More than 200 participants from across Australia attended the 2018 Catholic social services national conference, Hearing Healing Hope, from Wednesday 21 February to Friday 23 February, at the Catholic Leadership Centre, in East Melbourne.
Throughout the national Catholic social services conference, Hearing Healing Hope, held in Melbourne between 21-23 February, a range of media articles provided coverage of the content. They are based on the themes and presentations provided at the conference.
The recent national Catholic social services conference, Hearing Healing Hope, from 21-23 February in Melbourne, included an array of eminent and highly qualified keynote speakers and workshop presenters.
Pope Francis has condemned "verbal and physical violence towards women" and called for "respect" while addressing large crowds on a recent visit to Colombia. The Argentine pontiff, the first Pope to visit the country in over three decades, said that the Bible celebrates women who are strong and influential.
Following the release of the Victorian bishop’s statement condemning family and domestic violence earlier this year, and the distribution of the resource kit to parishes, CSSV is continuing its work in providing ongoing support for parishes.
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.
Prevention and putting an end to family violence are of key concern for Catholic Social Services Victoria and the wider community. The Catholic Church has a key role to play and so in Victoria, Catholic Social Services has been working with the bishops and with parishes in order to produce a range of resource material that will help address this very important issue.
February 2016 conference: Review, Reimagine, Renew: Mission making a difference in a changing world. Much of the benefit of such gatherings is from the opportunity provided to engage with others there. Speakers were insightful and challenging, and helped us focus on key issues, including family violence, how we behave as organisations, and our alignment with the Pope's lived narrative of mercy.
The challenge to make a real difference to those on the margins of Australian society are immense-intergenerational disadvantage, drug and alcohol challenges, increased inequality all cry out for renewed commitment to building a more just and compassionate country. At the same time, rapid changes in Australian society, in the Church, and in the way Governments work all challenge faith-based organisations in their mission-inspired work.