Monday 18 December 2006

Fr Francis Devoy has been appointed the executive director of the Australian Council for Clergy Life and Ministry for a three year term from 2007 to the end of 2009.

Chairman of the Bishops Commission for Church Ministry, Bishop Michael Malone said that Fr Devoy would complete his secondment in December and this appointment would extend his term for a further three years.

Friday 15 December 2006 

The beautiful sounds of traditional and foreign-language carols will fill the City Square with Christmas cheer this weekend, 15-17 December, at the Jesus is Christmas festival.

Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart and Lord Mayor John So will launch the Jesus is Christmas festival at 5pm today (Friday) near the contemporary nativity scene and scripture wall in the City Square

Thursday 14 December 2006

The international community has failed to act effectively in putting an end to the tragic conflict and "horrific violation of human rights" taking place in the Darfur region of western Sudan, a Vatican official said.

The "killing of children, sexual abuse and rape of girls and women, forced uprooting of (the) population, burning of villages, attacks on internally-displaced-people camps, targeting of unarmed civilians" are all part of the human and environmental disaster continuing to unfold in the region, said Archbishop Silvano Tomasi.

Wednesday 13 December 2006

City shoppers will have the chance to rediscover the true meaning of Christmas at the Jesus is Christmas festival, to be held in the City Square, Melbourne from 15-17 December.

The festival will be launched at the City Square by Archbishop Denis Hart and Lord Mayor John So at 5pm on Friday 15 December, followed by a performance from the newly-formed Melbourne World Youth Day choir.

Tuesday 12 December 2006
A message from Archbishop Denis J Hart

On Monday 11 December 2006, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he has accepted the resignation of Bishop Joseph O’Connell, D.D., D.C.L., as Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne, made in accordance with Canon 411 and 401, paragraph 1, of the Code of Canon Law, having attained the age of 75 years.

Tuesday 12 December 2006

No one is excluded from building with Christ the living temple of his Church, God's dwelling with people, says Pope Benedict XVI.

The Pope, speaking in preparation for Christmas, was heard by about 40,000 people who gathered on 10 December in St. Peter's Square, Vatican,  to recite the midday Angelus.

Monday 11 December 2006

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has released a comprehensive summary of the 2006 Plenary Meeting, held in Sydney from 27 November to 1 December.

Friday 8 December 2006

The Herald Sun today reports that Father Gerard Dowling could return his popular Family Counsellor radio program this weekend, following his battle with cancer.

Journalist Paul Grey reports that Fr Dowling had been off the air since August, when his struggle with the illness reached a near-death crisis point.

Friday 8 December 2006

Would you like to give something more meaningful this Christmas?

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Thursday 7 December 2006

Representatives from Australian Catholic University (ACU National) have met with the Australian Intercultural Society at the latter’s headquarters at Moonee Ponds, Victoria. The Australian Intercultural Society was established in 2000 to promote and foster harmonious relations between faith communities in Australian society.

Thursday 7 December 2006

The House of Representatives last night voted to overturn the 2002 ban on therapeutic stem cell cloning and approved the Bill which will allow scientists to create and destroy embryos in the name of research.

The Bill passed narrowly through the Senate last month, but the conscience vote was easily approved with MPs voting 82-62 in favour of the controversial bill.

Thursday 7 December 2006

Extreme floods in the coastal regions of Kenya swept away the homes of more than 75,000 families in recent weeks. Caritas Australia has offered $50,000 to Caritas Kenya and other Caritas partners to support the victims of the floods and will be accepting further donations.
 
As the floods peaked at up to 12 metres, many people spent up to three days taking refuge in trees as the waters washed away their homes and destroyed all their recently harvested crops.

Monday 4 December 2006

A new book containing a collection of stories from people with disability, their families and faith communities would be an inspiration and a blessing for the Church in Australia, Bishop Max Davis said today.

Bishop Davis officially launched the book, entitled “We Have a Story”, in Canberra today.
The launch followed a Mass at St Peter Chanel’s Church, Yarralumla, which was attended by many people with disability and their family, friends, carers and parish priests.

Monday 4 December 2006

Sevenhill Cellars, the Jesuit winery in the Clare Valley in South Australia, has released two new wines to celebrate the 500th birthday of the order's founder, St Francis Xavier.

The Australian today features an article on the cellar, which has made sacramental and table wines for 155 years, and its new winemaker, an Anglican woman who used to make wines for Sir Cliff Richard.

Monday 4 December 2006

Pope Benedict XVI completed his four-day tour of Turkey on Friday 1 December.

During the farewell ceremony at the close of his historic visit to Turkey, Pope Benedict XVI said: "I am leaving part of my heart in Istanbul, in this magnificent city."

Monday 4 December 2006

New research exploring why some Catholics have stopped going to Mass would be a valuable tool in forming pastoral strategies to help people return to the practice of their faith, Australia’s Catholic Bishops said last week.

The Bishops, meeting in Sydney on Friday 1 December, said the “Disconnected Catholics” research project was a help in understanding the very complex personal, spiritual and cultural factors which have seen a decline in church-going over recent decades.

Monday 4 December 

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference have issued a pastoral letter to those suffering the ill-effects of Australia's drought.

The letter offers solidarity to those affected by the drought and asks for Catholics to continue to pray for rain.

Monday 4 December 2006

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has released a statement on the detention of David Hicks, calling for the Australian and US Goverments to urgently resolve the issue. The statement was released on Friday 1 December.