Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, Cardinal George Alencherry has thanked the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference for advocating for the establishment of the Syro-Malabar Eparchy almost a decade ago, and for their ongoing assistance.

Speaking during the Mass of ordination to the priesthood of St Charles Seminary formed Nathan Barrie, Bunbury Bishop Gerard Holohan told the new priest that the effectiveness of his ministry will depend upon his having ‘the stench of the flock’ – quoting the image envisioned by Pope Francis.

In celebrating the ordination of five men to the priesthood, Perth Salesian Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB has said the Lord is asking them to let go of everything holding them back from giving themselves fully and finally to God; to surrender themselves to God and allow God to remake them, to reshape them, into something, or rather someone, new.

People will be looking to you to be a living reminder of the Word that heals and transforms, said Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton, during his homily for the Ordination to the Diaconate of Redemptoris Mater Seminarian, Andres Felipe Fernandez, Thursday 18 August at St Mary’s Cathedral.

It is important for Grzegorz, and for us, to understand what it means to be a priestly people, said Perth Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, during the ordination of Fr Grzegorz Rapcewicz, Friday 12 August.

“This is at the heart of the common vocation we all share and for that very reason it is at the heart of the vocation to the ministerial priesthood through which Christ enables the Church to live this vocation fruitfully,” Archbishop Costelloe said.

Deacon Grzegorz Rapcewicz will this week be ordained the 43rd priest from Perth’s Redemptoris Mater Seminary by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB. Hailing originally from Warsaw, Poland, Dcn Grzegorz highlighted the importance the domestic church had on his faith journey, which ultimately led him to the priesthood.

Growing up in Kingsley with his parents and siblings, Perth born 27-year-old Nicholas says his vocation towards the priesthood has stemmed from having a lived faith experience transmitted through his family.

Nicholas was last Saturday 12 March ordained to the Diaconate by Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB. By Jamie O’Brien.

In ordaining new Brisbane Auxiliary Bishop Tim Norton, Archbishop Mark Coleridge said that the new bishop would have to discover and shape his own profile and identity as bishop, “not unlike what Pope Francis has done and is doing as Bishop of Rome”.

Below is the transcribed homily of Perth Emeritus Archbishop Barry Hickey, on the occasion of Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton’s Episcopal Ordination, Thursday 21 February 2002, at St Mary’s Cathedral.

The Catholic Church of Australia welcomed some good news earlier this month, despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, with the Diaconate Ordination of Willetton-raised Dominican Brother Reginald Mary Chua OP on Saturday 6 June at Sydney’s Saint Benedict’s Church, Broadway.