St Brendan's Shepparton has a new statue of St Francis of Assisi thanks to the generosity of longtime St Joseph's Undera parishioners, the late Cath and John Hogan.

“Ruth has left the building” – a catchphrase fitting to farewell this passionate, effervescent woman who has led Sandhurst Youth Ministry with all the pizazz fitting of a drama teacher, while drawing from the gospels to reach young people in ways that matter to them. We farewell Ruth, who has served Sandhurst with commitment and passion over the last five years. 

The tranquillity of regional Victoria is sonorously appreciated by a man who has lived all his years in societies working through the aftermath of violence and conflict, yet whose main desire is to serve where he is needed most.

Grow Australia is a community-based organisation that has helped thousands of people with their recovery from mental ill-health through a program of mutual support and personal development.

"In October, I will be one of 15 Australians and hundreds of people from around the world gathering in Rome for the first assembly of what has become known as the “Synod on Synodality,” writes Bishop Shane Mackinlay.

Australia’s Catholic bishops say the issues surrounding the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice “are not just political”, but are also “moral and ethical”, in a statement ahead of the referendum on 14 October.

Sandhurst's Ruth Lawlor is to co-chair the newly formed Australian Catholic Youth Ministry Network. The ACYMN aims to foster and support leaders in the Catholic youth ministry community and provide national leadership opportunities.

On 14 September Bishop Shane led a virtual conversation Synod on Synodality – Room for Everyone in Our Church hosted by Garrett Publishing with the Australian Catholic Coalition for Church Reform and Yarra Theological Union.  Speaking of the upcoming Bishops Synod and referencing the Instrumentum Laboris Bishop Shane said, “The point of this synod is not just what happens at the Assembly, or about particular outcomes which come out of the Assembly … it’s about the synodal conversion of the Church,

Early next month, Bishop Shane will travel to Rome in preparation for the first Session of the XVI Synod of Bishops. Bishop Shane is participating at the Synod in his capacity as a delegate from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. He will be joined by four fellow Australian Bishops and five “non-bishop” voting members from Australia, three of whom are women.

Changing Places toilet facilities allow people with high support needs to participate in all elements of community life, without having to limit their time out due to concerns about being able to access a suitable toilet. Diocesan Disability Coordinator, Mary Pianta fills us in.