Holding the Light is an annual ecumenical service to remember victims and survivors of family and domestic violence. This year, the service will be held on Sunday 29th November, at 2:30pm at St Peter's Eastern Hill, East Melbourne.  Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the numbers allowed to gather in person may be restricted, so please register your interest with TryBooking, and more details will be provided to you closer to the time.  The service will also be live-streamed and recorded on the St Peter's Facebook Page and St Peter's YouTube channel. Download flyer.

Recently acknowledged by the Vatican Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life as promoting “best practice” in lay formation, Leadership for Mission is a joint initiative of the Australian Catholic bishops’ National Centre for Evangelisation (NCE) and Australian Catholic University with the support of Catholic Mission. It is designed by and for women who are inspired by the Gospel vision of justice, freedom and the dignity of the human person. Applications for this program recently closed, however there are a number of vacancies for the 2021/2022 cohort which the NCE hopes to fill as soon as possible.

Catholic Social Services Victoria's latest book, Serving Communities with Courage and Compassion was launched virtually on November 11 by Archbishop Peter Comensoli. Published by Connor Court, the book draws together an edited collection of keynotes, workshops and panel discussions that were presented at the national Catholic social services conference held earlier this year in Melbourne, which saw more than 280 participants attend from across Australia and New Zealand. Purchase the book here. 

Catholic Social Services Australia has told a Senate Committee that plans to continue and extend the cashless debit card system are “stigmatising” and would disproportionately affect Indigenous Australians. The national peak body for dozens of Catholic social service agencies recently made a submission to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs on the Social Security (Administration) Amendment (Continuation of Cashless Welfare) Bill 2020.