One of the essential tasks facing Catholic parents everywhere is addressing the question of how they are to pass the faith of the Church on to their own children, writes Peter Rosengren in his most recent Editorial.

One of four children, Vannak, his siblings and parents live in Andong Village, the largest slum in Cambodia and only 15km from Phnom Penh city. Home to approximately 8,000 people, Andong was established in 2006 when the inhabitants were driven from their homes in Sambok Chap, near the Bassac River.

Who decides when the Conclave will begin? Can the elected person refuse to accept? And at what moment does he become Pope: with the election or with his inauguration? Fr John Flader answers all of these questions in his column …

It’s not enough to want to grow – although that’s a start; you have to plan for it and that planning must have God at its heart, say pastoral planners in the Diocese of Parramatta. Amid incredible ethnic diversity and expansion, they are not afraid of making frank assessments in pursuit of a brighter future, writes Robert Hiini.

The lay vocation is chronically undervalued, argued Dr Andrew Kania on February 26. Here is an edited version of the talk he delivered at the inaugural Dawson Society talk in Northbridge.

When Salma fell pregnant, she felt frightened and unsure. Thanks to Pronoti, a rural midwife from the Safe Motherhood Project, Salma’s fears dissolved and she gave birth to a healthy baby girl called Maya.

Bread and circuses. As a state election looms the advertising has intensified temporarily in line with all other previous elections and much of it seems to be not very clever or original. To put it bluntly, our major political leaders and their parties display a distinct lack of imagination matched only in extent by their political cunning. Is this because electoral strategists themse...

The decision to close Nagle Catholic College’s boarding hostel was not taken lightly, writes Dr Timothy McDonald …

Like everyone else, I was surprised by the sudden resignation of Pope Benedict, whom we had all come to love. This raises many questions. Is this provided for in law? To whom does the Pope submit his resignation? And can the Cardinals elect someone who is not a Cardinal?

Raymundo, now 24, was only nine years old when he joined the circus. This was the beginning of a whole new life, away from the influence of gangs, drugs, alcohol and a potential life on the streets.