We have got a great round-up for you this week! Starting off, we speak with one of the new vocation promotors in the Archdiocese, Fr Geoff McIlroy, a late-vocation who had abandoned his Catholic faith before allowing the ‘seed of God’s love’ to grow and flourish.

Last weekend, more than 30 parishes were represented at St Patrick's Cathedral for the Rite of Election, where catechumens and candidates publicly declared their desire to know Jesus and join the Catholic Church. Also, if you're still searching for some Lenten practices to help you deepen your experience of Lent, we've put together 15 creative ideas for you to think about.

There are plenty of issues facing us today that challenge us to put our faith into action. In the wake of the unfolding war in Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas (Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine), speaks with Aid to the Church in Need about the unfolding humanitarian crisis and how tragedy is uniting the Ukrainian people. Along with Caritas, Jesuit Mission Australia has also launched the Ukraine Crisis Appeal.

Earlier this week we marked International Women's Day, and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference said it's incumbent on the Church to respond to the problems facing women today, especially domestic violence. And Catholic Social Services Australia calls our attention to a newly published report showing that just under 3 million Australians are living in poverty, with young women and women approaching retirement notably worse off than most. Harmony Week is also coming up later this month, and the Professional Standards Unit invites us to use it as an opportunity to reflect on how we engage our diverse cultural communities in the creation of safe parishes.

Coming up soon is one of the rare feast days in Lent – St Joseph's! In anticipation, we take a look at Fr Donald Calloway’s 2020 book, Consecration to St Joseph, to explore what St Joseph has been up to throughout the years, providing unexpected and mysterious blessings on those who ask for his help.

And lastly, a reminder that the final date for submissions to the Synod on Synodality is this Sunday 13 March. Don’t miss out on this chance to take part in a global conversation about the Catholic Church!