TOWNSVILLE Bishop Tim Harris criticised both extreme left and extreme right political narratives for misleading the public from finding a reasoned and nuanced understanding of the costs and effects of climate change. Bishop Harris said this reasoned and nuanced understanding was essential to enacting our “God-given” responsibility to care for creation. He said both the hard-left and hard-right stifled the ... Read More »

THE past two years spent out with the butcher’s paper and permanent markers in parish halls and small groups across Australia listening to “what the Spirit is saying” (Revelation 2:7) had been building up to this – 2020.  And there was still plenty to be done.  The Plenary Council National Facilitation team has opened up expressions of interest for those ... Read More »

A SECTION of Brisbane’s Catholic community has been rocked by the death of a young man whose devotion to the Church inspired scores of people to return to the faith. Wilson Gavin, who attended the traditional Latin Mass at Mary Immaculate Church, Annerley, was found dead at Chelmer, in Brisbane’s south-west, on the morning of January 13 after taking his ... Read More »

MARIE Downes has been playing the organ at Sacred Heart Church, Sandgate, for more than 45 years but she’s been keeping a secret from her fellow parishioners – she’s not an organist. “I’m not an organist … I’m a pianist,” Miss Downes said late last year as she prepared for a special celebration the Sandgate Brighton parish held to pay ... Read More »

CATHOLIC parishes across Australia are preparing to dig deep with special bushfire collections at Masses over the Australia Day weekend.  The national Church action is in support of the Vinnies Bushfire Appeal, and to aid efforts connecting people in need with people who can help. Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Archbishop Mark Coleridge announced the collection on January 7, saying: ... Read More »

CHERMSIDE West’s next parish priest will inherit thousands of Christmas lights as outgoing pastor Fr Gerard McMorrow moves to a church in Southport. The jovial Irish priest, who has been at Chermside since 2002 and Wavell Heights since 2011, is the new pastor of the Southport parish on the Gold Coast. When he moves to the new coastal community in ... Read More »

TWAS three weeks before Christmas, and everyone cheered and gathered to see Michael Hutchinson shave his beard. L’Arche Community Brisbane met its goal of $10,000 and, “as promised”, Mr Hutchinson was put in the barber’s seat.  The Brisbane L’Arche community leader said he had the beard since 1982 and had been growing out that iteration for a few months before ... Read More »

“WE have forgotten the Bali Nine,” Townsville Bishop Tim Harris said, almost 15 years since a foiled drug smuggling operation first made international headlines. Bishop Harris called on the Federal Government to bring the remaining Bali Nine to Australia to serve out the remainder of their sentence here. “If they’re home here, there may be an opportunity to help these ... Read More »

THE newly established “Sunday of the Word of God” is an invitation to Catholics across the world to deepen their appreciation, love and faithful witness to God and his Word, Pope Francis said. By papal decree, the third Sunday in Ordinary Time – January 26 – is to be observed as a special day devoted to “the celebration, study and ... Read More »