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Responding to the Royal Commission's final report

The final report from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse, is now being absorbed.

As a sector in the service of the Gospel imperatives of loving service and work for justice, our response must include renewed commitment to victims, to protection of children and vulnerable people, and to the promotion of human flourishing in all the darker corners of our society.

Catholic Social Services Victoria recently hosted a day of reflection and engagement with the key principles of Catholic Social Teaching in the light of Laudato Si by Pope Francis. Eighteen participants from as far as Brisbane, Bairnsdale, Warrnambool and Wangaratta joined Melbourne colleagues at St. Joseph’s By The Sea, Williamstown on Tuesday 27 November for this final Catholic Social Teaching workshop for 2017.

Victoria’s strong economy provides an opportunity to invest in services that help to build a community that is safe, equitable and compassionate; where all Victorians share in the State’s prosperity.

2018 Anti Poverty Week

Picking

up the Pieces was a feature event for Anti-Poverty New Zealand with St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria was held on Friday 20 October at the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre with around 100 attendees.

2018 Year of Youth

The ‘Year of Youth 2018 in Your Parish’ program was conducted last Saturday

21 October by the Archdiocesan Office for Youth (AOY).

Mental Health Week was held in Australia from 7-14 October. With this in mind, a small group gathered at St Pius X Parish, West Heidelberg on Saturday 14 October to conclude Mental Health Week 2017. Fr Wayne Edwards and the parish community, together with Catholic Social Services Victoria, welcomed people to join with them to pray for all people touched in whatever way by mental health issues.

You are warmly welcomed to join us for an interactive forum on integral human development in Catholic social teaching: looking back to 1967, and looking forward in Australia today, within the context of the Australian Bishops' 2017 Social Justice Statement Everyone's Business, on Thursday 19 October, from 12pm - 2pm at Cardinal Knox Centre. Click here for the flyer.

Our latest Catholic Parishes Serving the Community newsletter contains news about local parishes serving in their community including St Dominic's East Camberwell and Holy Eucharist St Albans South; events of interest, in particular an upcoming evening forum to assist parishes in supporting asylum seekers, on 11 October; along with important in depth articles that will assist the parish community to understand more deeply the issues of homeless and youth justice, and what role we can play in lessening their detrimental effects within the community.

Download the full newsletter, here.

Australians are called to work for an economy that is based on principles of justice and equity – one that is at the service of all, particularly the most vulnerable and marginalised, says the Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen. Bishop Long was speaking at the launch of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ 2017–2018 Social Justice Statement, entitled Everyone’s Business: Developing an inclusive and sustainable economy, which is commemorated on the last Sunday of September each year.

Mental Health Week is celebrated nationally from 8 - 14 October 2017. Catholic Social Services Victoria, in collaboration with the St Pius X Parish West Heidelberg, is marking the occasion across the Catholic community with a Mass for all those touched by mental health issues on Saturday 14 October at St Pius X Church, 491 Waterdale Rd, West Heidelberg, at 11am.