A little more than one year on from the launch of the Catholic Archdiocese of Perth’s plan aimed at bringing the community together, the task of strengthening and revitalising parishes with a sense of empowering passion is well underway, according to Father Nino Vinciguerra. By Natashya Fernandez.

In addition to being the ‘father’ of three monotheistic faiths – Judaism, Christianity and Islam – Abraham is also a model of the welcoming behaviour that we should show to others, including strangers and outsiders. This message was the focal point of Abraham Day, celebrated last week at the University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA), with keynote speakers from each of the three communities: Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, Rabbi Dovid Freilich from Perth Hebrew Congregation, and Sheikh Muhammad Agherdien, Teacher at Langford Islamic College. The event, held on Thursday 14 September, carried the theme ‘Abraham: Welcoming and Standing Up for the Other’, and was the second Abraham Day hosted at UNDA, following its launch last year. Addressing attendees in the Drill Hall in Fremantle, Archbishop Costelloe said people of faith should challenge themselves to welcome others in a genuine and caring fashion. By Caroline Smith.

The Archdiocese of Perth has just appointed Deacon Gregory Lowe as the new Director of the West Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office (WACMRO) here in Perth.

The Catholic Performing Arts Festival was recently provided with a good dose of Kimberley culture and language, from some of the students from Sacred Heart School, Beagle Bay.

It wasn’t a fairy tale story for Yaqoob Jebrita and his family when they escaped from the clutches of ISIS terrorists, but he is grateful for their new life in Australia and the immense help he has received from his Mirrabooka Parish.

Students from Emmanuel Catholic College enjoyed a program of cultural immersion last month when they visited the Kimberley. By Caroline Smith.

Brendan Philips, volunteer Pastoral worker at Aboriginal Catholic Ministry (ACM) has recently completed his chaplaincy degree at Murdoch University and Clinical Pastoral Education through Royal Perth Hospital, and has written a reflective essay, addressing some of his experiences. By Natashya Fernandez.

Graduate nurses are turning to the University of Notre Dame Australia’s specialised program in Burn and Trauma Rehabilitation.

Nedlands Parish has called on parents, grandparents and children carers to attend a cyber safetyt workshop to be held on Wednesday, 13 September.

Morality is never allowed to get in the way of style as Samuel L Jackson and Ryan Reynolds find creative ways to dispatch a host of extras in the excessively mayhem-ridden action flick The Hitman’s Bodyguard. Some dialogue justifying revenge and flirting with blasphemy only reinforces the general disregard for life underlying the proceedings. By John Mulderig.