As tens of thousands of students returned to school last week, Good Shepherd Primary in Kelmscott had a special surprise in store for their kindergarten and pre-primary students – a nature playground provided by parents.

Hammond Park Catholic primary school has completed its first week of kindergarten classes, two years after the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia endorsed its establishment.

Perth Catholic Seminary, Mark Baumgarten, reflects on the significant role that Pope Benedict XVI has played in his life.

The experience of witnessing two young children eating from a garbage tin while their parents stood sadly by with an infant in their arms in Sri Lanka, planted a seed of inspiration that has since spread its branches into Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Nigeria, Peru,Thailand and Vietnam and she is now embarking on her next initiative, the “Retired Teachers Mission Outreach”.

Perth Christians are refusing to accept the signs of the times this Lent, pushing back with prayers, fasting, and signage of their own.

Safe Motherhood Project co-ordinator Provaty Rozario (centre); Deputy Opposition Leader Roger Cook (right); and Fr Geoff Aldous (back) with students from St Vincent’s. PHOTO: Robert Hiini

A wonderful reason for a walk, praying the Rosary and singing Marian hymns in the annual procession honouring Mary at Lake Monger. PHOTO: Matthew Biddle

Almost 450 Catholics from around Perth gathered for the annual torchlight procession around Lake Monger on Friday night in honour of Our Lady of Lourdes.

Mr Cordier, who had been cycling from Sydney to Perth in an effort to raise money to aid Doctor Catherine Hamlin and her work at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia, which treats women with childbirth injuries, cycled into South Beach in Fremantle on Valentine’s Day.

The extensive graffiti damage to St John’s Pro-Cathedral carried out earlier this month has been removed during work to strip the outside walls.