AFTER a partial victory in the Federal Court a Tamil mother has asked the government to give her family a normal life at home in the Queensland town of Biloela after two “depressing” years in detention. Priya Murugappan, her partner Nades and their Australian-born daughters Kopika, 4, and two-year-old Tharunicaa, remain on Christmas Island and could yet be deported to ... Read More »

AUSTRALIAN Catholic University’s vice-chancellor Professor Greg Craven – a “strong and respected” Church voice – is to retire early next year after 13 years of leadership. Professor Craven has overseen the transformation of ACU into a leading Australian institution that is now in the top 10 Catholic universities globally. “Professor Craven is always ready to go into battle for what ... Read More »

CARDINAL George Pell says he was “so incensed” at prosecutors who handled child sexual assault allegations against him, but holds no ill will towards the complainant in the case that resulted in his 13 months behind bars.  In his first TV interview since release from prison on April 7, Cardinal Pell also accused Victoria Police and the national broadcaster, the ... Read More »

AFTER being released from prison, Cardinal George Pell has revealed he is ashamed of the Catholic Church for the way it dealt with the “cancer” of child sex abuse in the past. “There are two levels. One is the crimes itself, … and then treating it so inadequately for so long,” Cardinal Pell has said in an excerpt from an ... Read More »

CARDINAL George Pell has been released from prison after the High Court of Australia quashed his child sexual assault convictions. The 78-year-old, was serving a six years prison term, and has spent more than 400 days behind bars in Victorian jails. “I have consistently maintained my innocence while suffering from a serious injustice, ” Cardinal Pell said in a statement ... Read More »

THE High Court will rule tomorrow whether Cardinal George Pell was wrongly jailed after being convicted on five counts of child sexual abuse. Among the possibilities are that 78-year-old Cardinal Pell could be released after spending just over 400 days behind bars. He was found guilty by a jury in late 2018. The court ruling will be announced amid COVID-19 ... Read More »

ECONOMIST Deacon Adam Walk said if he remembered anything about his grandparents’ generation, it was that they saved their incomes and did not borrow too much. Most of them grew up through the Great Depression and the Second World War, he said, when times were tough and saving money could be the difference between eating and going hungry. With coronavirus ... Read More »

CATHOLIC schools across Australia have committed to extending school fee relief for families facing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. National Catholic Education executive director Jacinta Collins said Catholic schools have a long tradition of offering school fee relief and assistance to families facing financial difficulties. “Catholic schools keep their fees as affordable as possible, but we know many ... Read More »

QUEENSLAND Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced schools would close from next Monday to all but the children of essential workers in order to ease pressure on schools amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The change applied to Catholic schools, independent schools and state schools. Ms Palaszczuk said schools would move to pupil-free days from next week but parents could still send their ... Read More »