Caritas Australia is disappointed by the Australian Government’s decision to cut $650 million from Australia’s official aid program in the 2013/14 financial year. The decision was announced on January 18, with cuts set to reduce funding for programs in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and South and West Asia, as well as decreasing Government support for non-government organisation...

Perth attendees of the national liturgy conference held in Wollongong last week say the four-day event was filled with insightful talks that have given them new ideas on how to improve their parish liturgies. The four-day event commenced on January 15 with Mass at St Francis Xavier Cathedral in Wollongong, celebrated by Bishop Peter Ingham, who was joined by Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Bi...

FAMILY groups and educators have welcomed a review of the national curriculum that aims to restore recognition of the influence of Western civilisation on Australia’s history. Federal Minister for Education Christopher Pyne announced the review on January 5, saying it was prompted by the concerning results of students over the past decade. Research officer for Family Voice Australia (...

CHRISTIAN groups say the Greens’ attempt to remove the daily recitation of prayers in Federal Parliament, a practice that has taken place for more than 100 years, will fail. Acting Greens leader Richard Di Natale announced on January 14 that he would request the removal of the reading of prayers when Parliament returns next month, labeling the practice an “anachronism”. Senator Di Nat...

LIBERAL Senator Cory Bernardi says preserving traditional family values and morality is a task that begins with each individual. Last week, the politician came under fire after his new book, The Conservative Revolution, was criticised by various media outlets for its pro-life and pro-family views. But Senator Bernardi remains unfazed by the criticism, speaking openly to The Record abo...

Australia’s southern Indian faithful will have their own bishop after a breakthrough decision to establish a new Syro-Malabar Eparchy in Melbourne.

Caritas Australia, the Catholic Church’s International Aid and Development agency, has a new CEO at the helm.

Caritas Australia says support is reaching typhoon-ravaged communities across the Philippines but more help is needed as the number of people affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan continues to rise.

Thousands of young Catholics gathered for the Australian Catholic Youth Festival recently, where they were challenged to make a difference in the world and to spread the Gospel message.

THE HIGH Court of Australia upheld marriage between a man and a woman last week, ruling unanimously that the ACT’s same-sex marriage laws were inconsistent with the Federal Marriage Act, and consequently unconstitutional. The decision that the entirety of the ACT law “is of no effect” was made on December 12, almost two months after the legislation was initially passed in the ACT Legisla...