From the heart of God

This week, we celebrate National Vocations Awareness Week. Pope Francis has said that ‘No vocation is born of itself or lives for itself. A vocation flows from the heart of God and blossoms in the good soil of faithful people, in the experience of fraternal love.’

In this week’s stories, we say farewell to outgoing Vicar General Fr Joe Caddy and hear some of his ‘Melbourne story’—a story of discovering his true vocation in the service of the Gospel and of those who struggle most.

As we launch the new Archbishop’s Campaign to support the future of our faith community, we hear from seminarian Rhys Lowther on his journey of formation and on discovering the true meaning of priestly fatherhood.

And Fr Cameron Forbes, Rector of Corpus Christi College, reflects on the many ways the seminary provides a ‘seedbed for priestly vocations’.
 
 
‘A blessed time’: Bishop Elect Fr Joe Caddy’s Melbourne story
Bishop Elect Fr Joseph (Joe) Caddy AM has fond childhood memories of approaching St Patrick’s Cathedral from the northern suburbs. ‘I can remember coming in, driving up Brunswick Street, and just seeing that cathedral right ahead of me,’ he says. The spires of St Pat’s are emblematic of an Archdiocese and a community that have loomed large in Fr Joe’s story. As he prepares to head north to take up his new role as Bishop of Cairns, he spoke to us about his years as a priest in Melbourne, years he describes as ‘a really blessed time, a blessed life’.
 
 
Seminarian Rhys Lowther on ‘forming a priestly heart’
From his high-school years, Rhys Lowther knew that he wanted to enter the seminary. As he grappled with the ‘big questions’ in life—‘Is there meaning to life? What is my place in the world?’—he started attending Mass and getting involved in the life of the Church. Now in his fifth year as a seminarian, Rhys is currently doing his pastoral year at St Peter’s Parish in Epping, where serving the needs of God’s people has helped him understand more about priestly fatherhood.
 
 
Corpus Christi College: a seedbed of vocations for 100 years
This week, the Church in Australia celebrates National Vocations Awareness Week, promoting vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, and inviting each of us to pray about how God is calling us to live out our vocation more deeply. Fr Cameron Forbes, Rector of Corpus Christi College, the diocesan seminary for Victoria and Tasmania, reminds us that ‘the word seminary comes from the Latin for “seedbed”’ and outlines some of the many ways Corpus Christi College ‘provides this seedbed for priestly vocations’.
 
 
2024 Archbishop’s Campaign: supporting the future of our faith community
This weekend marks the launch of the 2024 Archbishop’s Campaign across the Archdiocese of Melbourne. This new annual campaign is more than just a fundraising effort; it’s a chance for us to show our gratitude for those who have served in vital and sacred ministry in the past and support our seminarians as they prepare to serve in the future.
 
 
Melbourne farewells Fr Joe Caddy
On Tuesday 6 August—his last day as Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Melbourne before departing for Far North Queensland to take up his new role as Bishop of Cairns—Fr Joe Caddy was joined by friends, colleagues and brother priests from across the Archdiocese for a special farewell celebration in the Grand Ballroom of Melbourne’s Windsor Hotel.
 
 
Statement from Archbishop Peter A Comensoli on prayer in Parliament
Archbishop Peter A Comensoli has released a statement following a debate in the Legislative Council of Victoria’s Parliament on 31 July on the practice of reciting the Lord’s Prayer in Parliament each sitting day. With both major political parties in Victoria now agreed on retaining the practice, Archbishop Comensoli writes that ‘This is a great outcome, which shows the value of people of faith standing up respectfully and being heard.’
 
 
First year seminarians go on the road with St Mary of the Cross MacKillop
Today is the solemnity of St Mary of the Cross McKillop, our first Australian saint. Mathews Noble, a first year seminarian at Corpus Christi College in Melbourne, recently joined nine other first year seminarians on a four-day pilgrimage to the places where St Mary lived, worked and prayed, describing it as a ‘positive and spiritually fruitful experience’.
 
 
Help for those accompanying Catholics facing end-of-life decisions
Australia’s Catholic bishops have released a new document to guide priests, chaplains and pastoral workers who are asked to provide pastoral support to Catholics who are considering accessing the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) scheme. The Companion Guide has been written as a tool to help Catholics reflect and learn from To Witness and to Accompany with Christian Hope, a document endorsed by the bishops in November 2023.
 
 
‘God was working in me’: Fr Michael Shadbolt celebrates 60 years of ordination
On Sunday 28 July, the church at St Gerard’s Parish in Dandenong North was full to capacity for the diamond jubilee celebrations of priest in residence Fr Michael Shadbolt, a cherished member of the St Gerard’s community.
 
 
Pope prayer video: political leaders to be at service of the people, not power
The world cannot promote ‘universal fraternity’ without good politics, the Pope said in a video message released on 30 July by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network. Good politics, he says, is a politics ‘that listens to what is really going on, that’s at the service of the poor, not the kind that’s holed up in huge buildings with large hallways.’
 
 
‘It was just a really blessed time, a blessed life. It’s been a really good thing being a priest in Melbourne.’
 
 
Bishop Elect Fr Joe Caddy AM, outgoing Vicar General
on his years as a priest in Melbourne
 
Come work with us

Applications are currently open for the following positions:

Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne

  • JPII House—Discipleship Officer, Carlton
  • Groundsperson—Newman College, Parkville

Parish positions

  • Parish Secretary, Holy Child Parish, Dallas
  • Parish Secretary, St Francis Xavier’s Parish and St John the Evangelist’s Parish, Frankston

If you are interested in applying for any of the above positions, further details can be found here.

 
Upcoming events
Another Mannix Library book sale
Monday 7 October 2024
– Friday 15 November 2024
Calling all bookworms! The Mannix Library Book Sale is back with plenty of books waiting to find new homes. All books are now $2. Come in and grab a bargain!
 
More info
Six30 Holy Hour at St Patrick’s Cathedral
Thursday 5 December 2024 6.30pm –7.30pm
Join with young Catholics from across the city for a time of adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, music and an opportunity for confession. For more information, email udisciple@cam.org.au or call 9926 5677.
 
More info
Cathedral grand organ recital featuring Christopher Cook
Sunday 11 August 2024
3.00pm–4.00pm
St Patrick’s Cathedral Melbourne is proud to open its doors to the community and offer an experience of the sacred through uplifting music from some of Australia’s most talented musicians. Christopher Cook studied at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, graduating in piano and organ performance, and has performed in most ...
 
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God and Beer: ‘God and Caesar’ with Tony Abbott
Monday 12 August 2024
6.30pm–9.30pm
Please note the change of time and venue for this event. The Knights of the Southern Cross warmly invite you to an evening with former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott at their next God and Beer event. After studying at Oxford University and working as a journalist, Tony Abbott was ...
 
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Melbourne Catholic Professionals luncheon: Prof Helen Alvare
Thursday 15 August 2024
12.00pm–2.00pm
Join us for the third Melbourne Catholic Professionals (MCP) event for 2024, where Prof Helen Alvaré, international author and Catholic scholar, will join us as guest speaker. Prof Alvaré is the Robert A Levy Endowed Chair in Law and Liberty at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University. She publishes ...
 
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Newman College Open Day
Sunday 18 August 2024
10.00am–4.00pm
Save the date and visit Newman College and the University of Melbourne during Open Day on Sunday 18 August 2024. Newman College, a co-educational Catholic residential college at the University of Melbourne, has a unique community spirit to explore and offers a supportive environment that will help you make lifelong ...
 
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Melbourne Consecrated Life Weekend
Saturday 24 August 2024, 7.00am
– Sunday 25 August 2024, 2.00pm
The Missionaries of God’s Love Sisters are hosting a consecrated life weekend—an opportunity for young single women (aged 18–30) to take some time out with God to discern their vocation. There will be time for prayer, talks, sisterhood and more. Schedule Prayer will commence at 7am on Saturday morning.The event ...
 
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Encounter evening: Hampton Park
Sunday 25 August 2024
4.00pm–8.00pm
This unforgettable evening is tailor-made for high-school students, offering a unique opportunity to encounter Jesus with prayer, fellowship, food and, of course, a whole lot of fun. Invite a friend along to our Encounter evening! It’s an invitation to share the joy, the love and the transformative power of faith ...
 
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ACU’s Big Sing for a Big Cause
Sunday 25 August 2024
3.00pm–4.30pm
Presented by Australian Catholic University, the Big Sing for Big Cause performance is back and will be held at St Patrick’s Cathedral. Volunteer singers, choirs and instrumentalists from Victoria and Auckland, New Zealand, will combine in this special international event. The program features the 10th anniversary performance of Street Requiem—For ...
 
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Australian Catholic Communications Congress, Sydney
Wednesday 28 August 2024, 9.00am
– Friday 30 August 2024, 12.15pm
The Australian Catholic Communications Congress will be held in Sydney from 28 to 30 August. This three-day event will be held at the Miller Hotel, North Sydney, with the theme ‘Missionary message for the modern world’. The congress is for all Catholics who are interested in improving their media and ...
 
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Knights of the Southern Cross—Archbishop’s Dinner 2024
Friday 30 August 2024
7.00pm–11.30pm
Join the Knights of the Southern Cross Victoria to celebrate the 24th annual Archbishop’s Dinner. The dinner is held each year to raise funds for the Priests Support and Education Fund. This fund was established by the Knights of the Southern Cross to assist in the funding and education of ...
 
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NATSICC spirituality retreat
Monday 9 September 2024
– Thursday 12 September 2024
Join the National Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council in Galong, NSW, for their bi-annual spirituality retreat. This is an opportunity to experience silence, stillness and the value of prayer in our lives. The program will be delivered by special presenters. It includes a prayer pilgrimage to the grotto, Aboriginal ...
 
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To learn more about upcoming events and opportunities, visit the Melbourne Catholic events page.

This newsletter is published by the Communications Office
of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne.
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