News

The Catalyst President has issued the following message to all Catalyst supporters, previewing our programs for 2023: From Catalyst for Renewal, we send greetings and best wishes for the new year and an outline of our 2023 program. Our schedule for 2023 begins already this Wednesday 1 February.Read More

Benedict the 16th was not one of my favourite Catholic churchmen. But like his predecessor John Paul II, I always cut them some slack, given their personal encounters with chaos and depravity within their European cultures.Read More

The Catalyst President has issued the following message to all Catalyst supporters, summarizing the year and offering best wishes for the new year: With 2022 rapidly drawing to a close, we are writing to provide a brief update and to offer our best wishes for the Christmas season and the New Year to come. DespiteContinue reading →Read More

Catalyst for Renewal has made a submission to the Continental Phase of the Synod on Synodality.  We thank those who contributed and in particular Patricia Gemmel who expertly facilitated our discussions and Julie Thorpe, our coordinator and lead author.Read More

Fr Paul who was ordained in 2011 after a career in Catholic education shared with us his vision of what a parish priest should be and his experience in this role. Read More

Social researcher and author Hugh MacKay AO spoke today on his new book, The Kindness Revolution, reminding us our capacity for kindness is fundamental to our humanity.Read More

The second (and final) assembly of the Australian Plenary Council has commenced. This assembly will run from Sunday 3 July 2022 to Saturday 9 July and is being held in Sydney. News and reports from the assembly will be added to this page as they become available. Some items may be behind a paywall.Read More

Plenary Matters covers The Plenary Council first assembly, an important gathering of the Catholic Church in Australia which will influence the future of the institution.   Join esteemed Australian broadcaster and prominent Catholic Geraldine Doogue as she speaks to other Catholics who are interested in shaping a new, modern Church.Read More

On 31 May 2022 Catalyst for Renewal hosted a forum in Sydney with Joan Chittister osb. For over 30 years Sister Joan has been a passionate advocate for social justice and an outspoken proponent of personal faith and fulfilment. Author of dozens of books on spirituality, this beloved Benedictine nun visited Sydney as part of a speaking tour of Australia.Read More

This is what an attendee wrote about Sr Patty Andrew’s thoughts on Teilhard de Chardin.Read More

Marea has been recognised by Pope Francis through admission as a Dame to the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great.Read More

We have received correspondence from Chris Meney, Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Sydney, on behalf of Archbishop Anthony Fisher, advising us that our Catalyst member, Marea Donovan is to receive a papal award and is to be admitted as a Dame of the Order of St Gregory the Great.Read More

“In October 2021, the Catholic Church in Australia will gather for the first Assembly of the Plenary Council to be held since the second Vatican Council.Read More

Bishop Geoffrey Robinson passed away on 29 December 2020 after a long illness.Read More

Patricia Gemmell has a Masters in Theology and for 34 years has been a parishioner of St Leonard’s Naremburn, NSW. Patricia is also a member of the Australian Grail National Leadership Team. This article first appeared on the website of The Grail in Australia in June 2020 and is re-published here with permission of theContinue reading →Read More