A parishioner in their late 70s was among the 39 Catholics aged 16 and over who made a commitment to be sealed with the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit at a recent Adult Confirmation Mass. Held within the majestic setting of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta, Australia, the Adult Confirmation Mass brought together people Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Bishop Vincent Long’
Diocese reveals new Synodal Church strategy
Monday, August 26th, 2024
The Parramatta diocese in Sydney NSW has unveiled a new Pastoral Plan for 2024-2028. The plan focuses on fostering a synodal Church aimed at strengthening inclusivity, collaboration and active participation within the diocese. Bishop Vincent Long (pictured) launched the plan at an event which more than 220 attended. Central to the plan is the emphasis Read more
Australian bishops urge action on cost of living pressures
Monday, April 17th, 2023
Australian bishops have made an urgent call to address the cost of living pressures facing low and middle-income families. The country’s bishops have urged the Senate Select Committee on the Cost of Living to take action to mitigate the rising cost of living, which they describe as one of the country’s most pressing policy issues. Read more
The “Parramatta Way” synod announced
Thursday, March 23rd, 2023
Paramatta bishop, Vincent Long has announced that his diocese will hold a diocesan synod to promote root and branch reform of the church in Parramatta. The synod will be known locally as the “Parramatta Way”. The Parramatta Way, held in two phases, in October this year and in mid-2024, will develop a pastoral plan and Read more
Our moral duty towards Afghan refugees
Monday, September 6th, 2021
I was one of the boat people who escaped from South Vietnam. The escape happened after South Vietnam had fallen to the Vietnamese communist forces in 1975, and my world descended into total chaos with an international embargo, wars against China and Cambodia, forced collectivisation and the insidious spread of what were termed ‘re-education camps’ — but Read more
A Church based on clerical hegemony has run its course
Thursday, July 8th, 2021
“Some have likened the state of the Church to Shakespeare’s state of Denmark. “It is hardly an exaggeration”, says a Vietnamese-born former boat refugee, a survivor of clergy sexual abuse and Paramatta Bishop, Vincent Long. There’s an “unprecedented momentum for deep reform, the model of the Church based on clerical hegemony has run its course”, Read more
Appeal for Church to think differently
Thursday, July 8th, 2021
Restauranters and café owners in New Zealand turned off their lights this week highlighting their staff shortages and inability to bring in labour from overseas. It is a labour shortage echoed by a local priest! “I wonder if I should turn out the lights in Church on Sunday?” he asked. The priest does not want Read more
The Australian Plenary Council: Abundance of goodwill or the last throw of the dice?
Monday, July 5th, 2021
With a few months to the first session of the long-awaited Australian Plenary Council (PC2020), we are finally headed down the home stretch. The initial phase of listening drew nearly 220,000 people across Australia and 17,500 individual and group submissions. These submissions were distilled into the six national theme papers and then further distilled again Read more