Catholic Education welcomes school funding commitment

The National Catholic Education Commission has welcomed the Coalition Government’s announcement of $1.2 billion in additional funding to support all Australian schools, saying it has placed school education at the centre of this year’s federal election campaign.

“Schools are important institutions in the community and well-directed investment in schools will determine the future of Australia as a society and an economy,” NCEC executive director Ross Fox said.

“Catholic education is pleased that the Government has today committed to future funding that reflects real costs for schools.”

In its announcement, the Coalition said per-student school funding from 2018 will increase at 3.56 per cent each year, which it says is in line with recent increases in school costs. Over the past two years, the NCEC has led calls for needs-based funding for all schools, with funding that keeps pace with school costs. Continue reading →

“Give Us A Sign: Peace!”

A new ecumenical project called, Give Us A Sign, calls on Churches and Christian organisations to stand together in support of peace in the month of May 2016.

The project emerged in 2015 following conversations between the Anglican, Catholic and Uniting Churches in the Hunter and Central Coast. It supported by the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle and the Diocese of Broken Bay.

Last year its focus was promoting compassion for asylum seekers. In 2016, the theme is seeking peace.

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” (John 14:27)

The troubles of our own times can appear overwhelming. In our daily news we are bombarded with stories of war, terrorism, civil unrest and violence. Many people in our own communities do not feel any true sense of peace in themselves or in their homes. We ask that churches and Christian organisations consider posting a message of peace on their noticeboards for at least one day per week for the weeks during the month of May. Individuals can also share creative messages of peace. Continue reading →

Papua New Guinea Supreme Court decision a welcome sign of hope for Manus Island detainees

Refugees take a rest at a detention centre

The decision of the Papua New Guinea Supreme Court that the detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island is illegal is a welcome sign of hope for those currently in detention on Manus Island, Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, said today.

“This ruling is important because it highlights the fact that governments have human rights obligations under domestic and international laws.

We also welcome the decision of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill, to close the Manus Island detention centre as a result of the ruling.

The Australian Government’s response to people seeking asylum should first and foremost focus on respecting their human dignity.

I urge the Minister for Immigration, Peter Dutton, to use this opportunity to show leadership and act to end indefinite mandatory offshore detention.

If the Australian Government insists on returning people to their country of origin or moving people to other countries as a result of this decision, the Government must ensure no asylum seeker is at risk of persecution or violence.

The Catholic Church opposes mandatory indefinite detention and offshore detention, these policy responses do not respect the dignity of people seeking our refuge.

Whilst Governments have a responsibility to manage migration flows into countries, the Australian Government’s approach is harsh and needs to change; the dignity of the human person must always come first.”

Victorian Budget 2016: strong revenue, sound initiatives, more to go

Budget 2016

‘Strong revenue has enabled sound spending programs, and welcome initiatives’, said Denis Fitzgerald, Executive Director of Catholic Social Services Victoria, following the Victorian budget announced on Wednesday 27 April 2016.

‘However, the budget does not yet reflect a central focus on the fundamental needs of those on the margins of our society,’ he added.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas MP brought down the Andrews Government’s second budget on Wednesday 27 April, a week earlier than usual because of the earlier date for next week’s Federal budget.

Only rarely does a Government have sufficient revenue available to meet its broad fiscal managment goals, to fund existing programs, and to have enough left over to embark on a number of initiatives.

This was such a budget. Continue reading →

Bishop Satterthwaite RIP

Bishop John Satterthwaite

On Saturday 23 April, Bishop of Lismore, Geoffrey Jarrett, announced with sadness the news of the death of his immediate predecessor, the Emeritus Bishop of Lismore, John Steven Satterthwaite. The bishop died in Port Macquarie, NSW, in the south of the Diocese. He was 87 years of age.

Bishop Satterthwaite’s remains will be received into St Carthage’s Cathedral for a Vigil of Prayer on Sunday, 1 May 2016 at 6.30pm, prior to the Mass of Christian Burial on the following morning, Monday 2 May, 2016, at 10.30am.

Bishop Satterthwaite was born at Randwick in Sydney, on 11 August 1928. His primary education was at Ashford State School, and his secondary education was entrusted to the Marist Brothers at St Joseph’s College, Hunter’s Hill.

Having gained entrance to university, he enrolled in the faculty of Engineering, Civil Division, and took up residence at St John’s College, Sydney, in 1946. Academically brilliant he graduated in 1949 with a degree of Bachelor of Engineering (Civil Division), and thereafter was employed as a junior engineer with Australian Iron and Steel, Port Kembla. Continue reading →

National count of Mass attendance commences this month

Parishioners attending Mass

The national count of Mass attendance across Australia will commence at the end of this month, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Pastoral Research Office announced today.

The first weekend in May, Saturday 30 April and Sunday 1 May 2016, will see the commencement of the national count of attendance. The count was first held in 2001. This will be the fourth time that the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) has conducted the count at a national level.

The Count consists of a simple headcount of all attenders of all ages in all parishes and other Mass centres throughout Australia over the first four weekends in May. The count will only be conducted at the Sunday mass or the Saturday evening equivalent. Continue reading →

Nepal Earthquake – Shelter still the priority one year later

Man Bahadur Garti Chetri

As Nepal marks the first anniversary of two devastating earthquakes this week, the Caritas international network continues to invest millions of dollars to assist survivors.

The 7.8 magnitude earthquake on 25 April last followed by another on 12 May, 2015 left almost 9,000 people dead, caused numerous casualties and destroyed tens of thousands of homes and buildings.

A major focus of the global Caritas network has been to provide good quality housing. As the Caritas member agency chosen by Caritas Nepal to play a lead coordination role among 18 Caritas agencies from around the world, Caritas Australia has been very active in this response. Continue reading →

Liturgical resources to celebrate Mother’s Day

Australians celebrate Mother’s Day on 8 May 2016. Mother’s Day is a special day to appreciate mothers or mother figures, including stepmothers, relatives, guardians, close family friends and those who would be mothers. The Council for Australian Catholic Women encourages you to recognise the contribution of women within and beyond families on this occasion.

To help celebrate Mother’s Day across the Catholic community, the Council for Australian Catholic Women (CACW) recently prepared Liturgical resources for use on Sunday 8 May 2016. The resources include; a suggested parish bulletin notice, sample general intercessions and a blessing for use by parishes, schools and diocesan agencies.

The Mother’s Day resources can be printed from the Office for the Participation of Women website. Continue reading →

Growing euthanasia statistics should be a warning

Bishop Comensoli

There’s nothing compassionate or safe about killing our fellow travellers along the journey of life.

Accepting euthanasia means agreeing some people are beyond any help, for whom taking their life is the only option. I reject that pessimism. I reject the idea that euthanising someone is any sort of solution to the deeply human reality of facing our own mortality. That is a most callous and irresponsible choice. Doctors should instead help people to live their lives well as they make their final journey towards death.

Rather than buying into the dangerous and dishonest euphemism of “dying with dignity”, we would do better – and be more human – by dignifying the lives of the dying. Palliative care is one key way we can dignify the dying. We should not accept the chronic under-funding of palliative care in this country and offer lethal injections instead.

Euthanasia is not turning off a life support machine where there is no prospect of recovery. It is not ending treatment that is overly burdensome. It is not giving someone pain relief as they are dying. Rather, euthanasia is giving someone a drug with the intention of ending their life. Continue reading →

Mass for the Fallen on ANZAC Day

Mass for the Fallen will be incorporated into the National ANZAC Day Mass at St Christopher’s Cathedral, Canberra, on Monday 25 April 2016 at 8am.

Mass for the Fallen was commissioned by Allan and Maria Myers for use in celebrations of the Eucharist on Anzac Day, particularly the 100th Anniversary in 2015 but also over the centenary period from 2014 to 2018.

Parishes throughout Australia are invited to incorporate the Mass, or parts thereof, in the Anzac Day liturgy this year.

The mass setting was composed by Christopher Willcock SJ and it comprises a setting of the Kyrie eleison, the Acclamations during the Eucharistic Prayer, and the Agnus Dei.

The bishops conference website includes a list of all cathedrals and parishes where Mass for the Fallen will be sung during the ANZAC day weekend. You are welcome to add your parish to this list on our website.

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