Canberra Catholic, Frankly Speaking and more

Welcome to the Truth, Justice and Healing Council eNewsletter May 2017 View in Browser Forward to a Friend Subscribe

The Vatican moving quicker on dealing with child sexual abuse cases In a recent media interview Teresa Devlin, CEO of the Irish National Board for the Safeguarding of Children in the Catholic Church says she believes The Vatican department that tackles the cases of priests accused of abuse is moving faster to deal with such cases. She says the development was connected with the appointment a month ago of Dublin priest Msgr John Kennedy as head of the disciplinary section in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Ms Devlin gave evidence to the Royal Commission in February during its final case study into the Catholic Church. Safeguarding chief welcomes fast Vatican abuse case handling The Irish Catholic - 4 May 2017 Read Ms Devlin's presentation to the Royal Commission January 2017 Read Ms Devlin's evidence to the Royal Commission 10 February 2017     Frankly speaking... A colleague recently pointed out to me the latest survey by the international communications and research firm, Edelman, on trust in institutions. The 2017 Edelman TRUST BAROMETER reveals the largest-ever drop in trust across the institutions of government, business, media and NGOs. Significantly for the Catholic Church, trust in NGOs fell 2 percent to 53 percent across all countries while in Australia trust in NGOs fell to 52 percent down by 5 percent from last year. While there is no indication in the available survey material what organisations actually fall into the NGO group we can only assume churches are there. Latest from the Council Concerned Canberra Catholics call for reform More than 200 parishioners from across the Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese met last week and called for a greater say in the future direction of the Catholic Church in Canberra. The forum, convened by the recently formed Concerned Catholics of Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese, pushed for reforms including more lay people involved in church decision-making and a new diocesan pastoral council with a greater participation of the laity. Archbishop Christopher Prowse, who attended the standing-room only meeting, was asked to take the reform proposals back to this week's meeting of the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference. Canberra Catholics call for reform at watershed meeting of laity Concerned Catholics media release - 28 April 2017 Canberra Catholics push for more power in church decision-making Canberra Times - 28 April 2017 Royal Commission's truths demand that we Catholics must change our church Canberra Times - 24 April 2017 Concerned Catholics Canberra Goulburn Public Forum Speech Francis Sullivan - 27 April 2017 St Pat's Ballarat memorial garden to open in May St Patrick's College in Ballarat will open the town's first permanent monument in recognition of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in May as part of the city's 'No More Silence' week. The enclosed garden is a permanent, visible and accessible  symbol of the College's deep remorse for the sexual abuse suffered by students at the college. Headmaster Mr John Crowley said the College had worked closely with key members of the College community, including victims and survivors, to ensure the garden reflected the wishes of those it has been designed to recognise. Read more here St Patrick's College to build reflective garden for sex abuse victims The Courier - 14 December 2016 Survivors memoir about sexual abuse Mary-Rose MacColl was a teenager in 1970s Brisbane when she fell pregnant to the husband of one of her teachers. In her memoir, just published, she seeks to understand her experience and to explain it both to the daughter she gave up and her readers. For a Girl: A True Story of Secrets, Motherhood and Hope, by Mary-Rose MacColl Extract SMH - 22 April 2107 I fell pregnant to my teacher's husband, but a faceless public servant helped save my life The Gardian - 26 April 2017 Mary-Rose MacColl memoir about sexual abuse The Courier-Mail - 30 April 2017 Symposium on creating child safe institutions Researchers from the University of New South Wales, the University of Sydney and the Australian Catholic University will next month present findings from three research projects, commissioned by the Royal Commission, on child safe institutions. Read Royal Commission media release here Coming up May 8, Address to CAM Social Justice Teachers, Melbourne May 15, Address meeting in Perth May 17, Address to Catholic Mission One Heart Many Voices Conference, Sydney May 18, Address to Canberra-Goulburn Clergy Assembly, Canberra May 31, Marist Brothers Project Roundtable, Sydney June 6, Keynote address to Wollongong Diocesan Assembly, Wollongong June 28, Spirituality in the Pub, The Sandy, Sandringham Victoria July 4, Address to Clergy Life and Ministry National Directors Annual Conference, North Sydney July 18, Address to University of third Age, Canberra July 19, Address to Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Conference, Melbourne August 24, Address biennial National Catholic Education Media, Marketing and Communications Conference, Surfers Paradise August 25, Address to South Australian Catholic Principals, Adelaide October 19, Address to Catholic Community of Geelong, Geelong November 4, Address to Catholic School Parents Australia, Hobart November 13 Address to Catholic Secondary Principals Australia, Adelaide       Copyright © 2017 Truth, Justice and Healing Council   |   Privacy Policy