After an abducted Nigerian priest was released Wednesday, his religious congregation said it was praying for the conversion of his kidnappers. Source: CNA.
Priests can celebrate four Christmas Masses
18-Dec-2020
The Vatican has decreed that priests can celebrate as many as four Masses on several important feast days, including Christmas, to accommodate the participation of the faithful. Source: Crux.
Pope Francis has used his 2021 World Day of Peace message to urge governments to shift spending away from military needs in order to help those experiencing poverty and to provide better health care to their people. Source: NCR Online.
The Maronite Eparchy of Australia has launched an appeal for Lebanon, aiming to provide 12 months’ worth of basic necessities for up to 500 vulnerable families living in the country.
Modern slavery was the focus of Catholic Mission Perth’s Christmas Reflection, hosted at St Patrick’s Basilica in Fremantle in partnership with the University of Notre Dame Australia and the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
Spy film tells a tale of female courage
18-Dec-2020
A Call to Spy is a British historical drama that tells the true story of three courageous women who worked as British spies during World War II. Source: Jesuit Media.
The presidents of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Catholic Religious Australia say their annual report to the National Office for Child Safety outlines comprehensive and sustained work across Church settings. Source: ACBC Media Blog.
More than 2000 students at the University of Notre Dame Australia will pay lower fees following a Morrison Government decision to treat the Catholic higher education institution like a public university. Source: The Australian.
Ombudsman: Tower lockdown violated human rights
18-Dec-2020
The Victorian Government has refused to apologise after the state ombudsman found the timing of the lockdown of Melbourne public housing towers in July violated residents’ human rights. Source: The Guardian.
New Zealand’s Royal Commission into Abuse in Care says it will never be possible to determine the exact number of people abused because of large gaps and deficiencies in data collected at the time. Source: Radio New Zealand.
Next Gen attracting younger CWL members
17-Dec-2020
In a positive sign for the Catholic Women’s League in South Australia, there has been a boost in the number of younger members participating – albeit in a slightly different way. Source: The Southern Cross.
Pope Francis will be featured in a new Netflix documentary series focused on sharing the voices of older people around the world, which is set for release in 2021. Source: NCR Online.
People who pray for others are like God’s antennae, Pope Francis said at his general audience yesterday. Source: CNA.
Funding for palliative care to give people “dignity and support” as they come to the end of their life is preferable to legalising euthanasia, New South Wales Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has said. Source: Daily Telegraph.
Catholic Health Australia has welcomed the Morrison Government’s additional funding for home care packages but says future reform and funding needs to address a looming workforce shortfall to care for older Australians.
Bishops respond to governance review report
17-Dec-2020
A review of governance will help shape the way the Church in Australia understands co-responsibility in its life and mission and puts it into practice, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has said. Source: ACBC Media Blog.
Cardinal George Pell has confirmed for the first time he believes senior Church figures conspired to frame him on sexual abuse charges in Victoria due to his work trying to clean up the Vatican’s murky finances. Source: The Australian.
Fundraising reform will cut red tape
17-Dec-2020
The Morrison Government has signed a deal to help fix fundraising regulation across Australia – a move praised by the St Vincent de Paul Society and other charity sector leaders. Source: Pro Bono News.
From Parish of Our Lady of The Way, North Sydney & Lavender Bay. The first Mass of the day on YouTube. 
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