Australian Catholic Safeguarding Ltd (ACSL) has announced the appointment of Dr Ursula Stephens as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Dr Stephens, who is currently CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia, replaces outgoing ACSL CEO Ms Sheree Limbrick.

Australian Jesuit composer Fr Christopher Willcock SJ has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Australian Catholic University (ACU) for his contribution to liturgical music within the Catholic Church.

Knights of the Southern Cross is a Catholic fraternal group who are committed to promoting the Christian way of life and supporting the works of the Church. Without seeking recognition, they give of their time and talents. Small acts of kindness, ushering in church or major fundraising activities are all part of their ministry.
But it is not ‘all work and no play’!

Sandhurst Care for Creation Network met over Zoom last week. It was a fruitful sharing of ideas across parishes and towns across the diocese.  After the meeting Glen (Glenys) Avard of Colbinabbin was inspired to create prayer cards.  Glen is kindly sharing these prayer cards with us. they are available for you to download and print. 

On Good Shepherd Sunday, Sandhurst seminarians shared their testimony with the faithful in the parish of their Holy Week placement. Jackson Saunders at Echuca, Adonis Peña at St Brendan’s, Shepparton, Ezekiel Hangan at St Kilian’s, Bendigo and Dominic Manatad in Wangaratta.

On Anzac Day memorial services were held across the country, not to glorify war, but to honour and remember the sacrifices of the service men and women who served and are serving in the armed forces today. Amongst these service men and women have been Catholic priests, working as Chaplains. One such priest was Rev. Fr Frederick Charles O’Connor.  We share his story recounted by Mr Murray Poustie in his book,  'Chaplains at War'.

By 2058 it is expected there will be more than 1.5 million Australians over the age of 85.  The way we 'care' for our most senior citizens needs genuine broad-scale reform particularly with regard to funding and staffing.  CHA is urging the Australian government to adopt the Australian Aged Care Collaboration's recommendations in its new report 'Aged Care  — The Way Forward'. 

Stella Maris Australia, has signed up to the international Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change, which calls for seafarers to be considered essential workers, and therefore have earlier access to COVID-19 vaccines, as well as better practices to facilitate changes of crew.  Australia is heavily reliant on the delivery of goods by sea, there is a moral obligation to ensure the health and well-being of seafarers in general. 

In late March, for the last six years parishioners of St Augustine's Church, Kyabram have celebrated in gratitude for the year's abundance with an annual Harvest Mass.  

This year, the brunch held after Mass was a bit different due to COVID-19 restrictions, but parishioners were grateful for the opportunity to gather for Mass and afterwards enjoy each other's good company. 

Catholics in Australia are being encouraged to receive a COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to them, with the relevant Bishops Commission saying it is morally permissible to accept any vaccine, while encourages governments to conduct all medical research and health delivery in moral ways, and to offer patients a choice of options.

Long-time St Vincent de Paul volunteer Mr Mike Iverson is the embodiment of servant leadership, writes Barb Anglin, President of SVDP North Eastern Central Council. His 55 years of dedicated service was formally acknowledged at the St Vincent de Paul Society Upper Murray and Wangaratta Regions’ Festival in Rutherglen on Sunday 18 April.

St Mary's Mooroopna parsishioners Mary and Allan Mcgrath celebrated sixty years since their wedding at Sacred Heart Tatura in April 1961. They credit being prepared to give and take as the secret to a happy marriage, and say their faith has helped them to get through the tough times, writes Brenda Pye. 

By Jenni Kenney

St Liborius’ Primary School celebrated the official blessing and opening of an extensive refurbishment project on Thursday April 22 which has transformed the Senior Learning area of the school.

The building has been named the 'Josephite Learning Centre,’ to link the new facilities to students and  their learning in to the special charism of the school and its foundation.

On 11 April, the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria gathered on the banks of the Murray River for their annual 'Barney's Picnic' to continue their long-standing tradition of celebrating Mass and sharing a meal together on Divine Mercy Sunday.

On 24 March 2021, FCJ College Benalla opened its new state-of-the-art multi-purpose hall made possible by a generous donation from the FCJ Sisters to mark the bicentenary of the Faithful Companions of Jesus Society founded by Marie Madeleine d’Houet in 1820; as well as 120 years of the FCJ sisters being involved in education in Benalla (1900 - 2020).

Over 110 deaths and thousands left homeless after flooding and landslides in Timor-Leste and Indonesia

Since April 4, the small nation of Timor-Leste and southern islands of Indonesia have been inundated by extreme weather from Tropical Cyclone Seroja, one of the most destructive storms to hit the region in years.
In Timor-Leste, 27 people have lost their lives, with another 86 deaths reported in Indonesia.

For we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard, Acts 4:20.

Catholic Mission has launched its major appeal for the year, supporting the essential work of the Mother and Babies Home run by the Good Shepherd Sisters in Bangkok, as they reach out to vulnerable women in their time of need.

The Catholic Dioceses of Victoria have announced the opening of a public consultation period for a new process of response to complaints and redress relating to abuse in the Catholic Church. It is important that voices of those who have experienced abuse are heard, and that their feedback helps to shape this new model.

As we pray during Sundays of the Easter season, Lyn Breen suggests we may like to focus our attention on the last few words of the ancient creeds.

Did you have a Project Compassion box at home, school or church growing up? It’s a little box with a big history, and an even bigger impact. A lot has changed in 50 years! Find out more about the rich history of Project Compassion.

The work to ‘Care for Creation’ is continuing on the world stage and through the small individual efforts of each of us.
To share these things both big and small, you are all invited to join our Sandhurst Network gathering for our first 2021 conversation on Wednesday 21 April at 5.00 p.m. via Zoom.

On 28 March, Bishop Shane Mackinlay led a prayer service for 52 deceased members of the St Aidan’s community at their final resting place in the Bendigo Cemetery located in Quarry Hill.. “We pray that God may welcome them among all the saints of heaven,” prayed Bishop Shane before blessing their newly restored ‘family grave’, which features inscriptions of the names of each of the women and children buried at the site between 1907 and 1977.

The Diocese of Sandhurst has welcomed the report on the Diocese’s implementation of the National Catholic Safeguarding Standards, conducted by Australian Catholic Safeguarding Ltd (ACSL). ‘The results of the audit show not only very high levels of compliance with the safeguarding standards, but also a sustained commitment to fostering a culture of safety and care for children, and adults at risk,’ said Bishop Shane.

Australian Cardinal Edward Cassidy passed away earlier today at the age of 96. After ordination to the priesthood and two years in parish ministry in regional New South Wales, Cardinal Cassidy went to Rome for additional training, leading to a 30-year career as a Vatican diplomat across four continents. In 1989, he was appointed President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity – making him one of Australia’s most high-ranking Vatican officials. He was named a cardinal two years later.

Oceania Webinar
11.00 a.m. Tuesday 20 April 2021

How can we revitalise, renew and grow mutual relationships between our parish and school communities? Together let us explore how a worshipping community can reach out to our school communities and how we can enable school communities to recognise that they are an important part of the parish —and that we are all part of the one community in Christ.