March 21-25 2011

21-Mar-2011

    News - National

  1. No school should be worse off funding-wise: Catholic sector  

    25-Mar-2011

    The National Catholic Education Commission has said it expects "funding maintained" provisions will not survive the school funding review being led by David Gonski, according to reports in the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.


    » more

  2. Community supervision better for asylum seekers, says ERC  

    24-Mar-2011

    The Edmund Rice Centre has called for a major policy overhaul of Australia's management of asylum-seekers, proposing that the country implements the community supervision method adopted by western nations, the Centre said in a media release.


    » more

  3. More than 4000 Aussies to Madrid for WYD  

    24-Mar-2011

    More than 4000 Australian youth are expected to travel to Spain in August for World Youth Day in Madrid, reports The Catholic Weekly.


    » more

  4. Churches launch taskforce for gambling reform  

    23-Mar-2011

    Australia's major churches have met at a national forum in Canberra to launch the Australian Churches Gambling Taskforce, urging for gambling reform, said a report on the Christian Today Australia website.


    » more

  5. Bible-savvy Gillard offers scripture challenge to broaden appeal  

    22-Mar-2011

    Prime Minister Julia Gillard has moved to broaden her appeal to people of faith, jesting about challenging Tony Abbott to a contest in reciting scripture, said the Australian.


    » more

  6. New president elected to Vinnies national council  

    21-Mar-2011

    Anthony Thornton, a Shanghai-born Canberran, has been elected the new President of the St Vincent de Paul Society's National Council, said a media release.


    » more

  7. Response to asylum seekers protest "highly inappropriate"  

    21-Mar-2011

    The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office has described the response to the protests at the Christmas Island immigration detention centre as "highly inappropriate", according to a report on AdelaideNow.


    » more

  8. Charities tell Vic govt to honour wage case promise  

    23-Mar-2011

    Victoria's biggest charities and employers in the community sector have called on the Bailieu government to honour its promise to fund an equal pay case, reports the Age.


    » more

  9. Religious accused of abuse  

    25-Mar-2011

    A 41-year-old has told a jury that he was sexually abused as a teenager, by a member of the Vincentian order counselling him over a previous attack by a different man, said AAP reports in the Sydney Morning Herald.


    » more

  10. Parents urged to check NSW parties' education policies  

    24-Mar-2011

    Catholic school families and staff must make their vote count in the upcoming NSW election, by being aware of the educational policies of the major political parties, says the Diocese of Parramatta's Catholic Education.


    » more

  11. Plan released for old Kings School site   

    23-Mar-2011

    NSW Premier Kristina Keneally has released a plan outlining the look of the new $24 million arts and education precinct for the old King's School site in western Sydney, reports the Parramatta Advertiser.


    » more

  12. Greens policies of 'grave concern', say NSW bishops  

    18-Mar-2011

    The bishops of New South Wales have issued a statement advocating close scrutiny and criticism of the Greens, saying the party's policies are "of grave concern".


    » more

  13. Easter date skews Qld schools holidays  

    22-Mar-2011

    A rare school holiday timetable problem will force some parents to find four weeks of care for their children over Easter in Queensland, reports the Courier-Mail.


    » more

  14. Sth Aust CEO director to focus on identity, not numbers  

    23-Mar-2011

    South Australia's Catholic education sector would be happy to keep its proportion of students constant rather than push for more enrolments, new Catholic Education director Dr Paul Sharkey told AdelaideNow.


    » more

  15. Recriminalise prostitution in ACT, urges Church  

    21-Mar-2011

    The ACT should consider following the lead of Sweden by recriminalising prostitution and jailing men who pay for sex, said the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn, according to a report in the Canberra Times.


    » more

  16. News - International

  17. WYD organisers preparing 'Spanish fiesta' for expected million  

    25-Mar-2011

    More than a million Catholic youths are expected to attend World Youth Day in Madrid this August, with organisers promising a 'Spanish fiesta', said a Catholic News Service report in The Catholic Leader.


    » more

  18. Vatican reforms seminary philosophy studies  

    24-Mar-2011

    Studies for priests and theologians face a renewed emphasis on metaphysics, according to a newly-published Decree on the Reform of Ecclesiastical Studies of Philosophy from the Vatican Congregation for Catholic Education, say reports by the Vatican Information Service and Zenit.


    » more

  19. Pope's new book makes NYT bestseller list  

    23-Mar-2011

    Pope Benedict's new book on Jesus has entered the The New York Times bestseller list, at 10th place in the non-fiction category, said the Ignatius Insight Scoop website.


    » more

  20. Gay relations critics vilified, Vatican tells UN  

    23-Mar-2011

    There is a growing trend of vilifying those who criticise gay sexual relations for religious or moral reasons, a Vatican diplomat told the United Nations Human Rights Council, according to a Reuters report in the West Australian.


    » more

  21. Vatican aide reflects on nuclear risk  

    22-Mar-2011

    Japan's nuclear disaster has "raised questions that cannot be neglected", said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi, reports Zenit.


    » more

  22. Jesuit General Curia revisions announced  

    18-Mar-2011

    The Superior General of the Society of Jesus, Spanish priest Fr Adolfo Nicolas, has sent a letter to Jesuits worldwide, announcing a revision to the order's General Curia, reports the Catholic News Agency.


    » more

  23. US nuns sue Archbishop of Boston over pension fund  

    22-Mar-2011

    An American order of nuns is suing the Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Sean O'Malley, after years of trying, in vain, to withdraw from a church-run pension fund, said a Boston Globe report on Boston.com.


    » more

  24. Relic reputedly from Jesus' crown of thorns for museum display  

    25-Mar-2011

    A relic claimed to be a thorn from Jesus' crown is to go on display at the British Museum, after having been kept safely in a British Jesuit school for 200 years, reports the Daily Mail.


    » more

  25. Abuse by priests an 'appalling wrong', say Irish bishops  

    21-Mar-2011

    The Irish Bishops Conference has published a pastoral letter denouncing child sexual abuse by clergy, which also outlined new and existing initiatives of support available to survivors of abuse, said a report on Vatican Radio.


    » more

  26. Vatican hails EU court ruling on classroom crucifixes  

    21-Mar-2011

    The Vatican has welcomed a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights that displaying crucifixes in schools does not breach the rights of non-Catholics, said an AAP report on news.com.au.


    » more

  27. Catholics want inquiry into Indonesian youth's death  

    24-Mar-2011

    About 500 Catholics representing various organisations and parishes in Indonesia staged a rally yesterday over the torture of Catholic youths - one of whom died, reports ucanews.com.


    » more

  28. Malaysia backs down from putting serial numbers on bibles  

    24-Mar-2011

    Malaysian authorities have backed off from a plan to stamp serial numbers on Malay-language Bibles, as Christians threatened to lodge mass police reports against the government over the matter, reports ucanews.com.


    » more

  29. Chinese church shortage prompts call to make altars at home  

    22-Mar-2011

    A shortage of churches has prompted the bishop of Urumqi in China to urge his faithful to build shrines for the whole family to pray at home, reports ucanews.com.


    » more

  30. Japanese missionaries debate whether to stay or leave  

    22-Mar-2011

    Missionaries and their leaders are grappling with whether to remain in Japan or leave - either to other parts of it or out of the country entirely - following the earthquake, tsunami and potential threat of radiation, reports the Religion News Service.


    » more

  31. Japanese Christians unite to help provide relief  

    21-Mar-2011

    Japanese Christians are uniting in response to the emergency in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, interacting and planning through the web and especially through social networks such as Facebook, reports Fides.


    » more

  32. Regulars

  33. Feature - Japan nuclear disaster raises ethical questions   

    25-Mar-2011

    The ongoing nuclear plant disaster in Japan raises not only environmental and health issues, but ethical questions about energy use and the future of nuclear power, according to Catholic scholars and other ethicists, reports NCR Online.


    » more

  34. Feature - Brazil, soccer and the Jesuits  

    24-Mar-2011

    Renata Botelho worked as a sports journalist in Brazil and in 2006 moved to Germany for the World Cup where she met her Australian husband Andreas. They moved to Melbourne and after hearing about the work of Jesuit Social Services, Renata was keen to engage with the organisation, reports Province Express.


    » more

  35. Feature - Priest communicates word of God through calligraphy  

    23-Mar-2011

    Robert Palladino writes the words of theologians and spiritual masters, usually short, memorable quotes people can live by. He has engraved the texts and notes of ancient chant, which he admires greatly. The 78-year-old priest and calligraphy master plans to write until he dies, reports the Catholic Review.


    » more

  36. Feature - How to become a saint-maker  

    22-Mar-2011

    Being the co-ordinator for promoting a sainthood cause requires the combined qualities of a private investigator, a theologian, a lawyer, a historian and a medical examiner, reports the Catholic News Service.


    » more

  37. Feature - Lenten fast of nothing but beer  

    21-Mar-2011

    J Wilson has vowed to fast on beer this Lent. The 38-year-old from Iowa is following the example of 17th-century Bavarian friars who did not allow solid food to pass their lips during the penitential season but kept going on strong, dark specially brewed beer, reports Anna Arco in the UK Catholic Herald.


    » more

  38. Featured website - Franciscan guardians of the Holy Land  

    24-Mar-2011

    The Franciscans in the Holy Land, who have preserved Catholic sanctuaries in the area throughout the last 800 years, have launched a new website offering more information about the sacred sites as well as pilgrimages to the region.


    » more

  39. Featured website - New Liturgical Movement  

    23-Mar-2011

    New Liturgical Movement is a website dedicated to Sacred Liturgy and Liturgical Arts. It carries a rich array of articles, commentary, artwork, photos and drawings around the theme of liturgy.


    » more

  40. Featured website - For Your Marriage  

    22-Mar-2011

    A young American couple has started a blog about their courtship, engagement and preparation for Catholic marriage. Their preparations can be seen on For Your Marriage, an initiative of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.


    » more

  41. Featured website - 1964 blogspot Jesuit research  

    21-Mar-2011

    New research published by Georgetown University in the United States has found the membership of the Society of Jesus is moving from the developed world to the developing world. Full details of the research can be found on the website.


    » more

  42. Film review - Battle Los Angeles  

    25-Mar-2011

    This is not a close encounter of the friendly kind. Aliens have been targeting earth in the last few decades, and not with kind intentions.  Think War of the Worlds, Independence Day, Monsters, Skyline. In fact, this looks and sounds like a bigger and louder version of Skyline.


    » more

  43. Film review - A Heartbeat Away  

    23-Mar-2011

    Set in a sleepy coastal town in Queensland, A Heartbeat Away is a good-natured tale about corporate greed and the generation gap that may appeal to audiences looking for old-style Aussie entertainment in the mould of The Castle and The Dish.


    » more

  44. Film review - Griff the Invisible  

    22-Mar-2011

    Griff is a pathologically shy, reclusive young man, who works at a shipping company somewhere in Sydney, where he is bullied by his fellow co-worker, Tony. Then he meets Melody. Together they create characters, caught in their own madness, who instill oddness with warmth, and appeal.


    » more

  45. Film review - Limitless  

    21-Mar-2011

    This American thriller film is about an unemployed writer, who is an alcoholic and takes drugs. He is accidentally introduced to a new wonder-drug, which gives him super-human powers, and it allows him access to every part of his brain. Philosophically, the film raises a number of thought-provoking issues.


    » more

  46. Opinion - The significance of crucifixes in Italian schools  

    25-Mar-2011

    The Vatican's spokesman was wrong when he said the European Court of Human Rights' decision to allow Italian schools to display crucifixes recognises that “the culture of the rights of man must not be in opposition to the religious foundations of European civilisation”, writes William Oddie in the Catholic Herald.


    » more

  47. Comment - Standing in solidarity with those who suffer  

    24-Mar-2011

    It has been a turbulent start to 2011 with tragic natural disasters, political uprisings and most recently, the devastating tsunami in Japan, writes Anne Derwin, President of Catholic Religious Australia in the CRA March newsletter.


    » more

  48. Comment - Gillard shows her true conservative colours  

    23-Mar-2011

    The Prime Minister has offered her fullest exposition for rejecting both euthanasia and same-sex marriage. Ms Gillard is not the social progressive many Labor followers have wrongly assumed. In fact, she has deep roots as a cultural conservative and traditionalist, writes Paul Kelly in the Australian.


    » more

  49. Comment - An innovation to boost Catholic pride  

    22-Mar-2011

    For Catholics eager for signs of positive energy, next week should offer a welcome boost. In Paris, the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture will stage The Courtyard of the Gentiles - a new forum for dialogue between believers and non-believers, writes John Allen in NCR Online.


    » more

  50. Opinion - Don't underestimate hostility of school critics  

    21-Mar-2011

    Australia's cultural-left education establishment has embarked on a well-orchestrated and concerted campaign against Catholic and independent schools, and parents should not underestimate the degree of antagonism of these critics, writes Kevin Donnelly in ABC Online.


    » more

  51. What's On - Cardinal Pell to speak on Catholic intellectual life   

    24-Mar-2011

    Cardinal Pell will speak on Catholic Intellectual Life and the Universities at Notre Dame University in Sydney on March 29. The lecture, hosted by Notre Dame's Centre for Faith, Ethics and Society, will be the first of the Bishops Speaking Out series.


    » more

Church Resources provides a range of services for the Church and not-for-profit sector, including aggregating buying power for a wide range of products and services used by health, welfare, aged care, education and parish organisations. More »

Mass streamed live daily

From Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Waitara, in the Broken Bay Diocese.
Weekdays live at 9.30am
Saturdays live 9.30am (followed by Adoration and Benediction)
Sundays live 9.30am
Click on this link at the appropriate time to connect.

Subscribe

To receive headlines from our faith-based news services, please subscribe below.

Email address

Newsletter


 

News Feed

Subscribe to the CathNews RSS feed to get the daily edition automatically delivered to you.
Subscribe to Faith Project RSS.