Dr Phyllis Zagano. PHOTO: The Good Oil/supplied. The question of whether women can be ordained as deacons in the Catholic Church is expected to be discussed further at this year’s Second Session of the Synod on Synodality, with two prominent advocates for women deacons hopeful that it will be the catalyst for change, reports The Good Oil. American academic Dr Phyllis Zagano and Australian Sister of Mercy Elizabeth Young have both argued in favour of the historical reality of women deacons and the need for such an ordained ministry for women in the Church today. They say the Synod offers ..read more

Caritas Australia has launched its much-anticipated Laudato Si’ Action Plan in response to the Pope’s Laudato Si' encyclical. In simple terms, the Pope’s message illustrates an urgent and imperative need to address the ecological crisis facing the planet. Highlighted throughout the document is the interconnectedness of all life and the moral imperative to care for our common home. The plenary Council of the Catholic Church in 2022 passed a motion calling for all Catholic agencies and bodies, including parishes and schools, to adopt their own Laudato Si’ Action Plan by 2030. Chair of ..read more

As the parish of St Dominic in Melbourne’s Camberwell East celebrates the centenary of its founding, parish priest, Fr Paul Rowse OP, believes that one of the unique contributions the Dominican charism brings to modern society is the belief that, in the end, “truth doesn’t change”, reports Melbourne Catholic. Fr Paul was appointed parish priest at St Dom’s in 2022, on the far side of the COVID lockdowns. This role is his third stint at the parish, having served as a student prior to ordination, assistant priest and now parish priest. Fr Paul Rowse OP (centre) with two new student brothers, Br ..read more

A class of Year Six schoolchildren from Our Lady of Dolours, Mitchelton, in Brisbane, are about to visit the monastery of the Sisters of Mary Morning Star and they are buzzing with questions, reports The Catholic Leader. “How much do they pray? My brother said they pray to Jesus for lots of hours,” one child says. Sisters of Mary Morning Star, Sr Claire and Sr Dulce Elie talk to the children before they head in for Eucharistic Adoration. PHOTO: Joe Higgins/Catholic Leader. Another wants to know what the inside of their house looks like and another wants to know if they “live an ordinary life ..read more

Matthew Pinson SJ at the Vatican Observatory. PHOTO: The Bridge. For 37-year-old Matthew Pinson, joining the Jesuits was the perfect way to combine and retain his two greatest passions in life – his Catholic faith and his love of physics, reports The Bridge. Now in his ninth year of formation for the priesthood, Matthew is part of a revival of intellectual Jesuits, following in the footsteps of Jesuit scientists such as Fr Christopher Clavius SJ and Fr Angelo Secchi SJ. Matthew says his love of science developed at a young age and became particularly strong in high school when he took part in ..read more

Restructuring the working week to include hours spent on caring for family members or in community volunteering is one way societies could better recognise the dignity of women, a Vatican representative told a Sydney gathering for International Women’s Day, reports The Catholic Weekly. Salesian Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, said societies will truly flourish when caring roles, maternity and the equal dignity of women cease to be undervalued. Salesian Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral ..read more

The Daughters of our Lady of the Sacred Heart and the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart have held a joyful commemoration in Sydney of the 200th Anniversary since the birth of their founder, Fr Jules Chevalier. In the OLSH Mother House in Kensington, the OLSH Sisters and MSC Brothers came together for a Eucharistic celebration last month, presided over by the MSC Provincial, Fr Stephen Hackett, concelebrated by brother MSC Priests. Sr Philippa Murphy FDNSC and Fr Stephen Hackett MSC with a bust of Fr Jules Chevallier. PHOTO: MSC website. “Following the Mass, we gathered for a beautiful morning ..read more

Five years after its establishment, the enclosed Carmelite convent in Mathoura, New South Wales, is celebrating its first fully home-grown member, reports The Catholic Weekly. Discalced Carmelite Sr Gabriela of the Immaculate Heart of Mary received her black religious veil from Wilcannia-Forbes Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green at the Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph last Monday, April 8, during a Pontifical Mass that also marked the anniversary of the convent’s founding. Bishop Macbeth-Greene also unveiled plans for a larger monastery to accommodate the sisters under the patronage of St Elijah, an ..read more

Bathurst might be well known for its motor racing circuit, but there's one thing that is just as important - it's heritage, including its religious heritage, reports The Western Advocate.  Throughout March, April and May, Bathurst is celebrating its position as Australia's oldest European inland settlement with the Autumn Colours Heritage Festival and the Heritage Trades Trail.  Among the many activities on offer, throughout the festival, there'll be a number of guided tours through the Perthville Convent Heritage Centre.  The Perthville convent is part of Bathurst’s Autumn Col ..read more

During Lent, Project Compassion is highlighting stories of people who have been directly supported by the generosity of Caritas Australia supporters. Leaia’s is one of those stories. Not having access to a reliable source of clean water was very difficult for Leaia and her family. But with the support of Caritas Australia, a water tank was installed at their home, improving their health and living conditions.  Samoa may be a country surrounded by water, but access to clean drinking water is scarce in some areas, with many families facing extreme hardship as a result.  Leaia wit ..read more