New Faith and Culture Sessions aim to bring faith to life

The Truth Goodness Beauty Project is launching its inaugural Faith and Culture Sessions, a six-week series designed to explore how faith shapes daily life. Hosted at St Peter’s Toorak on Saturday mornings during Lent, the sessions will feature livestreamed presentations from globally renowned Catholic speakers, offering participants the chance to deepen their faith and engage in meaningful discussions.

Emerging from the success of the 2023 Benedict Conference, the Truth Goodness Beauty Project is a Melbourne-based initiative dedicated to renewing Catholic life in Australia. Since its launch two years ago, the project has hosted speakers, Masses and liturgies, an exhibition for emerging Catholic artists, evenings of candlelit prayer and even a Christmas market. Through events such as these, and its other resources and ministries, the Truth Goodness Beauty Project has been helping to foster a deeper connection to faith, community and creativity among Catholics in Melbourne and beyond. The Faith and Culture Sessions will continue this mission by providing a space for Catholics to reflect on faith’s role in the modern world while engaging in a spirit of genuine fellowship.

Fr Dean Mathieson, parish priest at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Toorak and Armadale, has been a driving force behind the Truth Goodness Beauty Project. He explains that the sessions emerged following the success of the Benedict Conference in 2023, which brought together global Catholic thinkers via livestream. ‘We realised we can access people who are experts in their area to share their wisdom—that’s where this has come from. It’s in keeping with the Archbishop’s call for "formation, formation, formation",’ he says.

The series will begin on Saturday, 8 March, with Fr Dave Pivonka, President of Franciscan University of Steubenville. Known for his dynamic evangelisation and teachings on the Holy Spirit, Fr Dave will speak on the importance of placing Jesus at the centre of daily life. The morning will include a brunch and opportunity for fellowship at 10am, followed by Fr Dave’s livestreamed talk at 10:30am, concluding with a Q&A and discussion session.

For people to be exposed to thinkers that they may not know about and gain a bit of an in-depth understanding of some of the more important big issues in the Church and in the world—that would be a success.

Each session will delve into different aspects of Catholic faith and culture, providing valuable insights into living out faith in contemporary society. Future speakers include Paul J Kim, a popular Catholic speaker and musician, who will share ways to nurture strong, faith-based family life; the Sisters of Life, who will talk on defending the dignity of human life; Dr Matthew Petrusek, a moral theologian and senior editor with Word on Fire Institute, who will explore ways Catholics can respond thoughtfully to current cultural movements while remaining grounded in Church teaching; Christopher Carstens, a liturgical expert, who will speak on how the Mass and sacraments can draw us deeper into communion with God; and Jason Evert, founder of the Chastity Project, who will examine some of the core reasons for embracing Catholicism in a modern world.

Fr Dean hopes the sessions will be an opportunity for people to be exposed to leading Catholic thinkers and engage more deeply with key issues in the Church and the world. ‘For people to be exposed to thinkers that they may not know about and gain a bit of an in-depth understanding of some of the more important big issues in the Church and in the world—that would be a success for me,’ he said.

The major feedback has been people appreciating the opportunities to come together with like-minded people ... and learn together and form community together, and to understand there are other people who are wanting to engage.

According to Fr Dean, this is just the beginning. There are already plans to roll out more Faith and Culture Sessions in the future, and to launch regular monthly events for young adults focused on prayer and faith formation.

Reflecting on the impact of the Truth Goodness Beauty Project so far, Fr Dean highlights the strong sense of community it has fostered. ‘I think the major feedback has been people appreciating the opportunities to come together with like-minded people—come together and learn together and form community together, and to understand there are other people who are wanting to engage, whether it be formation or liturgy,’ he shares.

These sessions are open to anyone seeking to strengthen their faith and connect with a supportive Catholic community.