Tag Archives: Church

Homily of Archbishop Philip Wilson at the Foundation Eucharist of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and PNG

Archbishop Wilson preaches the Homily at the Foundation Eucharist of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea

The Foundation Eucharist of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea
St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
December 18, 2011

It is of great interest to me in reading about the history of the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy to discover that it was never the intention of Venerable Catherine McAuley to become a sister. She didn’t want to be a religious. But luckily she met a nice bishop who helped her and this is a good turn of events I can tell you. Given the history that I belong to it’s really something.

But Dr Murray was of great help to her because he understood exactly what she wanted to do and he knew why she had the opinion that she had and he helped her to create a new way of being religious so that the Sisters of Mercy known as the walking sisters, the walking nuns, able to do their work about bringing the mercy of God to the people of Ireland and very quickly then to England and to the rest of the world. Continue reading →

Address by Sr Berneice Loch RSM, Newly elected leader of the Sisters of Mercy

Sr Berneice Loch RSM, the newley-elected leader of the Sisters of Mercy addresses the congregation at St Mary's Cathedral

Sr Berneice Loch RSM is the newly-elected Leader of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea

The Foundation Eucharist of the Institute of Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea
St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, December 18, 2011

Your Eminence. I thank you for your hospitality in hosting Sisters of Mercy and our many friends and guests here at this gathering today. I rather thought being called to lead a group of over 900 religious women was a daunting task, but right now, addressing such a huge gathering in this cathedral seems hardly less daunting. So I’ll keep it brief. Continue reading →

The Sisters of Mercy of Australia and PNG, Mass at St Mary’s Cathedral

On the 12th of December, 2011, the Sisters of Mercy Australia and Papua New Guinea formed one joined Congregation, which will be known as the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of Australia and Papua New Guinea. The following clip is of highlights of the Mass which was celebrated at St Mary’s Cathedral by Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop Guiseppe Lazzarotto and Archbishop Philip Wilson, as well as Bishops and Priests from Australia and Papua New Guinea.

The Christmas story of asylum seekers

By Fr Maurizio Pettena CS

Yesterday, I stood in front of the Nativity scene that is displayed in front of St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney and considered it for a moment. The Christmas story, as always during December, is much on my mind and in my prayer this week. Even David Jones just down the road has a beautiful display in its windows of puppets re-enacting the Christmas story, complete with baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the three kings and the angels. A huge group of tourists had gathered to watch the mechanical puppets, taking photos and in some way, celebrating what Christmas is about. Continue reading →

“Increase humanitarian intake to prevent future asylum tragedies” says Catholic Migrant office

Media Release
19 December, 2011

The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (ACMRO) today expressed sorrow over the tragedy which has resulted in the deaths of a possible 160 people, mostly thought to be asylum seekers from Afghanistan and Iran.

This time last year, a similar tragedy occurred when just short of safety, a boat carrying 50 Middle Eastern asylum seekers crashed off the rocks of Christmas Island. Continue reading →

A vandal at Christmas

By Bishop Greg O’Kelly

This article was first published in “The Witness” of Port Pirie and is used with permission

At Christmas five years ago, people entering St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Adelaide were shocked to discover that the nativity crib had been vandalised. Someone had urinated over the statues of Mary and Joseph, and the statue of the baby Jesus in the crib had been smashed into pieces. Continue reading →

Rockhampton Youth Minister wins inaugural Youth Ministry Scholarship

Media Release
15 December, 2011

The Bishops Commission for Pastoral Life (BCPL) in partnership with The Broken Bay Institute (BBI) is happy to announce the winner of this year’s youth ministry scholarship.

Ms Lauren Cole, the Diocesan Youth Ministry Coordinator for the Rockhampton Diocese has been award a full scholarship to study the BBI-University of Newcastle Graduate Certificate in Theology, specialising in Youth and Campus Ministry in 2012 and 2013. Continue reading →

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