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The gift of family

Last weekend, the Church around the world observed the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly, an opportunity to give thanks and pray for the gift of our families. To mark the occasion here in Melbourne, hundreds of married couples came together at St Patrick’s Cathedral to celebrate special anniversaries, among them ‘best friends’ Wilma and Francis, who have chalked up a remarkable 70 years of married life. And at a special Jubilee Mass in Rome, Pope Leo XIV spoke movingly of the love we find within and for our families as a powerful sign of peace for the world.

With the ski season opening this weekend, we pay a visit to our northernmost Pilgrim Place, St Francis Xavier's, Mansfield, in Victoria’s glorious High Country, where parish priest Fr George Feliciouz has been welcoming pilgrims from across the Archdiocese and around the world.

And as the Australian bishops echo Pope Leo’s recent and urgent calls for peace, a project sponsored by Caritas Australia is providing life-changing assistance to the growing number of amputees in Gaza.

A labour of love: Francis and Wilma’s 70 years of marriage

Marmalade, toast and a cup of tea—that’s what Francis Hangan has brought his wife Wilma every morning since retiring 20 years ago. It’s a small ritual but one that speaks volumes about their seven decades of love, friendship and faith. ‘Dad said that it’s a labour of love,’ shares daughter Clare, who says her parents’ example of selflessness has been a guiding light for her siblings and the generations that have followed.

Continue reading: A labour of love: Francis and Wilma’s 70 years of marriage

Pilgrim Places

Pilgrims celebrate Jubilee 2025 in Victoria’s High Country

In the Melbourne Archdiocese’s northernmost and highest-altitude Pilgrim Place, parish priest Fr George Feliciouz welcomes visitors from all over the world. Even parishioners from other Pilgrim Places make the trip up to Mansfield to pray together and take in the glorious winter alpine beauty.

Continue reading: Pilgrims celebrate Jubilee 2025 in Victoria’s High Country

Love and faith celebrated at annual Marriage Anniversaries Mass

More than 250 couples gathered on Sunday 1 June at St Patrick’s Cathedral for the annual Marriage Anniversaries Mass—one of the largest turnouts in the event’s history. With the cathedral filled to capacity, couples were joined by family and friends in a joyful celebration of love and commitment. This year the Mass coincided with the global Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly, as couples marked anniversaries ranging from five years to an extraordinary 70 years of marriage.

Continue reading: Love and faith celebrated at annual Marriage Anniversaries Mass

Church responds to Gaza crisis with calls for peace and practical support for amputees

Amid ongoing violence in Gaza and escalating humanitarian needs, the Australian Catholic Church and its agencies have voiced concern and called for urgent action through an appeal for peace and solidarity with the vulnerable, and through practical support for the wounded and displaced.

Continue reading: Church responds to Gaza crisis with calls for peace and practical support for amputees

A family’s love grounded in Christ is sign of peace for world, Pope says

Families are the cradle of the future of humanity, Pope Leo XIV said during a Mass concluding the Jubilee of Families, Children, Grandparents and the Elderly. Later, writing to 40 theologians and pastoral ministers participating in a seminar on evangelising with families, he said the Church must find new ways to reach out to and welcome families who are distant from the Church and have no understanding of how much God loves them.

Continue reading: A family’s love grounded in Christ is sign of peace for world, Pope says

Beginning something beautiful, artist Aalayah puts prison behind her

Artist Kelly Flanagan, also know as Aalayah, was recently released from prison, where she had taken a new direction—towards art. She says learning to paint saved her life, and now gives her an income. Her work Beginning of Something Beautiful sold on the opening night of Confined 16, an exhibition by Indigenous artists affected by incarceration that's underway at the Glen Eira City Council Gallery.

Continue reading: Beginning something beautiful, artist Aalayah puts prison behind her

In God’s image: ACU conference calls Church to rethink disability and human dignity

At the Idol Talk? In the Image of the Disabled God conference, held at the Melbourne campus of Australian Catholic University (ACU) on 22–23 May, a broad range of voices came together from Church, academia and community to reconsider how the Catholic Church engages with people living with disability. A recurring insight of the conference was that the presence of people with disability is not a problem to be solved or a group to be accommodated but a gift to the Church.

Continue reading: In God’s image: ACU conference calls Church to rethink disability and human dignity

Around our schools: inspiring hope for the future

With the Jubilee Year encouraging us to approach the future with faith and hope, we look at a few of the ways our Catholic schools are accompanying and equipping students on this journey, through inspiring teaching, special celebrations and creative approaches to caring for our world

Continue reading: Around our schools: inspiring hope for the future

‘A clue to your mission’: bishops publish new document on charisms

A new document on charisms seeks to engage all the baptised in the evangelising mission of the Church. Gifted for the Mission: An Introduction to Charisms was developed by the Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry to help every Christian discern their charisms and mission.

Continue reading: ‘A clue to your mission’: bishops publish new document on charisms

‘They need to know they are not alone’: seven continents unite in prayer for Myanmar

Hundreds of participants from 31 countries joined Jesuit Mission Australia and the Taizé Community for Light in the Darkness, a global online prayer vigil for Myanmar on Thursday 29 May. Standing in prayerful solidarity with the people of Myanmar, who continue to endure unimaginable suffering caused by war, displacement and natural disaster, participants in the vigil came from every continent, even Antarctica.

Continue reading: ‘They need to know they are not alone’: seven continents unite in prayer for Myanmar

‘We always relied on God’s grace—from long-distance relationship moments to visa challenges, career issues and even now as we raise our two young, rowdy but lovely boys.’

Kemp and Kathy Vinson

reflecting on the strong foundation of their 10-year marriage

Come work with us

Applications are currently open for the following positions:

Archdiocese of Melbourne

Aboriginal Catholic Ministry of Victoria (ACMV) Coordinator, Thornbury
Animation Consultant, East Melbourne

Parishes

Parish Bookkeeper—St Joseph’s Parish, Newport
Parish Coordinator, St Augustine's Catholic Church, Melbourne CBD
Parish Coordinator—St Paul’s and St Oliver Plunkett, Coburg and Pascoe Vale

Other

Part-time Accounts Clerk, Newman College, Parkville
Cleaner and Housekeeper, Moonee Ponds

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

Upcoming events

Six30 Holy Hour

Thursday 5 June 2025 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. Please note that various venues will be used for Six30 Holy Hour throughout 2025. Please check venue details each week on the Events page of Melbourne Catholic ...