WHENEVER Casey Arden got into trouble as a young girl, or if she had a burning question about life, she “straight away put up a prayer” to God. It was an unusual habit for a child with no exposure to Christianity at home – until late last year, she didn’t even know what the Holy Spirit was. But for 35 ... Read More »
A BRISBANE priest has spoken out against plans to remove mobile phones from refugees and asylum seekers in detention. Bracken Ridge parish priest Fr Gerry Hefferan has pleaded for the proposed federal legislation not to be adopted. Fr Hefferan, who was part of an Australian Catholic delegation that visited Port Moresby last November to meet asylum seekers and refugees formerly ... Read More »
THE Catholic Church is to set up a new national office for safeguarding to streamline and co-ordinate efforts to protect children. “The Catholic Church in Australia is bringing into a single entity several national agencies working in the area of child protection and safeguarding,” Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, said. One of the agencies ... Read More »
PROTESTERS and faith leaders united to sing Amazing Grace in the darkness and call for the release of asylum seekers being detained in the heart of Brisbane recently. Leaders from various Christian denominations and other faiths had gathered for a twilight prayer vigil during Refugee Week (June 14-20) at Kangaroo Point, not far from the hotel where the asylum seekers ... Read More »
A GROUP of five, young asylum seekers ask that they not be identified. The reason is simple. They, and their families fear deportation if they speak out against how they are treated under Australia’s immigration system. Each of the five are at school, live with families, siblings or friends in community detention in Brisbane, waiting they hope, to start life ... Read More »
COLLECTION plates around Brisbane have been collecting dust instead of coins and notes for the past eight weeks but a new app is giving parishioners a chance to donate to their parish once more. The Parish Giving app for the Archdiocese of Brisbane was released at the end of April, several weeks after parishes were told to suspend Masses and ... Read More »
EVERYTHING from food services to public showers were growing scarce for Brisbane’s homeless population under increasing restrictions imposed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Emmanuel City Mission director Roby Curtis said their operations had reduced to comply with state and federal restrictions, but they were committed to “meet the need”. The South Brisbane homelessness centre had reduced its hours ... Read More »
CAMPAIGNERS against family violence are pressing for the outlawing of coercive control between partners as a way to stop domestic homicides. Queensland is set to hold a domestic violence summit late this month, as police and politicians search for solutions to the domestic violence scourge following the Camp Hill murder of Hannah Clarke and her three children. The Queensland Women’s ... 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 »
The Catholic Leader Keeping Faith with You
