News

25 February 2025

In his Lenten message for 2025, Pope Francis encourages Christians to reflect on their spiritual journey by identifying with the struggles faced by migrants, fostering compassion, and embracing hope in God's promise of eternal life.

“It would be a good Lenten exercise for us to compare our daily life with that of some migrant or foreigner, to learn how to sympathise with their experiences and in this way discover what God is asking of us so that we can better advance on our journey to the house of the Father,” the pope wrote and signed on 6 February before he was hospitalised.

Pope Francis likens the Lenten journey to the Israelites’ flight from slavery in Egypt. “Our brothers and sisters who in our own day are fleeing situations of misery and violence in search of a better life for themselves and their loved ones,” he added. “A first call to conversion thus comes from the realisation that all of us are pilgrims in this life… Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving, either immobilised by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone?”

The Pope also underscored the importance of journeying together, saying Christians are called to walk “side by side, without shoving or stepping on others, without envy or hypocrisy, without letting anyone be left behind or excluded.”

With acknowledgement and thanks to the Catholic News Service, where this article originally appeared.

25 February 2025

The ACMRO joins the whole Church in praying for Pope Francis’ health and leadership.

Almighty ever-living God, eternal health of believers,
Hear our prayers for your servant, Pope Francis, who is sick:
Grant him, we implore you, your merciful help,
So that, with his health restored,
He may give you thanks in the midst of your Church.
Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.

10 February 2025

The ACMRO joins the Catholic Church in celebrating Jubilee 2025 with the theme: “Pilgrims of Hope.” It officially commenced on 24 December 2024 with the rite of the Opening of the Holy Door of the Papal Basilica of St Peter by Pope Francis himself and will run until 6 January 2026.

There are 36 events throughout the Jubilee Year highlighting special aspects of Church life. One of these is the Jubilee of Migrants on 4-5 October. The Jubilee of Migrants acknowledges and celebrates the gifts, contributions, and resilience that migrant communities bring to our Church and the world. It is also an opportunity to highlight the image of the Church as a place of refuge, welcome, integration, and solidarity.

The ACBC’s National Centre for Evangelisation prepared a brief resource for each event that parishes and individuals can use for personal or group prayer and reflection.

Please click here to access the resource for the Jubilee of Migrants.

Source: Pope's Worldwide Prayer Network

07 January 2025

Today we’re experiencing an “educational catastrophe.” This is no exaggeration. Due to wars, migration, and poverty, some 250 million boys and girls lack education.

All children and youth have the right to go to school, regardless of their immigration status.

Education is a hope for everyone – it can save migrants and refugees from discrimination, criminal networks, and exploitation…. So many minors are exploited! It can help them integrate into the communities who host them.

Education opens the doors to a better future. In this way, migrants and refugees can contribute to society, either in their new country or in their country of origin, should they decide to return.

And let’s never forget that whoever welcomes the foreigner, welcomes Jesus Christ.

Let us pray for migrants, refugees and those affected by war, that their right to an education, which is necessary to build a more human world, might always be respected.

~Pope Francis 

Source: ACBC Media Release

07 January 2025

The ACMRO joins the Church of Australia, especially the Diocese of Bunbury, in welcoming the appointment of Bishop-elect George Kolodziej SDS by Pope Francis on Monday, 6th January, in Rome.

Fr George, 56, was born in Dobra, Poland, and has been the Superior of the Salvatorians in Australia since October 2018.

Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President, Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe SDB, said the bishop-elect was “profoundly marked by the richness of his Salvatorian charism”.

“Fr George will bring a wealth of experience in parish ministry, in youth ministry, and in spiritual and pastoral accompaniment to the new mission to the Church in Bunbury to which the Lord has called him,” Archbishop Costelloe said.

“These same gifts will also enrich the life and work of his brother bishops through his involvement with them in the work of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. We look forward to welcoming him among us. “

Fr George directs the Salvatorian Spirituality Centre in Perth and is a member of the Council of Catholic Religious Australia and the Council of Priests of the Archdiocese of Perth.

He has served as a chaplain for Catholic Education Western Australia since January 2019.

Fr George’s religious journey with the Salvatorians began when he entered the novitiate in September 1987.

He made his perpetual profession in the Society of the Divine Saviour (SDS) in September 1992.

FULL STORY: New bishop for Diocese of Bunbury (ACBC Media Release)

Source: Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development

20 December 2024

On 1 January, the Church throughout the world will celebrate the 58th World Day of Peace. The theme chosen by the Holy Father for this year is ‘Forgive us our trespasses: grant us your peace'.

At the opening of this Year of Grace, the Pope invites us all to stop for a moment and think about God's mercy: by recognising ourselves as forgiven debtors, we can rediscover the path of hope and peace.

Watch the video presentation of the Message for Peace 2025:

In his Message, Francis speaks of ‘situations of exploitation of the earth and oppression of one’s neighbour’ that threaten the existence of all humanity. In a call for solidarity and justice, he suggests three possible actions to remedy the injustices and inequalities that mark our time.

In the days leading up to World Day of Peace 2025 and beyond, graphic and video contributions will be offered to animate reflection and dialogue on the topics of the Holy Father's Message.