020 :
12 Jun 2008

Collins-Purcell urge petitioners to now write directly to Pope Benedict! In the wake of the "disappointing" response from the President of the Australian Catholic Bishops last week, Dr Paul Collins and Frank Purcell, the organisers of a petition to the Australian Catholic Bishops last year, last night announced a new campaign to generate at least a thousand letters which they hope to have delivered to Pope Benedict during his visit to Australia next month. The letter they are suggesting people write addresses the looming crisis in Ministry this nation faces with a lack of priests to officiate at weddings, funerals and Sunday liturgies. [more]

019 :
06 Jun 2008

Petitioners respond to letter from President of ACBC Dr Paul Collins and Frank Purcell, the organisers of a petition to the Australian Catholic Bishops last year, have responded publicly to a letter sent to them on behalf of the Bishops by the President of the ACBC, Archbishop Phillip Wilson. Effectively their message back to Archbishop Wilson amounts to an almighty "Not Good Enough! Mr President". They have sent out letters and emails to the nearly 17,000 signatories to the petition expressing their disappointment at the response and are in the process of preparing a more formal response to Archbishop Wilson and the Australian Bishops. The letters we are publishing here were sent out late on Friday afternoon to petition signatories and that has already begun to generate responses on the Catholica forum which can be found HERE. [more]

018 :
06 Jun 2008

Disturbing email… The editor of Catholica has been aware for several days of a fairly sensational email that has been circulated to Sydney priests by a former Sydney-based Opus Dei accountant, Dennis Dubro, at Warrane College. We have now confirmed the authenticity of the email and are able to provide the following details, including the text of the email... [more]

017 :
16 May 2008

Bishop Robinson rejects criticism of his fellow bishops… Bishop Geoffrey Robinson has released a brief but pointed statement rejecting the criticisms leveled at him in the recent statement issued by the Australian Catholic Bishops. [more]

016 :
15 May 2008

Mahony bans Robinson & Vatican applies pressure too… The Cardinal Archbishop of Los Angeles, Roger Mahony, has written to Bishop Geoffrey Robinson denying him permission to speak on Church property in his territory and has endeavoured to urge Bishop Robinson to cancel his speaking tour in North America. Cardinal Mahony's letter also reveals that the Vatican has been endeavouring to apply pressure to Bishop Robinson to stop promoting his book. Catholica has received this news, and the text of Cardinal Mahony's letter via Robert Blair Kaiser and Frank Douglas. Mr Kaiser, who is the author of the controversial novel, "Cardinal Mahony", also responds. This news story has partly been triggered because Robert Kaiser is in the course of preparing a promotional trip to Australia for the Australian release of his book, "Cardinal Mahony — A Novel" and he came across this sensational story in the course of preparing for his trip to our country. [more]

015 :
02 May 2008

A matter requiring urgent investigation… It is with a heavy heart we break this disturbing news story centred on the Bethel Covenant Community in Perth. The allegations raised are serious and it is to be hoped that the relevant State and Canonical investigating authorities establish the truth or otherwise of the allegations as quickly as possible. [more]

014 :
04 Dec 2007

Bishops' Response to Petitioners… The President of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference, Archbishop Philip Wilson, has responded to the signatories to the petition via Paul Collins on behalf of the Conference. We publish the letter of response and comments by Dr Paul Collins. [more]

013 :
26 Oct 2007

Public Forum in Melbourne… A number of Melbourne Catholics call a public forum to discuss the Petition to the Australian Bishops. [more]

012 :
08 Aug 2007

Petition Details… This information story provides details of the wording of the petition to the Australian Catholic Bishops and suggestions as to how people can support the petition by promoting and helping collect signatures. It also has links to printable versions of the petition. [more]

011 :
02 Aug 2007

Call to Australian Bishops to consider ordination of married men, and women In a breaking news story on Wednesday evening, a group of lay and religious Catholic leaders and activists has published a petition calling on the Australian Catholic Bishops to collectively discuss the possibility of ordination of married men and, separately, the controversial issue of the ordination of women. [more]

010 :
20 Jul 2007

Report on Sr Joan Chittister's public lecture in Australia Brian Coyne presents a report on the provocative public lecture given by Sr Joan Chittister on 20 July 2007 at Mount St Benedict College, Pennant Hills, to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Sisters of the Good Samaritan of the Order of St Benedict. [more]

009 :
20 Jun 2007

Leaked letter discloses priest disquiet over remuneration levels in Sydney Archdiocese The rumblings of disquiet in the Archdiocese of Sydney look set to continue. Catholica has been sent a copy of a letter addressed to "fellow priests" in the Archdiocese which seeks to apply pressure on the Archdiocesan authorities for a salary and superannuation increase for priests. [more]

008 :
14 Jun 2007

Fr Dan Donovan on The Religion Report Catholica readers will be interested in The Religion Report on ABC Radio National this week. Of particular interest is the interview Stephen Crittenden has with Fr Daniel Donovan on both the events of the past week and on his criticisms, first aired through Catholica, of the Draft Pastoral Plan for the Archdiocese of Sydney. [more]

007 :
28 May 2007

Provocative speakers at New Pentecost Forum The New Pentecost Forum on Sunday certainly presently a line-up of provocative speakers — a nun criticisingthe government for "prostitution of language" and a peace activist explaining why she broke into the top secret defence facility at Pine Gap. [more]

006 :
22 May 2007

Union response... Sally McManus, Secretary of the Australian Services Union welcomes guarantee from Vinnies CEO and clarifies reporting of the issue. [more]

005 :
19 May 2007

Follow-up to yesterday's Vinnies story... The Vinnies have responded to the Union's claims in yesterday's story and we publish the reasons why the coverage of the story on CathNews was "pulled" from their website late on Friday. [more]

004 :
18 May 2007

Vinnies under fire from Australian Services Union... Cliff Baxter broke this news story early on Friday morning regarding concerns from some members and employees of the Society, backed by the Australian Services Union, over alleged plans to "corporatise" the Society. [more]

003 :
26 Jul 2006

New sponsor found for O'Murchu lectures... Breaking news: new sponsor found who will ensure Diarmuid O'Murchu lectures can still be presented in Melbourne in January 2007. [more]

002 :
04 Jul 2006

Catholic Church in Britain is facing its greatest threat since the Reformation... Times Online... Link to breaking news story: Catholicism 'faces biggest crisis since Reformation'
by Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent, Times OnLine. [more]

001 :
28 Jun 2006

Diarmuid O'Murchu's lecture series in Australia cancelled because of Vatican investigation into his writing... Archbishop Denis Hart of Melbourne has withdrawn his permission for Fr O'Murchu to present a series of workshops in Melbourne next January. [more]