The Perth co-ordinator of the special Year of Grace for Australia announced by the president of the Australian Catholic Bishops in Rome during the Australian bishops’ ad limina visit in October is calling for ideas and suggestions for ways to begin the journey in the Perth archdiocese. A retired laywoman and former principal of Catholic primary schools in WA, Paddy Buckley emphasised at a me...

A 12th century devotion from the south-east coast of Italy brought hundreds to Fremantle for the port city's annual festival to bless the fishing fleet.  Fresh from his ad limina trip to Rome, Archbishop Barry Hickey visited the Fishing Fleet Festival in Fremantle on 30 October to bless the  fleet. Archbishop Hickey celebrated Mass for the festival in St Patrick’s Basilica on 30 October a...

Bridget Spinks joins Australian pilgrims on their preparatory road to Madrid via a renowned French centre of spirituality. Australian pilgrims listen and pray at an international youth forum in Paray-Le-Monial above, and Fr Peter-Damien celebrates Mass in the Chapel La Colombiere on the feast of St Lawrence. PHOTO: Bridget Spinks. “What are you seeking?” a consecrated lay sister, Isabel...

Bridget Spinks joins Australian pilgrims on their preparatory road to Madrid via a renowned French centre of spirituality. Michael Burke, Robin Rosario and Rebecca Thomas. PHOTO: Bridget Spinks. Michael Burke of the parish of Rockingham, Rebecca Thomas of Glendalough and Robin Rosario of Mirrabooka were among a group of 30 Australians to visit Paray-le-Monial, in France, as part of thei...

By Robert Hiini Catholics who travelled to Norseman Parish for Mass on 26 June got to meet a traveller of a different kind at their after-Mass barbeque. Richard Xu Tan, 27, was in town as part of the Australian leg of his worldwide cycling tour, having just completed a nation-wide trek across China. Goldfields Catholics make a new friend in world-touring cyclist Richard Xu Tan. Fro...

By Robert Hiini A school for handicapped children in Kuzhithurai, India, was on the brink of collapse seven years ago when Lumen Christi College stepped into the breach to help out. The college’s commitment to the Matrix Community and its work has been ongoing ever since. Twenty five packing cases the College sent before last Christmas have now arrived at the Mission in Attoor, India. ...

St Peter the Apostle parish of Bedford and Inglewood celebrated its patron saints’ feast day of Sts Peter and Paul on Sunday 3 July with an International Food Fair to fundraise for the St Vincent de Paul Society. Fr Dat Vuong with parishioners on 3 July. The parish hall catered for many cuisines such as from Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy and Vietnam. The food fair began at...

Blessing of the Stations of the Cross and the Feast of the Sacred Heart celebrations By Donna Cooper Parishioners of the central wheatbelt parish of ‘Lord of the Harvest’ attended the blessing of the Stations of the Cross in the grounds between the Bencubbin church and the presbytery last Friday evening, 1 July 2011. The parish comprises the towns of Beacon, Bencubbin, Koord...

Constitutional recognition of Indigenous peoples could be the vehicle to improving their social independence and relationship with Australian governments and the wider community, according to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda. Pioneer: Mick Gooda, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, gives keynote lecture during NA...

By Robert Hiini NAIDOC week is about taking stock of Indigenous successes and working towards a brighter future, an Aboriginal elder told Mass-goers at the Redemptorist Monastery on Sunday, 3 July. There is some good news: Indigenous peoples have notched up many success stories in the past 10 years, says Robert Isaacs, above with the Redemptorist Monastery Social Justice Group on 3 Jul...