ON April 25, Catholics usually celebrate the feast of St Mark the Evangelist, whose attributed writings make up one of the four gospel accounts. However, this year it was moved to April 26. The Gospel of Mark is one of the synoptic Gospels, and provides a succinct account of Jesus’ life and ministry. It’s also […] The post The Feast of St Mark – Gospel writer and evangelist appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more

This is Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge’s homily from Mass on Anzac Day     WARFARE has changed dramatically in the span of time we remember on Anzac Day. Perhaps the greatest emblem of that change was the dropping of the atom bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.   We have all seen images and read […] The post On Anzac Day we remember that life has victory over death appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more

IT will be an Anzac Day like no other before. Only ten days before, 36 students from St Joseph’s School in Stanthorpe, within Toowoomba Diocese, left for a first-time ever International Tour with six staff members and suitcases filled with Australian pride. Today they will visit the Western Front battlefields of the Somme, Pozieres, Villers […] The post The trip of a lifetime for Stanthorpe students visiting Anzac sites in France appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more

By Jo Hayes A SWELTERING summer afternoon in Brisbane, in the late 1990s. School has finished for the day. The school grounds are unusually silent. And I am sitting in a stifling hot classroom, sorting out my Latin declensions. I wasn’t being punished – although it did feel like it at the time. I had […] The post I’m grateful my father made me study Latin – long may the classical languages continue appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more

BROKEN Bay priest Fr Sam French, who has a large online following, revealed yesterday that he had been diagnosed with cancer and had undergone a successful surgery. The priest who is known for his comedic and informative videos, which have raked in millions of views online, was seen holding a crucifix while lying in hospital […] The post Broken Bay priest lifts up cancer diagnosis in prayer for vocations appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more

MONICA Molloy loves her neighbours.   She can name just about every person in her street, the names of their children and a little tidbit about each of them. If pushed, she could probably name everyone in the Nundah-Banyo parish too. She loves to share her life, her faith and her home with her neighbours. […] The post Monica looks for the face of Jesus in everyone she meets appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more

POPE Francis has appealed to countries at war to release prisoners and offered special prayers for those who have endured torture. At the end of his weekly general audience , Pope Francis said that he knew “our thoughts, all of ours, go at this time to people in wars. We think of the Holy Land: […] The post Pope offers prayers for prisoners of war and victims of torture appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more

BRISBANE priest Fr Marty Larsen was remembered by family, friends, students, parishioners and colleagues as a warm priest who had a “great sense of fun and a wonderful spirituality” at a Funeral Mass at St Stephen’s Cathedral yesterday, April 18. Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge celebrated the Funeral Mass, and assisted by Deacon Peter Devenish-Meares. Toowoomba […] The post Hundreds of mourners farewell Fr Marty Larsen at Funeral Mass appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more

SYDNEY Archbishop Anthony Fisher has urged peace in the aftermath of the attack on an Assyrian orthodox church on Monday night.  Archbishop Fisher has said Sydney faithful deserved to “worship without fear,” as tensions remained high after a week of violence, including a knife rampage in Bondi Shopping Centre that left six dead. He said […] The post Sydney archbishop urges faithful not to respond to violence with fear or reprisal, but peace appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more

FRANCISCAN Father Mario Debattista sees the heart of the Church at work in the everyday faith of ordinary people. Fr Debattista is back in Australia for a month’s rest after serving as a missionary priest in Juba, South Sudan, for the last 14 months. It was his second time on mission in Juba. He ministered […] The post Fr Mario reflects on one year of mission in Juba appeared first on The Catholic Leader ..read more