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  • Catholic Enquiry Centre
  • Catholic Enquiry Centre

News & Current Issues

Media Release September 2011

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MEDIA RELEASE Monday 26 September 2011
Hearing God's Call
An Audio Introduction to the Catholic Faith

A new faith formation resource to meet the needs of adults in prisons has been produced and distributed with funds provided by the Australian bishops. This new resource reinforces the bishops' commitment to raise the profile and meet the spiritual needs of prisoners signalled in their 2011 Social Justice Statement, Building Bridges, Not Walls.

Prison Chaplains across Australia have received a copy of Hearing God's Call: An Audio Introduction to the Catholic Faith for use with those to whom they minister. Hearing God’s Call has been produced by the Catholic Enquiry Centre, an agency of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

Fr Peter Carroll MSC, Prison Chaplain at Long Bay Gaol in Sydney, worked with the Catholic Enquiry Centre throughout the development of Hearing God’s Call. Last month he took it to an international gathering of Catholic prison chaplains in Cameroon.

Written by the Catholic Enquiry Centre’s Projects Manager, John Francis Collins, Hearing God’s Call consists of 30 sessions, each about 10 minutes in duration, recorded on four CDs. As well as stories and information on the Catholic faith, there is a time of prayer and reference to a film available on DVD which may help the listener to understand the faith in the light of popular culture. Hearing God’s Call may be used by an individual or worked through as a group.

Director of the Catholic Enquiry Centre, Mrs Marita Winters, says “While Hearing God’s Call was written with prisoners in mind, it is also suitable for other audiences who could benefit from having access to an audio program of faith formation, such as patients in hospitals, people with an intellectual disability, individuals with a visual impairment, residents in nursing homes and parish groups concerned with outreach.

"We have been told there is nothing else like this available to meet the needs of adults in prison, or for those who would struggle to read a book explaining the Catholic faith. We are very keen to assist where we can to meet the spiritual needs of the most vulnerable in the community."


For more information, contact:
Marita Winters, Director, Catholic Enquiry Centre, 0438 491 574.


   

Media Release November 2010

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MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday 9 November 2010

Canonisation creates interest in Catholic Faith

In 2010 the Catholic Enquiry Centre has experienced a surge in the number of people enquiring about the Catholic faith, mainly due to the overwhelmingly positive publicity around the Canonisation of Mary MacKillop.

To date the Centre has sent catechetical material to 721 enquirers, 63% more than last year’s total enquirers.

The Catholic Enquiry Centre is an agency of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. It offers free catechetical information to those who are not Catholic but are interested in finding out more about the Catholic faith. For those who are ready to become Catholic the Centre is able to put enquirers in contact with their local parish.

Director of the Catholic Enquiry Centre, Marita Winters, says “Our advertising this year has proved to be very, very successful. Not only did we promote the Catholic message through Sunday papers but we also had a full page advertisement in the Australian Womens Weekly, one of Australia’s most popular magazines. Of course the positive publicity around the Canonisation of Mary MacKillop has generated a lot of the increased interest; 27% of all enquiries this year were received during October alone.”

“We are grateful to the Sisters of St Joseph for permission to use Mary MacKillop’s image in our advertising. We hope and pray that St Mary of the Cross will continue to call people to a life of faith in the Catholic tradition, and that the Catholic Enquiry Centre might respond to her command: ‘Never see a need without trying to remedy it’ (Original Rule, 1871)”.

Anyone wanting to find out more about the Catholic faith, or to make a donation to support enquirers, are welcome to contact the Catholic Enquiry Centre on 1300 4 FAITH (1300 432 484).

   

Call and Response Book Launch

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Call and Response was launched by Mr Mike Bailey, popular media personality, on Wednesday 15 September. In his address he commented “Call and Response is a fine contribution to aid searchers.

“It is indeed a pleasure…to officially launch this most positive of road maps that will guide readers through the joys of the Catholic faith: the Scriptures; the Mass; the Sacraments; our prayers, and aspects of Catholicism in action…

 

Read more: Call and Response Book Launch

   

Call and Response Book Review

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To download a copy of the Call and Response Book review by Mike Bailey, click here.
   

Call and Response RCIA Companion

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The RCIA Companion Manual for Call and Response is designed to be used in conjunction with the book Call and Response: An Introduction to the Catholic Faith. It is an aid for those responsible for facilitating catechetical formation for catechumens and candidates during the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

The four sections of Call and Response co-relate to the four periods of the RCIA as follows:companionalign

The new RCIA Companion manual for Call and Response can be downloaded here

   

Order Form

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To place an order please contact us by phoning 1300 4 FAITH (1300 432 484) or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or complete and return the order form below.

Click here to download CEC order form.

   

Mary MacKillop

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Blessed Mary Mackillop (1842-1909) will be formally proclaimed a saint in October 2010. Mary will be Australia's first saint.

Blessed Mary MacKillop was a woman of extraordinary faith, and with her canonization she is being acknowledged as a significant role model for all Australians and recognised as a saint by the Catholic Church.  

To find out more about the Catholic faith and about Mary MacKillop, contact the Catholic Enquiry Centre.

Click here to view the contact details.

   

Christmas - Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ

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ImageChristmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a time for remembering God who came into the world as a human being, and brought the precious gift of new life. This brochure allows parishes and communities to promote their local activities during Advent and the Christmas season.

View the Brochure View the brochure

A hard copy of this brochure showing your local parish Christmas schedule can be printed and copied for distribution. The following steps are recommended: 1. Click on 'View the Brochure' 2. Open the file with Adobe Reader (free software). 3. Enter local details in the two locations indicated on the brochure. 4. Print the brochure

Note: Unless you have Adobe Acrobat software you cannot save a copy of the updated document.

Read more: Christmas - Celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ

   

Cinema Advertisement

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One image in this advertisement is of the Australian welcome of the WYD Cross & Icon, Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour, July 2007.  Photograph courtesy of World Youth Day 2008.