Catholic Social Services Victoria > Parishes > Reimagining Parish Services

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Links & Resources

Building Stronger Parishes: a major research project by ACBC's Pastoral Research Office

Volunteering Opportunities: direct links to our member organisations' volunteering info

Welcome the Asylum Seeker Parish Support Program: news, information and resources

Helpful Articles:

* Evangelising mission of parishes: Daniel Ang

* Four qualities for successful parish renewal: courage, confidence, a sense of urgency & joy

Parishes as Centres of Service

Parish communities play a vital role in preventing domestic violence

For the past 12 months, Catholic parishes and organisations in Melbourne and surrounding areas have benefited from participating in workshops that deepen their understanding of domestic violence and its prevention. More parishes are invited to put their hand up to offer these workshops to their local communities.

Save the date for our 'Care for our Common Home' (Laudato Si) Parish Forum to be held at St Ambrose’s Centre, Brunswick on Saturday 14 September. Taking place in the 'Season of Creation', this forum is part of our ongoing series to assist parish communities to respond to Pope Francis' call to take better care of our common home and the poor.

Sixty-five people from parishes across the Diocese of Sandhurst gathered at St Brendan’s parish centre in Shepparton to discuss and share ideas about what could be done to alleviate homelessness in the region. The forum, auspiced by CatholicCare Sandhurst, Catholic Social Services Victoria, and the diocese of Sandhurst, resulted in each participating parish adopting a plan to deepen their contribution to addressing homelessness and the shortage of affordable housing.

At the Parish Forum on Saturday, 8 June 2019, more than 50 participants heard from excellent speakers and discussed why homelessness is an issue for all of us and what we can do about it. The parable of the Good Samaritan causes us all to pause in our journey and consider the needs of our neighbour: what can we do to assist our brothers and sisters on the margins, particularly those who are facing housing difficulties and homelessness?

Fifty five people from 25 parishes gathered on 8 June 2019 to consider what they might do as individuals, parishes and networks to alleviate the suffering of homelessness. Participants shared numerous insights into how we might reduce homelessness in our local communities.

National Volunteer Week is the annual celebration to acknowledge the generous contribution of our nation’s volunteers. The theme for National Volunteer Week 2019, from 20-26 May is 'Making a world of difference' with thousands of events scheduled across the country to say thank you to the 6 million Australians who volunteer their time.

With Winter approaching, across Victoria around 1,100 homeless people, children, young and older people and people with disabilities will be sleeping in city parks, car parks, bushland areas and coastal reserves, without the comforts we take for granted. What can we and our parishes do to help those who are homeless? Join us for a parish forum on this issue on Saturday 8 June, 9.30am-1pm in East Melbourne.

Homelessness – What can Parishes do?

On Saturday 8 June, 2019, with the onset of winter, Catholic Social Services Victoria will host a forum “Homelessness – What can Parishes do?” at the Cardinal Knox Centre, 383 Albert Street, East Melbourne, from 9.30am-1.00pm. Come and hear what the Australian Bishops have to say about making a home for everyone in our land, what the Christian community is already doing to assist, and join in discussions about how you and your parish can help.

The Church is in a hard place at the moment, and the faith and endurance of its people and its leaders are being well and truly tested. This is not the first time Christians have been on the outer – Jesus gave his life for what he stood for, as did Paul, Peter and many others. Perhaps we are just returning to normal." Adrian Foley of Catholic Social Services reflects on our call to endure during these difficult times.

“It’s just about treating people decently”, was the main message of those gathered for a recent parish forum to discuss practical responses in assisting people seeking asylum within our community. Fifty people from 16 Melbourne Catholic parishes and five Catholic agencies and communities gathered on Saturday 23 March in East Melbourne for the Parish Forum Helping our Refugee Families and Friends. The focus of the forum was on how parishes can assist refugee families and the Catholic and other agencies who support them.

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Catholic Social Services Victoria acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Elders in each of the Communities where we work. Click for our Reconciliation Vision

Cardinal Knox Centre. 383 Albert Street (PO Box 146), East Melbourne Vic 3002
Tel: (03) 9287 5566 Fax: (03) 9287 5567 Email: office@css.org.au