NEW SOUTH WALES is a step closer to conferring the status of “personhood” on an unborn child for the first time. Parliamentarians in the lower house voted 63-26 in favour of a controversial amendment to the Crimes Act, after two months of weekly debate on the bill. The bill will now face a vote in the upper house, where the result is expected to be closer. The proposed changes are ...

ARCHBISHOP Christopher Prowse was officially installed as the leader of the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn on November 19. The Mass of installation was held at St Christopher’s Cathedral in Canberra, with more than 700 people in attendance. The crowd included almost 150 clergy, as well as most of the Bishops of Australia. Archbishop Prowse’s five siblings were also present. P...

PRAYING outside an abortion clinic in Tasmania could result in imprisonment after radical changes to the State’s abortion laws were passed last week. The Tasmanian upper house passed the Reproductive Health Bill on November 21, which removes abortion from the criminal code, placing it instead in the health code. Abortions up until 16 weeks will now be performed without written consent...

Altar servers from around Australia are preparing to gather in Brisbane in January for the national conference of the Guild of St Stephen.

Vietnamese asylum seekers detained in Northam will face immediate and indefinite imprisonment if the Australian Government rejects their claims for asylum, a visiting Vietnamese bishop said in Perth this week.

At a time when Church groups and ministries are finding it increasingly difficult to attract and retain younger members, a Victorian event is proving that achieving such a goal is possible.

CATHOLICS and Protestants are taking to social media to engage in reasoned discussion about God, Jesus Christ, and the Church. A Facebook group titled ‘Catholic – Protestant Debate’ now has more than 1,000 members from around the world, including Australia. The group has several rules, prohibiting the use of profanities and insults, instead encouraging mutual respect. It states tha...

THE ACT has become the first jurisdiction in Australia to legalise same-sex marriage after the bill passed the territory’s Legislative Assembly on October 22. Same-sex marriages could take place as early as December, although the Federal Government will challenge the constitutionality of the legislation in the High Court. A statement from the Attorney-General George Brandis’ office co...

The ACT has become the first jurisdiction in Australia to legalise same-sex marriage after the bill passed the territory’s Legislative Assembly on October 22.

Parramatta Bishop Anthony Fisher’s expressed his concern for people ravaged by bushfires by launching an appeal this week. Bishop Fisher launched the appeal through CatholicCare Social Services, Parramatta, writing a letter to concerned persons throughout the country