12 October 2025
 This episode of Plenary Matters with Geraldine Doogue and Virginia Ryan introduces an inspiring new initiative within the Australian Catholic Church — the Catholic Leadership Foundation (CLF), launched in March. Virginia Ryan, the inaugural CEO, explains that the Foundation is a response to the Plenary Council’s call and the Global Synod’s vision for a renewed Church. The aim is to form lay Catholics as confident, spiritually grounded, and capable leaders who can continue the Church’s mission in education, health, and parish life — roles once predominantly held by religious congregations. The Foundation’s sponsor, the Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, a missionary congregation with a deep pastoral and Sacred Heart spirituality, has been instrumental in shaping this vision, especially its focus on inclusion of rural and remote communities that often lack access to formation opportunities. | | | 30 September 2025
 The Marist Fathers’ 30th General Chapter opened in Nemi, Italy, gathering capitulants from 31 countries to pray, reflect, and discern the Society’s direction. Early days focused on building community, electing leadership, and studying unit reports on ministries worldwide. Retreats and liturgies centered on themes of Mary’s presence, synodality, and openness to the Spirit. Reports on governance, education, interreligious dialogue, ecology, and finance invited reflection on the Society’s mission and challenges in a diverse and changing world. | | | 25 April 2025
 The statement opens by acknowledging the enduring call for peace first made by Pope St John XXIII in Pacem in Terris, revisited in light of escalating global conflict, misinformation, and political unrest. It names the world’s current state—riven by war, disinformation, and post-truth culture—as both deeply troubling and in need of Gospel hope. The Bishops draw heavily on Pope Francis’ Fratelli Tutti, urging us to recognize the deep connection between truth, trust, and peace, and calling all people of goodwill to be peacemakers in a fractured world. | | | 22 April 2025
 This heartfelt tribute honours Pope Francis as a humble and prophetic leader who, like his namesake Saint Francis of Assisi, embraced the poor, challenged Church traditions, and embodied compassion in both word and deed. From his simple lifestyle and care for the marginalised—including refugees, LGBTQI+ individuals, and victims of abuse—to his global advocacy for environmental justice through Laudato Si’, Pope Francis called the world to mercy, simplicity, and peace. He opened conversations on women’s leadership, reimagined evangelisation through love rather than doctrine, and consistently acted as a servant of reconciliation. His legacy is one of radical inclusion, deep humanity, and unwavering hope rooted in God’s love—a legacy we are now called to carry forward. | | |
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