News from around the Catholic world for the week ending 28 November.
LISTEN NOW (9:20 mins)
• Pope Francis addresses European Parliament
• Australian Bishops announce delegation to persecuted Christians in the Middle East
• Caritas Australia renew calls for end to sexual violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo
• Abortion, religious freedom and gay rights on the agenda as Victorians head to Polls
• Australian Catholic University award highest honour to Vatican foreign minister.
TRANSCRIPT
BOBBIE: The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference met in North Sydney this week, with the persecution of Christians in the Middle East a key area of concern.
In a media statement released yesterday, the Australian bishops have announced they will send a delegation to refugees in Kurdistan, Iraq and Lebanon on 14 December to provide spiritual support and humanitarian aid.
Cradio Director and Hobart’s Archbishop Julian Porteous will join the delegation, along with Canberra Goulburn’s Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Maronite Archbishop Antoine Tarabay, Melkite Archbishop Robert Rabbat and Chaldean Archbishop Jibrael Kassab.
Archbishop Rabbat spoke to Cradio about the initiative.
ARCHBISHOP RABBAT: Despite the short notice, and despite the fact that maybe we are limited with our resources, but we cannot allow Christmas, this feast of good news, this feast of joy, come only to our heart and our homes and our blessed nation of au and New Zealand while our brethren are saddened.
BOBBIE: The Australian Bishops have also declared that 7 December 2014 will be a day of Solidarity with Christians of the Middle East. They have called on Australian Catholics to take part through prayer and financial offering for their persecuted brothers and sisters, especially those of Iraq.
Details on that story via ACBC Media Blog
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Australian Catholic University (ACU) has awarded Vatican foreign minister Archbishop Dominique Mamberti its highest honour, marking 100 years since the first Papal Delegate arrived in Sydney in 1914.
Archbishop Mamberti, who was recently appointed Prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, was named Doctor of the University in a ceremony at ACU’s North Sydney Campus on Monday.
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Paul Gallagher, soon to take Archbishop Mamberti’s role in the Vatican, and Australian Catholic Bishops Conference President Archbishop Denis Hart were both in attendance. The ceremony formed part of a series of events being hosted by ACU to celebrate the Centenary of Papal Representation in Australia.
Ties have strengthened significantly between Australia and the Vatican since Australia’s first Papal Delegate arrived in 1914, with Pope Paul VI visiting in 1970 and St John Paul II in 1986 and 1995. Australia welcomed its fourth papal visit when Emeritus Pope Benedict joined more than 1 million young people for World Youth Day in Sydney 2008.
Details on that story via ACU website.
Music Credit: Waking Up by Dexter Britain.
