From Vatican Radio

This interview was recorded by Vatican Radio.

“Women make up more than 80% of the active members of the Church in Africa. One of the many challenges facing the Church on the continent is how to better integrate them, and their vital role, especially in the process of decision making”, says Archbishop Savio Hon Tai-Fai, Secretary General of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Evangelisation Peoples.

This article was published by CAM News Melbourne.

It was a gathering of sharing, reflection and inspiration when 120 religious leaders met in Brisbane from 22-24 June for Catholic Religious Australia’s (CRA) annual National Assembly.

BY MARY COLOE

Many were astonished at the reported remarks of Portuguese Cardinal Jose da Cruz Policarpo this week that there is no "fundamental obstacle" from "a theological perspective" for women to say the Mass from the altar.

One thing that is of great value in the discussion is the opportunity it gives to re-examine our understanding of Eucharist and to look again at the Gospel traditions on which our Eucharistic theology is based. 

Dear Friends

Today in Canberra we hosted Sr Suwalee Rangseesukanont, a Daughter of the Queenship of Mary, from Thailand. She has been in Australia for 3 three weeks and is undertaking an English course at the Australian Catholic University, Melbourne. Visiting with Sr Suwalee was a group of Salesian seminarians who are also studying in Melbourne. The group was most interested in the workings of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference along with life in general in Australia.  Prior to arriving in Australia Sr Suwalee was the principal of a highschool with a student population of 2500.  Despite her recent arrival in Australia she had mastered enough English to hold a conversation during lunch. A most impressive achievement in such a short time! It was wonderful to host and meet such an interesting and energetic group.

Best wishes,
Kim Davis

We are smarter, wealthier and older. And there are more of us! But fewer Catholics from the Adelaide Archdiocese are attending Mass regularly and those of us who do, are most likely to have been born overseas. So who are today's South Australian Catholics? Rebecca DiGirolamo attempts to find out.

Sister Margaret Adams RSM reflects on the gift of art in the lives of women at Catherine House, a Mercy ministry in Adelaide.

The words of Helen Reddy's song "I am woman, hear me roar" came to mind as I sat and listened to women from Catherine House telling the story of their works of art displayed in the recent art exhibition titled "cHART". Women were roaring with pride - albeit gently, in their achievements as they told about how they had come to produce their particular work of art. They spoke confidently to the gathered group comprising their fellow artists, members of staff and especially their families and friends.

The Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn, Mark Coleridge, has blessed a new mosaic honouring Caroline Chisholm on the wall of the Saints Peter and Paul's Old Cathedral in Goulburn, said an AAP report in the Sydney Morning Herald. Governor-General Quentin Bryce unveiled the mosaic describing it as "a wonderful gift to the city of Goulburn".

Dear Friends,

It is good to be back after my extended break! I am grateful to Ruth Durick osu who kept the office running in my absence. Unfortunately while thanking Ruth, I also have to farewell Ruth from her regular work in the OPW. You would be aware that Ruth has coordinated the Young Catholic Women's Interfaith Fellowship along with undertaking more general tasks to support the work of the OPW. Ruth is also a member of the Australian Ursuline Province Leadership Team and decided it was time to prioritise her many commitments.

By Andrew Hamilton, Eureka Street

Although politicians constantly urge us to move forward, a much harder challenge is to move on.

During this May and June there has been much to move on from. Among some of the events that have caused dismay are the Malaysian solution to asylum seekers, the forced resignation of Bishop Bill Morris, the moves towards severe and inflexible sentencing in New South Wales and Victoria, and most recently, the resignation of Simon Overland, the Victorian Police Commissioner after he lost the confidence of his police minister.