June 5 is World Environment Day. At this time, we call to mind the recent launch by Pope Francis of the Vatican’s seven-year Laudato Si’ action plan to implement environmental sustainability in different sectors of the Church.
Addressing the impact of mental ill health and its onflow effects cuts across the heart of much of the work of Catholic Social Services Victoria and our member organisations. CSSV welcomes the final report of the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System, which was tabled in Parliament by the Victorian Government on 2nd March 2021.
Each month, the Holy Father asks for our prayers for a specific intention. For February, Pope Francis is drawing our attention and prayers to the devastating impact of family and domestic violence. We join with him in praying.
A number of parishes and deaneries within the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne have taken up the opportunity to host a workshop in 2019 addressing domestic and family violence: what is it? What supports are available? This follows a similar workshop that was held in the Sunbury parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel last November, which was led by Sr Nicole Rotaru rsm.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel parish in Sunbury recently hosted a workshop entitled, Domestic and Family Violence: What is it? What supports are available? led by Nicole Rotaru rsm. On the evening of 28 November, parish priest, Fr Kevin McIntosh, welcomed 24 participants who attended from the parish community, surrounding townships and local organisations.
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.
Chaos. War zone. Domestic terrorism. Lost childhood. Uncertainty. Is there a way out? These were just some of the words used to describe family and domestic violence by participants in an interactive workshop hosted by CSSV with Sr Nicole Rotaru rsm.
The Catholic Diocese of Broken Bay has a comprehensive set of resources to assist the Catholic community in gaining a deeper understanding of domestic and family violence, and how to best respond.
Following the call of Victorian Bishops, Catholic Social Services Victoria has developed a resource kit for parishes in order to help them better respond to domestic and family violence. Resource kits are being distributed to every parish in Victoria, plus leading social services organisations.
The Victorian Bishops released a statement on 29 November 2016 condemning domestic and family violence in the strongest possible terms, and have called on the whole Church community to work together in preventing violence.