December 12-16 2011

12-Dec-2011

    News - National

  1. Govt urged to act against aged care funding shortfall  

    14-Dec-2011

    The Federal Government must act now to avoid the most recent funding shortfall in aged care becoming an ongoing problem, according to Catholic Health Australia, reports the Catholic Weekly.


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  2. New director for Office for the Participation of Women  

    13-Dec-2011

    Canberra Educator Donella Johnston has been appointed Director for the Office for the Participation of Women and as the Executive Secretary to the Bishops' Commission for Church Ministry (BCCM), the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said in a statement.


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  3. Good Sam sister honoured for anti-slavery work  

    13-Dec-2011

    Brisbane-based Good Samaritan Sister, Pauline Coll, has received a national award for her distinctive contribution and commitment to the fight against human trafficking, slavery and forced labour, said a report in The Good Oil.


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  4. Traditional Anglican Communion primate resigns  

    13-Dec-2011

    Archbishop John Hepworth has resigned as the global head of the Traditional Anglican Communion, reports the Australian.


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  5. CatholicCare denies fraud claims  

    12-Dec-2011

    CatholicCare Sydney has denied claims that one of its agencies systematically defrauded the Australian government out of large amounts of money, it said in a statement, published in an AFP report in the West Australian.


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  6. Abbott rules out conscience vote on gay marriage  

    12-Dec-2011

    Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has angered senior members of his frontbench by ruling out a conscience vote on gay marriage only days after sending them a different message privately, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.


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  7. Increase evening masses, says Archbishop  

    11-Dec-2011

    More Sunday evening masses will attract young people and families back to the church, Archbishop Philip Wilson believes, according to the Advertiser.


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  8. Church employment arm accused of duping govt  

    11-Dec-2011

    A Sydney Morning Herald report alleges that the Church's employment arm has been systematically rorting the taxpayer-funded welfare-to-work program, one of a number of employment agencies that are exploiting loopholes in the $4.7 billion Job Services Australia program.


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  9. Archdiocese of Melbourne replies to Age reports about Marianist brother   

    11-Dec-2011

    The Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Melbourne (pictured) has responded to articles in the Age on December 3 and 6 which reported allegations of sexual abuse against a Marianist Brother, in a statement posted on the archdiocese's website.


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  10. First priestly ordinations in Wollongong in five years  

    15-Dec-2011

    Bishop Peter Ingham will ordain the first priests in five years in the Diocese of Wollongong tomorrow - retired police officer Geoffrey Allen and psychology graduate Duane Fernandez, the diocese said in a statement.


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  11. Call for law change over school enrolment rejection  

    15-Dec-2011

    A lesbian couple's experiences with a Catholic school in western NSW have sparked a call to amend anti-discrimination laws, reports the ABC.


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  12. Same-sex couple turn down enrolment offer  

    14-Dec-2011

    A homosexual couple whose daughter was originally rejected by a school regional NSW has turned down an offer of enrolment, after the acting head of the Wilcannia-Forbes diocese, Bishop Kevin Manning (pic), instructed the school to offer the child a position, reports the ABC and The Australian.


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  13. Selective high schools dominate NSW HSC top ten  

    14-Dec-2011

    The stellar performance of students at NSW selective high schools continues apace with only one private school, Moriah College, making the top 10 of the Sydney Morning Herald's annual list of top-performing schools as judged by HSC results, the newspaper said.


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  14. St Mary's lit up for Christmas display  

    14-Dec-2011

    St Mary's Cathedral will be illuminated against Sydney's night sky until December 24 as part of the second annual Lights of Christmas display, reports the Catholic Weekly.


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  15. Bishop overturns school snub of daughter of lesbian couple  

    13-Dec-2011

    The acting bishop for the Wilcannia-Forbes diocese, Kevin Manning, has overturned a decision by a Catholic primary school to reject a student because her parents are gay, reports the ABC.


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  16. Priest could face jail over drink driving offence  

    13-Dec-2011

    A magistrate at a NSW local court said a Grafton parish priest could face jail for driving after his second high-range drink driving offence, reports the Daily Examiner.


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  17. Lyrics of school Christmas carol made secular  

    13-Dec-2011

    The Inner Sydney Montessori School is accused of stealing Christmas after removing all references to Santa, carols and Christianity in end-of-year celebrations, reports the Daily Telegraph.


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  18. Protesters grill water minister over Murray-Darling plan  

    15-Dec-2011

     Water Minister Tony Burke has copped criticism from thousands of protesters, including Catholic priest Father Andrew Grace, over the Murray-Darling basin rescue plan, reports the Age.


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  19. Sister of Mercy celebrates 109th birthday  

    12-Dec-2011

    The oldest Australian Sister of Mercy, Sister Madeleine Lawrence, has celebrated her 109th birthday, said a report on the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn newsletter.


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  20. News - International

  21. Humanity must strive toward 'integral human development': Pope  

    15-Dec-2011

    Pope Benedict welcomed 12 new ambassadors to the Holy See, urging them to see that humanity's growing interdependence in the era of globalisation means "we are all responsible for everything", reports Vatican Radio.


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  22. Focus on Jesus, not the dazzle: Pope  

    11-Dec-2011

    Pope Benedict has reminded Christians not to be dazzled by the shopping lights of the Advent season but to keep focused on the coming on Jesus Christ, reports the Catholic News Agency.


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  23. Claim about Pill preventing cancer among nuns disputed  

    11-Dec-2011

    Two medical professionals have told the Catholic News Agency that an article, about the use of the Pill to lower the risk of breast, ovarian and uterine cancers among religious sisters, is flawed.


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  24. Marriage rate at new low in America  

    15-Dec-2011

    A record low of barely half of Americans are currently married, according to a Pew Research Centre analysis of Census data, reports the BBC.


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  25. US Canon lawyers offer to help bishops after theologian fallout  

    12-Dec-2011

    The Canon Law Society of America has offered to help the US bishops' conference develop their processes for investigations of theologians following the Elizabeth Johnson affair, reports the National Catholic Reporter.


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  26. Doubt over findings on abortion and mental health link  

    14-Dec-2011

    Catholic medical professionals have questioned the reliability of a British review concluding that women who have abortions have no increased risk of developing mental health problems, said a Catholic News Service Report on NCR.


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  27. Church under pressure to pay Italian property tax  

    12-Dec-2011

    The Church in Italy is under growing pressure to start paying taxes on its massive property portfolio, in a move that could raise up to €800 million ($A1 billion) a year and help bail the country out of its economic crisis, said a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.


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  28. Sri Lankan sister cleared of child trafficking   

    15-Dec-2011

    A Sri Lankan court has freed a Missionaries of Charity religious sister who was arrested on the allegation of child trafficking, after the attorney general said an investigation had proved she is innocent and her service is genuine, ucanews.com reports.


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  29. Sister given Number 2 position in Sth African bishops conference  

    14-Dec-2011

    Hermenegild Makoro, a sister of the Precious Blood, was appointed the new number two of the South African Catholic Bishops' Conference, reports the Vatican Insider from the agencies MissiOnLine and CISA.


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  30. Congo archbishop says election results flawed  

    12-Dec-2011

    The Archbishop of Kinshasa has condemned election results that gave the Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila a new five-year term after polls that were sharply criticised by observers, said an AFP report on Yahoo 7 News.


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  31. Venezuelan nativity with President Chavez stirs controversy  

    11-Dec-2011

    In the Bible, shepherds and wise men paid homage to the newborn baby Jesus, and in Venezuela Hugo Chavez turned up in the manger, too, said a Reuters report in the West Australian.


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  32. Regulars

  33. Feature - Margaret makes room for three more  

    15-Dec-2011

    Adelaide parishioner Margaret Wooley (pictured) will spend this Christmas morning with Iranian refugees Fahad, Parisa and Iliya celebrating Mass just over a year from the day they were detained at Christmas Island, reports Southern Cross.


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  34. Feature - My mother was raped but chose life   

    14-Dec-2011

    Emmy Award-winning designer Ryan Bomberger discusses the impact of abortion on black Americans in an interview with the Catholic Herald.


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  35. Feature - Tribal violence part of daily life for Kenyan bishop  

    13-Dec-2011

    Bishop Anthony Ireri Mukobo's day, week and month were about to take a turn from whatever he had scheduled. An outbreak of violence the previous night in central Kenya overrode much of his normal activity of overseeing the Catholic Church, reports the Catholic News Service.


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  36. Feature - Nuns take on coal and gas industry  

    12-Dec-2011

    A group of reclusive nuns in New South Wales has joined activists protesting against the coal seam gas industry. The Carmelite nuns, whose monastery is in south-western Sydney, have told a State government inquiry that proposed wells on land near their property will reduce their quality of life, reports the ABC.


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  37. Feature - The happiness of believing   

    11-Dec-2011

    The European Values Survey has found a strong correlation between happiness and religion. When the researchers ran statistical tests looking for correlations between happiness and religion variables, there were six main findings, reports MercatorNet.

     


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  38. Featured website - Noah's Ark found   

    15-Dec-2011

    A group of archaologists from Hong Kong and Turkey claim to have found the wooden remains of Noah's Ark, embedded in deep glacial ice near the top of Mt Ararat in Turkey. A series of reports from the team, together with several other articles, have been published on this new website.


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  39. Featured website - Catholic Women's League of Australia  

    14-Dec-2011

    The Catholic Women’s League of Australia (CWLA) has launched a new dynamic website, which highlights the significant work being done by League members locally, nationally and internationally. It also includes a comprehensive bioethics section.


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  40. Featured website - Independent Catholic News: ethical gifts  

    13-Dec-2011

    The Independent Catholic News has listed a range of sites that offer ethical gifts for anyone needing to buy last minute presents which won't break your conscience.

     


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  41. Featured website - ABC radio   

    12-Dec-2011

    The Catholic Diocese of Armidale is celebrating the appointment of a new Bishop. Father Michael Kennedy, the current parish priest of Leeton, near Wagga Wagga will start official duties early next year. Father Kennedy (pictured) spoke to the ABC. The interview can be downloaded.


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  42. Featured website - Virutal tour of Bethlehem  

    11-Dec-2011

    A virtual tour of the Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus, has been opened by Bethlehem town authorities this Advent. Those of us unable to make a pilgrimage in person, will also be able to see all the major attractions: the churches, culture and history of Bethlehem.


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  43. Film review - The Women on the 6th Floor  

    13-Dec-2011

    This film is a social comedy about Spanish maids who live and work in an apartment building in Paris in the 1960s. The film pursues the adventures of a wealthy stockbroker who gets pulled into the culture of the maids living above him in his apartment building.


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  44. Film review - New Year's Eve  

    12-Dec-2011

    This is a movie starring almost anyone that can lay claim to celebrity status. It is a series of vignettes, or short stories about “love, hope, forgiveness, second chances, and fresh starts”. The stories intertwine, some more successfully than others, but they all try to reflect the vitality and pulse of New York City, celebrated on a special night of the year.


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  45. Film review- Puss In Boots  

    11-Dec-2011

    This is a computer-generated film produced by Dream Works Animation. It tells the story of the adventures of Puss in Boots before his first appearance in Shrek 2 (2004). Accompanied by Humpty Dumpty and Kitty Soft-Paws, a black female cat, Puss is pitted against two ugly villains, Jack and Jill.


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  46. Book review - When Values Collide  

    15-Dec-2011

    When Values Collide recounts aspects of a Franciscan priest's searing experience of the sexual abuse crisis, its effect on the victims and their families, on the author and his fellow friars, and on the US church and Catholicism in general, writes Patrick Jordan in Commonweal.

     


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  47. Comment - Catholics and the Rapture  

    15-Dec-2011

    As a religious education teacher in London where many of the pupils attended Pentecostal churches, I was amazed to find that the class on ‘heaven and hell’ was the class that the teenagers most engaged with, and they shared their beliefs on ‘the rapture’ eagerly, writes Sr Cathy Jones RA in Thinking Faith.


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  48. Opinion - The big Catholic demographic shift  

    14-Dec-2011

    I've said this so often I probably ought to have it printed on T-shirts: The most important Catholic story of our time is the demographic shift from the global north to the south, with two-thirds of the Catholics in the world today living in the southern hemisphere, writes John Allen (pictured) in NCR Online.


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  49. Opinion - Time for Aussies to create new images of Christmas  

    13-Dec-2011

    As a nation come of age, and as a people whose many citizens originate from climes other than northern Europe, it is time for us to claim new images in our celebration of the seasons of Advent and Christmas, writes Patty Fawkner SGS in The Good Oil.


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  50. Comment - Priests, baptism and cultural Catholics  

    12-Dec-2011

    Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin (pictured) was quoted recently as suggesting that Ireland’s lapsed Catholics should have the maturity to leave the Church, writes Francis Phillips in the Catholic Herald.


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  51. Comment - Pope's family values in New Evangelisation  

    11-Dec-2011

    Pope Benedict has pointed to the traditional Christian family as a key agent in the New Evangelisation, saying heterosexual marriages open to having children provided “the human space for an encounter with Christ” in our world, writes Robert Mickens in The Tablet.


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  52. What's On - Carols of the Nations   

    14-Dec-2011

    The Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese will celebrate the spirit of Christmas with the annual Carols of the Nations on Sunday from 2pm-4pm at Archbishop’s House in Canberra.


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