distinguished leadership in the Conventual Franciscans, Bishop Vincent Long van Nguyen has been Auxiliary Bishop in Melbourne since 2011, working as a gifted and compassionate pastor, Episcopal Vicar and Chair of the Victorian Catholic Education Commission’.
‘We joyfully welcome his appointment as Bishop of Parramatta, knowing that his Christ-like gifts and simplicity will serve the people of his new diocese so well.’
‘I feel a sense of responsibility and honour to be appointed to the Diocese of Parramatta. I accepted the appointment by Pope Francis with humility,’ Bishop Long said following the announcement. Continue reading
I would like to begin by expressing my sincere condolences to the friends and family of Omid Masoumali, in particular his wife, after his tragic death on Friday 29 April, writes Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office.
It is of particular concern that, only days later a second person, a young Somali woman by the name of Hodan Yasin, set herself alight on Monday 2 May after being returned from Australia to Nauru. She is now in a critical condition in a Brisbane Hospital.
This is the second occurrence of self-immolation in as many days. We have been exposed to the extreme end to which the hopelessness of detention can lead to. It is becoming more and more clear that the mental health of those left in limbo as a result of ongoing detention and a lack of resolution as to their immigration status is deteriorating at an alarming rate.
It is my concern that the dignity of the human person is increasingly lowered among the priorities when discussing policy around refugees and asylum seekers. At a time where mental health is more and more at the forefront of the psyche of our communities, it is alarming that people placed in the ‘care’ of Australia in places of detention are left to spiral into hopelessness. Continue reading
The ACBC World Communications Day initiative to gather ‘grassroots’ stories of compassion and mercy from around Australia is an opportunity for ordinary Catholics and child abuse survivors to speak directly to the Church leadership.
As part of the 50th World Communications Day, the Australian Catholic Media Council is inviting each diocese to share local stories about ‘Communication and Mercy’.
The CEO of the Catholic Church’s Truth Justice and Healing Council, Mr Francis Sullivan, said the initiative could be of huge benefit to the church leadership as it hears directly from the people in the pews about their reactions to the Royal Commission and what they have seen and heard about the way the church leadership is responding.
‘One of the big challenges for us now is to find the language and the way in which we can communicate the very significant changes that have taken place within the Church over the past years to protect children and help survivors. Continue reading
In responding to the Federal Budget, Marcelle Mogg, Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) CEO said:
“Vulnerable Australians have again been overlooked in this third Federal Budget from the Coalition Government. The 2016-17 Budget provides tax cuts to the rich and service cuts to the rest. This Budget has given tax relief to those earning over $80K. This measure will cost $4 billion which could have been spent on investment in families and communities.”
“Australia has an estimated 600,000 children living in poverty and this Budget offers them little hope. If the Government invested in these children’s families directly they could have secured the future of the children and stimulated the economy.”
“For the third year running, this government offers nothing to those who are homeless or experiencing significant housing stress. Securing the basics in life – a house, an education, and health care – are increasingly beyond the means of average Australians, and impossible for those on low incomes. The successive failure of this government to address Australia’s housing crisis, rental affordability and rising homelessness is a disgrace. A long term strategy and binding agreement between the Commonwealth and States and Territories is needed to ensure all people have a home.” Continue reading
Caritas Australia (CA) has expressed deep disappointment in this year’s federal budget, specifically the decision to cut even deeper into an already diminished Australian official aid program.
The cut of an additional $224m is the third successive cut by this government and has reduced Australia to its least generous role among OECD countries in 40 years.
Caritas Australia CEO, Paul O’Callaghan said that Australia has had a prominent and bipartisan record of strong support for economic improvement and poverty alleviation, both in our immediate region and beyond.
“Together with Australia’s outstanding contribution through peace-keeping missions, this aid and development role over many decades led to Australia being regarded as a significant leader and middle power,” Mr O’Callaghan said. Continue reading
Celebrating the 50th World Communications Day, the Australian Catholic Media Council is launching a grassroots initiative by inviting each diocese to share local stories about ‘Communication and Mercy’.
This year, Pope Francis has chosen the theme ‘Communication and Mercy’ and invites us all to reflect on this relationship.
Launching the initiative ahead of World Communications Day, celebrated on Sunday 8 May 2016, Bishop Peter Comensoli, Bishops Delegate for Media, said, ‘The stories will celebrate the local heroes in our parishes – the agents of mercy and compassion in our midst – and encourage further local engagement and inspiration by using the hashtag #Thepowerofmercy’.
The initiative will run from World Communications Day, Sunday 8 May 2016, until the conclusion of the Year of Mercy on Sunday 20 November 2016. The stories will be told in print, broadcast or digital media platforms and will be published on the Bishops Conference website: Worldcommunicationsday.org.au Continue reading
With 120 days to go, Registrations for PROCLAIM 2016 have now opened with great Early Bird rates available.
This exciting conference on the New Evangelisation is expected to draw more than 500 participants from across Australia to discuss, exchange and learn fresh ways in which parishes can become evangelising communities of the twenty-first century.
Running across three days from 1-3 September 2016, PROCLAIM 2016 draws upon the inspiration of this Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy and the ongoing missionary challenge of Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium.
Participants will gain invaluable support, ideas and pastoral initiatives for their parish communities from keynote speakers Cardinal Donald Wuerl of the Archdiocese of Washington, Bishop Nicholas Hudson of the Archdiocese of Westminster; Dr Susan Timoney * (Washington) and Mr Daniel Ang Director, Office for Evangelisation, Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay. Continue reading
St Carthage’s Cathedral, Lismore, 2 May 2016
HOMILY: Before I begin I would like to thank Monsignor John John Kallarakal, Counsellor of the Apostolic Nunciature in Canberra for his presence with us this morning, and for conveying on behalf of the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Yllana, a message of condolence from His Holiness Pope Francis. The message, forwarded by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, reads as follows:
“The Holy Father was saddened to learn of the death of the Most Reverend John Steven Satterthwaite, Bishop Emeritus of Lismore, and he sends his condolences to the priests, men and women religious, and all the lay faithful of the Diocese. Recalling with gratitude the late Prelate’s many years of service to God’s people, Pope Francis joins you and all present at the Funeral Rites in commending his soul to the tender mercy of our heavenly Father. To all who mourn Bishop Satterthwaite’s passing, the Holy Father cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of consolation and strength in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State.” Continue reading
Bishop McKeon, centre. Photo Credit: The Record, Perth
With great sadness, I have to announce the death this morning, 2 May 2016, of Bishop Myles McKeon, the Second Bishop of Bunbury. He was 97 years of age.
Bishop McKeon served the Bunbury Diocese from 1969 with his resignation for reasons of health in 1982. Prior to this he was a priest of the Archdiocese of Perth from 1947 to 1962 when he was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Perth. He served in that role until his appointment to the Diocese of Bunbury.
Bishop McKeon is well remembered still as a kind and caring pastor. He was also one of the four Western Australian Bishops who collaborated for the founding of the Catholic Education Commission and the Catholic Institution of Western Australia, both of which were unique in the world of that time. Continue reading