Tag Archives: catholic bishops

Bishops’ Commission for Church Ministry founds new Pastoral Council for Lay Catholics

Media Release
8 December, 2011

The Bishops Commission for Church Ministry (BCCM) has founded a new Lay Pastoral Council to develop policies for the education, formation, pastoral care and support of Lay Pastoral Ministers.

The members of the newly-formed Council are: Sr Philomena Burrell (Perth); Mrs Heather Carey (Adelaide); Sr Kathy Hatherall (Brisbane); Mr Richard McMahon (Sydney); Mrs Kathleen Lillis (Melbourne); Fr Brian Moloney (Australian Catholic Council for Clergy Life and Ministry Representative) and Bishops’ delegate Bp Peter Comensoli (Sydney). Continue reading →

Wagga Wagga priest Fr Michael Kennedy appointed Bishop of Armidale

Media Release: Embargoed until 10:00pm EST,
7 December, 2011.

Wagga Wagga priest Fr Michael Kennedy has been appointed Bishop of Armidale today following the resignation of Bishop Luc Matthys having reached the age limit.

Fr Michael Kennedy was ordained for the Diocese of Wagga in the late 1990s and is currently the Vicar Forane (Dean) of the Murrumbidgee Deanery. He is also currently the Parish Priest of Leeton in New South Wales.

Bishop Gerard Hanna of Wagga Wagga expressed his support for the news that one of his senior priests had been appointed and wished him every success in his new ministry.

“We congratulate him on his appointment. He has over the last 13 years shown a very balanced approach to his pastoral ministry in the Diocese and I believe that he is well suited in his new role of leadership as the Bishop of the Diocese of Armidale”, said Bishop Hanna.

In the course of his ministry in Wagga Wagga, Fr Michael Kennedy was the Rector of St Francis’ Residential College at Charles Sturt University. He has also served as assistant priest in Albury.

Fr Michael expressed both surprise and joy when receiving the appointment and hopes that he will be a true shepherd to the people of Armidale.

“I am both honoured and humbled to have been chosen to be a successor of the Apostles as the bishop of Armidale. It is my hope to be a true shepherd and teacher for the people of Armidale so that, together, we may grow in faith and build up the Body of Christ. I begin by asking the faithful of the Armidale Diocese to pray for me, and by assuring them of my heartfelt prayers for them”, said Fr. Michael.

Fr Michael Kennedy began his priestly formation at Vianney College in Wagga Wagga and completed his studies in Rome at Propaganda Fide, obtaining a Licentiate in Sacred Theology.

In addition to working as a Parish Priest in the Diocese, he has worked as a lecturer at Vianney College, covering moral theology as a major course.

For media enquiries or to arrange an interview with Bishop-Elect Michael Kennedy, please contact Beth Doherty on 0407 081 256

Letter for International Day for People with Disability – a letter from Bishop Terry Brady

Dear Friends in Christ,

At our baptism, we are welcomed and commissioned to spread the Good News, to produce fruit that will last and to use our God-given gifts. We are all called to witness the life of Jesus Christ through our prayer, our offerings and how we share our gifts. It is through the life, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Saviour that we are challenged and called to be a loving, compassionate and inclusive community; to be truly One Body in Christ.
The President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Archbishop Philip Wilson, in his recent letter to the Catholic Church in Australia, invites and calls us to a Year of Grace. It will be a time to contemplate the face of Jesus Christ; for it is when we recognise Jesus Christ in ourselves and each other that we are led on a profound and mysterious journey towards understanding the meaning of being One Body in Christ.

Continue reading →

What is this “Year of Grace”?

By Fr Peter Brock

You’ll have seen Archbishop Wilson’s Letter, on behalf of the Australian Bishops, announcing the Year of Grace [www.yearofgrace.catholic.com.au]
The Bishops have chosen, as a sort of sub-heading, a phrase from Pope John Paul II’s Novo Millennio Ineunte: “starting afresh from Christ”.
So that might be the four-word answer to the question.
At the meeting of our National Planning Team, we brainstormed a slightly longer version:
“Listening to the wisdom of God, the Year of Grace calls us to:
· encounter Jesus Christ in prayer
· seek healing and renewal through repentance
· grow as disciples by cultivating the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that the Church in Australia will continue to be transformed by the power of Christ’s resurrection”. Continue reading →

Monsignor John Murphy – A reflection from Fr Maurizio Pettena CS

Photo courtesy of the Catholic Leader, Brisbane.

By Fr Maurizio Pettena CS

This text is also available on the website www.acmro.catholic.org.au

Monsignor John J. Murphy, former Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office concluded his journey here on earth, Monday, November 14, 2011. The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office joins the many people who mourn and offer prayers for this truly good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ and of the Church. Continue reading →

“One Body in Christ” –Disability Council releases new resource for people with disabilities


“One Body in Christ” – Release of a New Resource for Welcoming People with Disability
Media Release
16.11.11

The Australian Catholic Disability Council and the Disability Projects Office of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference have released today a new resource for parishes and Church communities called One Body in Christ, Welcoming People with Disability. Continue reading →

Graces in my Diocese – reflections on an Archdiocesan Assembly

By Archbishop Mark Coleridge, photos by Loui Seselja

I have no illusions about the challenges we are facing, but I have high hopes for the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. Both the challenges and the opportunities were on show last Saturday at the Archdiocesan Assembly attended by over four hundred members of the Archdiocesan community. They came from far and wide, from every corner of this far-flung and very diverse Diocese; and it struck me that in some ways this was the “core leadership” group. Continue reading →

Put out into the deep – the New Evangelisation’s challenge to the Church

By Marita Winters, Director, Catholic Enquiry Centre and the National Office for Evangelisation

Recently I’ve been part of several dinner conversations on the state of the Catholic Church.
Does that sound familiar?

During one, there was comment on the average age of the few participants at a vigil Mass -the estimate given was “at least mid-60’s”. During another there was discussion around the overwhelming participation for registration for a parish Sacramental program one week and the return to half-empty seats the following week. Continue reading →

Australian Catholic Youth Ministry Convention – Claim the date!

Australian Catholic Youth Ministry Convention 2012

After the highly successful Australian Catholic Youth Ministry Convention (ACYMC) in Melbourne 2010 which hosted over 400 youth ministers from parishes, diocese, schools and communities around Australia, the BCPL is preparing to host another in 2012.
Continue reading →