Australia

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Parliament House for the state of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.

Victoria’s ‘conversion therapy’ ban has dangerous flaws, say religious leaders

Feb 4, 2021

By CNA Staff

A proposed ban on “conversion therapy” for sexual orientation or gender identity in Australia’s Victoria state is far too broad... Read more

The flags of Australia and the Vatican. Credit: elic via Shutterstock.

Australian federal police find no criminal misconduct in mysterious Vatican transfers

Feb 3, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Australian Federal Police said on Wednesday that it had found no evidence of criminal misconduct in its investigation into... Read more

Cardinal George Pell gives an interview to EWTN News in Rome, Italy, on Dec. 9, 2020. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Prosecutors drop charges against journalists over Pell trial as media outlets admit breach

Feb 1, 2021

Australian prosecutors announced on Monday that they were dropping charges against individual journalists accused of breaching a gag order over the... Read more

The flags of Australia and the Vatican. Credit: elic via Shutterstock.

Report: Probe can’t account for $2 million sent from Vatican to Australia

Jan 20, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

Investigators examining transfers from the Vatican to Australia have been unable to account for around $1.9 million sent between the... Read more

Archbishop Philip Wilson. Courtesy of the Archdiocese of Adelaide.

Australian Catholic Archbishop Philip Wilson dies unexpectedly at age 70

Jan 18, 2021

The Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson died unexpectedly on Sunday at the age of 70.  Read more

Report: Australia’s financial crime watchdog says it vastly overestimated Vatican transfers

Jan 13, 2021

Australia’s financial crime watchdog has said that it vastly overestimated Vatican transfers, local media reported on Wednesday.  Read more

The flag of Vatican City with St. Peter's Basilica in the background on April 29, 2019.

Australia’s financial crime watchdog conducts ‘detailed review’ of Vatican transfers

Jan 7, 2021

Australia’s financial crime watchdog said Thursday that it is conducting a “detailed review” of Vatican-linked transfers worth $1.8 billion.  Read more

Victoria's conversion therapy bill a 'dramatic overreach of the state'

Dec 10, 2020

A bill seeking to ban so-called conversion therapy for sexual orientation or gender identity in the Australian state of Victoria... Read more

Photograph of Saint Mary MacKillop in 1890. Public domain.

Australia celebrates 10th anniversary of St. Mary MacKillop’s canonization

Dec 7, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Australia is celebrating the 10th anniversary this year of the canonization of the country’s first and only saint, St. Mary... Read more

City skyline in Sydney, Australia.

Australian Catholic bishops establish new agency to fight abuse

Dec 4, 2020

On Thursday, the Catholic bishops of Australia and two other Catholic entities launched Australian Catholic Safeguarding Limited, a company charged... Read more

Cardinal George Pell.

Australian media’s trial begins over gag order violation in Cardinal Pell case

Nov 9, 2020

Members of the Australian media are on trial this week for charges of violating a gag order issued during the... Read more

Catholic bishops in Queensland aim to educate on sanctity of life

Oct 6, 2020

The bishops of the five dioceses in Australia's Queensland state have written a pastoral letter urging that euthanasia and assisted... Read more

Hand waiving rainbow flag.

Catholics say religious ed plan defies doctrine, while diocese defends curriculum

Sep 14, 2020

Catholics, including some local priests, have said a proposed diocesan catechetical curriculum in Australia promotes views on gender identity and human... Read more

Western Australian legislative committee recommends preserving confessional seal

Sep 12, 2020

Religious ministers should not be required to violate the seal of confession to report child sex abuse, a committee of... Read more

Queensland passes law requiring priests to break confessional seal

Sep 8, 2020

The legislature of the Australian state of Queensland on Tuesday passed a law requiring priests to violate the seal of... Read more

Chiara Porro, Australia's ambassador to the Holy See, presents her credentials to Pope Francis Aug. 27, 2020.

'I hope to be able to inspire': Meet Australia's 36-year-old ambassador to the Holy See

Sep 3, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Australia’s new ambassador to the Holy See is a 36-year-old mother of two with a passion for youth outreach.   Read more

The Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, where pharmacists will prepared and mix the drugs for assisted suicides in Victoria.

Assisted suicide, euthanasia more than 10 times higher than predicted in Australian state

Sep 2, 2020

While the Australian state of Tasmania is debating a bill that would legalize assisted suicide, the state of Victoria reported... Read more

Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney.

Catholic Aussie archbishop calls for ethical coronavirus vaccine

Aug 24, 2020

The Archbishop of Sydney, Australia, has called on the country’s government to fund an ethical coronavirus vaccine not derived from... Read more

Bush fire in Australia.

Citing COVID and bushfires, Australian bishops urge focus on mental health

Aug 4, 2020

In the latter half of 2019 and the first few months of 2020, Australia contended with massive, devastating bushfires that... Read more

Sydney archbishop urges implementation of modern slavery law in NSW

Jul 29, 2020

Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney on Wednesday called the New South Wales government a “disgrace” for failing to enact anti-slavery... Read more