Now is the time to Act!

Catholic Health Australia, Australia’s largest non-government grouping of aged-care services, today welcomed the launch of a nationwide coalition of providers to advocate for better aged-care standards and funding.

The Knights of the Southern Cross in Victoria have awarded a scholarship to a young Bendigo Catholic in order to support the completion of his studies in communications at Harvard University.

By Jenni Kennedy 

St Mary of the Angel's Secondary College has been recognised in the 2021 Moira Shire Australia Day Awards for their contribution to the local community through their outstanding VCAL program.

7 February 2021 

Pope Francis instituted 'The Sunday of the Word of God' as  means to help people “reawaken an awareness of the importance of Sacred Scripture for our lives as believers, beginning with its resonance in the Liturgy which places us in living and permanent dialogue with God,” writes the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.  

For over fifty years Palms Australia has been empowering communities in developing economies to be architects of their own development.  Palms works with communities who have identified for themselves a skill they want to develop and places Australians with the appropriate skills and experience on assignment in those communities. 

Palms  are experts in preparing Australians to work effectively and ethically in the field.  This year, Palms are seeking the help of our entire faith community to recruit Australian participants. 

A new Catholic Social Services Australia report says bolstering the under-resourced disability, aged care and social services workforces could hold the key to Australia’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The report draws heavily on Catholic social teaching principles, including the pursuit of the common good, solidarity and the dignity of each person.

After wide consultation across Sandhurst, the Review of the strategic consultative and administrative structures of the diocese has been completed. Bishop Shane looks forward to feedback about the report and its recommendations and plans to respond to and act to implement recommendations in the early months of this year. The report titled 'Go Forth' is now available on the diocesan website.

Late last year, St Augustine's Primary School, Wodonga conducted a Colour Fun Run to raise money for the Albury-Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre and Cancer Council Australia.  Several staff members took responsibility for the organisation of the day, ably assisted by some delightful, compassionate students who have been personally touched by cancer, losing their mother to cancer earlier in the year.   

18 January was a special day for the Community of the Sons and Daughters of God in Dookie. Bishop Shane presided at Mass at St Mary’s Church and formally renewed a 5-year agreement for the Community to continue to use the Dookie Presbytery as their monastery, which is known as ‘St Augustine of Canterbury Monastic House’.

On Tuesday 2 February the Victorian Premiers and Islamic Council published an open letter to Premier Daniel Andrews seeking an urgent 'pause' on the Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Bill 2020. The letter called for a meeting with the Premier and the Attorney General to ask for transparent and comprehensive consultation. "If a simpler, clearer bill had been tabled, with adequate consultation, then we would be able to give full support to a focused and practical way to protect people from harm."