The term “child soldier: combines two words that do not belong together in any parent’s vocabulary, the innocence of childhood ripped away by the bloodshed and violence of combat in a modern African army.

Robes and garments worn by clergy are a conspicuous feature of the Church and for more than a decade, Vickii Smith has had the privilege of making these items from her home in the Perth suburbs. Photo: Jamie O’Brien. By Caroline Smith, Jamie O’Brien & Robert Hiini Robes and garments worn by priests, acolytes and altar servers are a conspicuous feature of the Catholic liturgy. F...

(L-R) David Tunley, Victoria Rogers and Cyrus Meher-Homji, authors of a recent book on pianist Eileen Joyce, which was launched at the University of Western Australia on 4 December. Photo: Caroline Smith. By Caroline Smith When David Tunley, Victoria Rogers and Cyrus Meher-Homji set out to write about the career of Eileen Joyce, their task was a significant one: not only to reveal how...

The story of Christmas and its significance for mankind was illuminated recently at St Thomas the Apostle Church in Claremont, through an annual evening of carols and readings. Photo: Caroline Smith. By Caroline Smith  The story of Christmas and its significance for mankind was illuminated recently at Claremont Parish St Thomas the Apostle Church, through an annual evening of carols a...

By Caroline Smith For members of the Focolare movement in Perth, following in the footsteps of foundress Chiara Lubich means engaging with the world in a way that encourages fellowship and unity, whether it’s befriending newly-arrived refugees, meeting with people from other faiths, or reflecting on the Gospel. The movement – whose name means ‘hearth’ or ‘fireside’ in Italian – was founde...

Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe SDB, Bishop of Parramatta Vincent Long and Auxiliary Bishop of the Northern Region of the Archdiocese of Melbourne Terence Curtin took part in a panel discussion as part of the Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) in Sydney on Friday 8 December. Photo: Jamie O’Brien. By Caroline Smith The Catholic Church in Australia has many advantages – not...

Sr Scott – a Benedictine sister from Jamberoo Abbey in New South Wales – is best known for her appearance on ABC television series The Abbey, where she mentored a group of lay women through the experience of monastic life. Photo: Cyron Sobrevinas By Caroline Smith  God loves you and sits beside you even in your most difficult moments, Sister Hilda Scott OSB told attendees at the Austr...

Kashindi received life saving support through Centrecare’s Entrypoint Perth Service. Photos: Supplied. By Caroline Smith and LifeLink For many people in Perth, Christmas can be a time of great abundance. For others, the work of organisations and agencies such as Centrecare Inc can be crucial in providing essential services that allow them and their families to approach the season with hop...

Father Andrew Bowron blesses a cross mosaic made by students from St Mary’s School in Merredin. Photo: Supplied. By Caroline Smith Members of the Merredin Catholic community came together in their hundreds to celebrate the 90th anniversary of St Mary’s School earlier this year. The celebration, which included a school fair and a reunion dinner was held on Saturday 14 October, and broug...

For Father Neville Connell, a former Anglican, joining the priesthood of the Catholic Church was part of a long and winding journey of faith, which culminated in his ordination in August at Mt Lawley Parish, St Paul’s Church. Fr Connell is a member of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of the Southern Cross, which encompasses people who have not completed the Catholic Sacraments of Initiation who seek to live the full Catholic faith. He said that the celebration of faith had been a strong feature of his life early on. “At the age of around nine, I began to tread the well-tried path of Anglican boys – I became a choir boy, complete with Eton collar, was confirmed at the age of 11, and in due course was an altar server, member and office bearer of parish youth groups,” Fr Connell said. By Caroline Smith and Jamie O’Brien.