Jerry Nockles - Leading Catholic Social Services Australia

29/10/2026

Faith in Action: An Election Guide | Catholic Bishops of Victoria

As Victorians prepare for the upcoming State Election, the Catholic Bishops of Victoria have released Faith in Action: An Election Guide, a thoughtful resource inviting Catholics to reflect on how our faith and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching can guide us in making informed decisions.

Our Catholic faith reminds us that every person has inherent dignity and worth, and that we share a responsibility to care for one another, particularly those experiencing vulnerability, hardship and disadvantage. This includes people experiencing homelessness, individuals and families affected by domestic and family violence, First Nations peoples, people involved in the justice system and those facing barriers to support and opportunity.

The guide also draws attention to key policy matters that shape the wellbeing of individuals, families and communities. As we consider the policies, values and commitments of those seeking to represent us, the Bishops encourage us to reflect on four important questions:

- How do they uphold the human dignity of every person?
- How do they promote and advance the common good?
- How do they support subsidiarity, enabling communities and local institutions to participate in decisions that affect them?
- How do they foster solidarity, especially with those who are vulnerable, disadvantaged or excluded?

We warmly encourage all Catholics to take the time to read this guide and engage in meaningful conversations about how our faith can inform our participation in democracy, deepen our understanding of the issues that matter, and inspire thoughtful choices that contribute to the common good and the wellbeing of our communities.

Read Faith in Action: An Election Guide: https://bit.ly/StateElection2026



Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Catholic Social Services Victoria Jerry Nockles - Leading Catholic Social Services Australia

26/10/2026

23/10/2026

Yesterday in Melbourne, I had the joy of reconnecting with Brendan Podbury, now State President of Vinnies Victoria, after many years.

Brendan was the Youth Minister in Bathurst during my teenage years - a period profoundly shaped by loss. When my mother passed away, my younger sister (13) and I (16) were left orphaned.

Looking back, I often reflect on the web of support that surrounded us: principally my older brothers and sisters and broader family, but significantly the material and non-material support from our Church and faith community.

Brendan's counsel, compassion, and care were a significant part of that support, and they undeniably influenced the trajectory of my life.

This led me to reflect on the challenge we face in social services: how do we capture, let alone measure, the impact of such interactions? They don't fit neatly into a 'counting widgets' approach. Yet these moments of genuine care and connection shape lives in ways that ripple forward through decades.

This is why I'm incredibly proud that Catholic Social Services Australia, under the leadership of our Director of Policy and Advocacy, Carmel Sefian, is at the forefront of innovative work in outcomes and impact measurement within our Catholic social service community.

Carmel will be sharing more about this exciting initiative soon - work that I believe will serve as a powerful tool for both government and our sector.

Catholic Social Teaching speaks of the Common Good as "the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more easily."

The totality of social conditions - not merely social policies. It's the Brendans of this world, the faith communities, the families, the moments of compassion that create these conditions where people can flourish.

Grateful for the reunion, and grateful for the work ahead.



Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne Catholic Diocese of Bathurst

21/10/2026

Very welcome news.

Pope Leo XIV’s doctors have confirmed that the tumor removed on October 13 was a lung adenocarcinoma and that the disease was localized.

Dr. Luigi Carbone and Professor Stefano Margaritora said on Wednesday evening that a subsequent oncological assessment has confirmed that “no further treatment is necessary.”

21/10/2026

Excellent, thought-provoking piece from Melbourne's Archbishop Peter A Comensoli today.



Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne

Australians were rightly horrified by the announced livestream ex*****on of a convicted mass murderer.

While US authorities have seen sense and cancelled the livestream, they still plan to execute the man.

This isn’t the only ex*****on to grab our attention recently.

The failed ex*****on of another prisoner in the US has shown there is no neat, “dignified” way to take someone’s life, despite the promises of advocates.

To many Australians, this culture of death seems foreign to us.

The truth, however, is that the taking of lives does occur here.

The termination of the unborn at one end of life and the terminally ill at the other end is just as brutal and should be just as shocking.

But, like capital punishment, the reality of these deaths is often hidden from us.

In the past week, the Labor Party proudly announced that, if re-elected, Victorian taxpayers would cover the full cost of abortions for expectant mothers in Victoria.

The Liberal/National Coalition swiftly confirmed they would follow suit.

Last year, Victoria made so-called “Voluntary Assisted Dying” easier to access.

Despite advocate promises about “dying with dignity”, it’s not hard to find accounts of patients whose attempts to end their life using VAD have not been quick or easy or painless.

Australian authorities don’t often publish this sort of data, so this reality is largely hidden from us.

But do we hold in our mind and heart the stark reality of what is occurring when human lives are deliberately ended?

Each person is unique and unrepeatable; made in the image and likeness of God, with inherent dignity and infinite worth that is never lost.

Sadly, this is too often ignored.

Australia rightly recognised decades ago that it could no longer justify capital punishment, if it ever could.

We have the means to safely incarcerate convicted criminals for the rest of their lives if necessary.

How then can we justify ending the lives of the unborn, whatever the reason given?

Do we not have the means to support the least among us and their mothers?

And with the sick and the terminally ill, don’t we have the means to support them fully with love, compassion and medical care, to the end?

Will politicians who advocate to fully fund one “choice” also advocate to fully fund the alternatives?

Sadly, no major political party – Labor, Liberal, National – or the Greens or One Nation is offering to really turn back the tide on this culture of death.

True, no candidate or political party can ever solve every issue or be a perfect representative. When casting our votes in November we will need to weigh up the full range of issues and policies before us to decide who would best serve the common good – or least harm it.

Let us pray that those we choose will govern wisely and prudently, upholding the good of all, especially the least among us.

18/10/2026

As Pope Leo XIV has reminded us, for the past 100 years, World Mission Sunday has been set apart for prayer, reflection and contributing to the Church’s mission of evangelisation, especially in areas where the proclamation of the Gospel is only just beginning and where the Church is still young.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “One in Christ, united in mission”, inviting all of the members of the Church to a deeper communion in Christ and to a fuller unity in his divine mission of love.

The pope has entrusted all those engaged in missionary efforts for the Church to the maternal intercession of the Mother of God, Mary- Queen of Missions.

Through her intercession may Our Lady guide, bless and protect those engaged in this important ministry in the life of our Church and our world. Mary, Queen of Missions, pray for us!

12/10/2026

We join our prayers with Catholics and people of goodwill around the world for the Holy Father’s speedy and full recovery as he prepares for surgery to remove a nodule from his lung.

As Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB's statement reminds us, Pope Leo is not only our spiritual leader but a powerful advocate for peace, compassion, and stability in an increasingly volatile and fractured world.

Now more than ever, Pope Leo is the global statesman the world so desperately needs. His moral leadership and unwavering commitment to the most vulnerable among us provides a beacon of hope in uncertain times.

11/10/2026

09/10/2026

I fully agree with Josh Frydenberg’s assessment of the challenges facing Australian politics today.

His call for moral clarity and strong leadership echoes the Catholic Social Teaching principle of the Common Good – defined as “the sum of those conditions of social life which allow social groups and their individual members relatively thorough and ready access to their own fulfilment.”

Australia is at a crossroads. Too often, politics focuses on division and short-term gain rather than creating the social conditions where all Australians can thrive with dignity. The Common Good demands that we look beyond partisan or special interests and work together to build a society grounded in truth, justice, and shared wellbeing.

Leadership with moral courage and a commitment to the Common Good is essential if we are to restore trust, strengthen social cohesion, and ensure a better future for all - particularly the most vulnerable in our society.

Read Paul Kelly's excellent piece in today's The Australian.

Josh Frydenberg is a grateful son. His gratitude is overflowing – towards his parents, his grandparents, his community and his country. His journey as grandson of a refugee to federal Treasurer is remarkable and reflects his generous outlook that so many people inside and outside politics have kno...