To promote community understanding of issues synonymous with MercyCare’s values, this year’s MercyCare Oration 2017 took attendees on the personal journey of a lost five-year old boy from the backstreets of India to the beautiful Australian region of Tasmania. Shining the light on MercyCare’s fostering services, there was no one better to tell the story than Saroo Brierley himself. Held at the Hyatt Perth on 21 September, the event brought together 650 guests and dignitiaries, to hear Mr Brierley talk about his remarkable life story which inspired the Hollywood film, Lion. By Natashya Fernandez.

Walking thousands of kilometres alone in an African desert, with nothing but a soccer ball and an iPod for company, is something that few of us would contemplate. Canberra adventurer and Caritas Australia supporter, Matt Napier, however, did exactly that, walking thousands of kilometres to raise money for those living in poverty, with a 1900-kilometre walk across the Namib Desert.

St John of God Health Care Maternity Reference Group Coordinator, Zoe Islip, has won Catholic Health Australia’s Emerging Leader Award.

Music lovers revelled as The Walker Trio once again lent their talents in support of Catholic Mission at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Subiaco.

Since the revamp and implementation of a new constitution and mandate for the Archdiocesan Plan: Support for Clergy; one year on, the implementation phase is well under way to support clergy life, Father Peter Bianchini tells The eRecord. By Natashya Fernandez.

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.