VMCH Board Chairman Julien O’Connell AM says he is thrilled to have been added to the Order of Australia honours, and has dedicated it to the people he works alongside. He was awarded an Officer of the Order (AO) for “distinguished service to community health in the aged care sector through executive roles, and to higher education” on Monday, June 9. It compliments his Order of Australia (AM) in 2013. Congratulations to Julien from everyone in the Catholic Social Services Victoria community. 

A new podcast series from St Vincent’s Health Australia is telling the compelling stories of caregivers on the COVID-19 frontline. It’s being driven by Catholic ethicist Dan Fleming, working from a spare room at home, connecting with staff that work at St Vincent’s hospitals and aged care facilities across Australia.

"We have now completed our first week in lockdown and I thank you all for the positive support and feedback we have received over the week. It means a lot to our team to have such great support." CEO of Assisi Aged Care, Paul Cohen, provides a message to the wider community. 

Tuesday 10th March 2020 was a history-making moment in the life of Highways and Byways: A Community of Service and the Missionary Sisters of Service (MSS). They launched their first ever longer-term program of community support, ‘Seeds of Connection, a partnership with Megan Brown of Chandra Yoga and Wellbeing in Roma, Queensland and supported by Jen Coggan of Injune. More than 50 community members gathered at the launch to hear more of the program and to witness the commissioning of Megan and Jen as partners with Highways and Byways by Emeritus Bishop Bill Morris.

JoCare is hosting a Social Isolation and Loneliness forum on Tuesday 31st March, from 9:30am - 12:30pm at St Joseph's Parish Hall, 47 Stanhope Street, Malvern. The forum speakers include Dr Lidia Engel, Health Economist, and Mr Geoff Sharp, Director of Volunteering Victoria. This forum aims to bring together local community groups to begin to work together on small community initiatives to decrease social isolation and loneliness in the local community.