Mercy Associates hit all the right notes again this year with their annual Variety Concert, which raises money for Mercy Works. By Daniele Foti-Cuzzola.

The life of Caroline Chisholm and her work with the poor was last week the focus at a Mass which co-incided with Anti-Poverty Week. The Mass, which took place at Infant Jesus Church Morley Parish on Wednesday 18 October, was celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton. By Natashya Fernandez.

Parishioners from Woodvale were last weekend encouraged by Parish Priest Father Francisco Mascarenhas to always keep the values of St Luke close to their hearts and practise them in their lives on 22 October, the feast day of the parish patron saint. By Natashya Fernandez.

Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton last week spoke about the importance of being involved in the ministry of the Church as he ordained Mark Anthony Rucci from St Charles Seminary to the Diaconate.
The Mass, held on Friday 20 October at St Benedicts Church, Applecross Parish, was celebrated by Bishop Sproxton and concelebrated with St Charles Seminary Rector Father Philip Fleay, Vicar General the Very Rev Fr Peter Whitely, together with Deacon Tung Vu and priests from across Perth. The ordination brings Deacon Rucci one step closer to the ministry of priesthood. In the presence of some 400 family, friends and parishioners from across Perth who have been touched by the new Deacon’s journey, Bishop Sproxton said that it was a joyful day to celebrate with and pray for him as he is ordained.” Bishop Sproxton went on to say that Mark was named after two great saints and shares in the journey of faith more closely to them.

Hieu Nguyen CSsR and Son Nyugen CSsR from the Redemptorist Monastery have last month attained one of the great milestones of their spiritual journey as they were ordained to the Diaconate by Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton on Saturday 30 September at the Redemptorist Monastery in North Perth.
Hailing from Vietnam, the two men have reached this important step of their formation through years of prayer, discernment, and academic study. Their ordination brings them a step closer to their priestly ministry. In his homily for the occasion, Bishop Sproxton told the two men that they are called to be in the ministry to serve and reiterated that ‘the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve’ (Mk 10:45a). Acting Rector for the Redemptorist Monastery, Father Vincent Pham, said that the celebration was magnificent and meaningful. By Natashya Fernandez.

Jackie Chan takes a sharp turn from his typically genial screen personality to become the vengeful father of a London terrorist victim in The Foreigner. In this efficiently suspenseful adaptation of Stephen Leather’s pulp thriller, director Martin Campbell and screenwriter David Marconi have produced a drama about Irish Republican Army (IRA) violence and bureaucratic treachery. By Kurt Jensen.

There is no sense in lamenting hunger and forced migration if one is unwilling to address the root causes, which are conflict and climate change, Pope Francis said. “War and climate change lead to hunger; so lets avoid presenting it as if it were a disease,” and instead implement laws, economic policies, and lifestyle changes that prevent the problems in the first place, he told world leaders. By Carol Glatz.

The Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) has this week announced that the two young men behind charity Orange Sky Australia, will be among the keynote speakers at the event in December. Lucas Patchett and Nicholas Marchesi will join a stellar line-up, including Canadian Christian singer Matt Maher, and singer songwriter Steve Angrisano along with local artists and Church leaders.

Mercy College was pleased to see their Soccer Academy Director Mr Trim Morgan acknowledged for his dedication to the sport with a state award.

Students from several Catholic schools have once again outdone themselves at the State Tournament of Minds held on 10 September. By Natashya Fernandez.