Catholic Social Services Victoria's February update is full of the latest news pertaining to our work, and upcoming events, including the Annual General Meeting on 11 April. All are warmly invited to join our members, staff, leaders, volunteers and friends of Catholic Social Services agencies as we gather to celebrate our mission of justice and service.

Catholic Social Services Victoria's Christmas newsletter is out now. It contains a powerful advent reflection by Fr Bill Edebohls, parish priest of Mary Mother of the Church Catholic Parish in Ivanhoe, which reminds us that while Advent is traditionally a time of waiting and preparing, "in the end the only preparation we can make to meet Christ at the end of time is to meet him now in the people who confront us on our own pilgrimage through life. Those fallen by the wayside who both disguise and reveal the Christ Child of Bethlehem and the Christ who is both King and Judge."The newsletter also contains a range of latest news and upcoming events being run by our organisation and those of our members.

Anti-Poverty Week (14 to 20 October) is an opportunity to consider the issues of poverty and hardship here in Australia and overseas. To mark the occasion, Catholic Social Services Victoria hosted a lunchtime conversation facilitated by Brian Lawrence, who posed the question: “How many children have to live in poverty before the Fair Work Commission takes decisive action?”

Mandatory sentencing, improving care for vulnerable children in Victoria, workplace spirituality and prayer, upcoming workshops for parish communities to help respond to family violence, and to assist asylum seekers. Find out about these news items, and more events from Catholic Social Services Victoria, and our members, here.

“The only way to love and serve people is to encounter them in the margins,” according to distinguished American author and speaker, Rev Prof. Anthony Gittins CSSp. Fr Gittins was in Melbourne on 21 May leading a reflection on ‘Ministry at the Margins’ for more than 50 guests of Catholic Mission and Catholic Social Services Victoria in East Melbourne. It is part of a 4-week tour in Australia, which has seen him lead gatherings in Brisbane, Sydney and Perth. His last stop is Wagga Wagga.

 

Catholic Social Services Victoria's Easter newsletter contains an array of news and upcoming events both from us and from our member organisations including our submission to the 2018 state budget, Catholic Professional Standard's commitment to protecting children in church environments, McAuley Community Services for Women's on tackling loneliness, particularly among women affected by family and domestic violence.