The Catholic Leader

Brisbane Catholic community prays for healing and truth at reconciliation Mass

Joe Higgins — Fri, 29 May 2026 04:59:00 +0000

BRISBANE Church leaders, Catholic school students, churchworkers and parishioners turned to God in a commitment to truth-telling and healing at a Mass for National Reconciliation Week at St Stephen’s Cathedral today. St John Fisher College, Bracken Ridge, student Jazmin Dyal performed with her dance crew for the reconciliation events at the cathedral precinct. She said […]

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Pope Leo asks Catholics worldwide to pray rosary for peace on May 30

Staff writers — Fri, 29 May 2026 02:15:25 +0000

POPE Leo XIV has invited Catholics around the world to join him in praying a rosary for peace on May 30. Her is set to pray the rosary live from the Lourdes Grotto in the Vatican Gardens at 7pm Rome time. It will begin at 3am Sunday Brisbane time. The livestream will be available at vaticannews.va […]

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Sunshine Coast community and Centacare march to break the silence on coercive control

Joe Higgins — Thu, 28 May 2026 00:17:45 +0000

HUNDREDS of Sunshine Coast residents and advocates took to the streets to march with victim-survivors of domestic and family violence on May 6. Victim-survivor Delaney Starling spoke at the march in Maroochydore and shared her personal experience of coercive control. Coercive control’s danger laid in its invisibility, she said. “It’s really subtle and confusing,” she […]

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‘Devoted leader and educator’ Dr Sally Towns leaves legacy of wisdom and faith

Kymberlee Gomes — Tue, 26 May 2026 21:00:00 +0000

A PACKED church gathered to give thanks for the life of Dr Sally Towns, one of the pillars of Catholic education in Brisbane. The funeral Mass was presided by Emeritus Archbishop Mark Coleridge and concelebrated by vicar general Fr Peter Dillon, Fr Michael Tran, Fr Bryan Roe, Fr David Pascoe and Fr James Foster who […]

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Pentecost a reminder the Holy Spirit is empowering us to spread God’s word

Kymberlee Gomes — Tue, 26 May 2026 01:50:00 +0000

ONE of the biggest feast days in the Church, Pentecost was celebrated at Holy Spirit Chapel, Banyo amid seminarians, families and clergy including Emeritus Archbishop Mark Coleridge. Pentecost concludes the Easter season and celebrates the birth of the Church. It occurs 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ and is the celebration of the Holy […]

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Magnifica Humanitas – Pope Leo sets out his vision for humanity’s future in a world with AI

Joe Higgins — Mon, 25 May 2026 11:14:02 +0000

POPE Leo XIV’s first encyclical Magnifica Humanitas (“Magnificent Humanity”), published today, lays out his hopes for humanity’s future alongside growing technological power as well as his concerns about artificial intelligence and the conditions to be met for it to support human flourishing. The Scriptural references that Pope Leo returns to through the document is that […]

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Roby Curtis is walking to Alice Springs in the spiritual footsteps of his hero St John Paul II

Joe Higgins — Fri, 22 May 2026 23:00:00 +0000

ROBY Curtis wakes under the west Queensland sky at 3.15am to start another 50km-day towards the Red Centre. He and his companion Jeff Hoffard are just past halfway at the 1360km mark in a nine-week trek. He is feeling a “lift” in his legs after week four brought a “rough” strain on his right calf. […]

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Martin Daubney re-appointed ACU chancellor for five years

Joe Higgins — Fri, 22 May 2026 04:50:33 +0000

MARTIN Daubney has been re-appointed Australian Catholic University chancellor for a second five-year term. ACU Corporation president Brisbane Archbishop Shane Mackinlay said he was “delighted” at Mr Daubney’s reappointment following the annual general meeting. “During his first term as chancellor, he has provided outstanding leadership for ACU, during a time of great challenges for the Australian university sector,” he said. “He is […]

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Centacare helped Danny’s mum when she needed it most, now he is paying it forward

Joe Higgins — Fri, 22 May 2026 02:00:00 +0000

ZILLMERE local Danny McCudden retired in 2023 and returned to the community that saved his family. For 45 years, Mr McCudden’s life was defined by the steady rhythm of the glass and aluminium trade until a few years ago, when his mother was diagnosed with dementia. He said the diagnosis left his father struggling to […]

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How does Pope Leo pray? His personal secretary offers details about the Holy Fatherʼs prayer life

Guest Contributor — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:15:33 +0000

POPE Leo XIV goes through his day centred on prayer, silence and seeking God amid his responsibilities at the helm of the Church, said his personal secretary, Peruvian priest Father Edgard Rimaycuna, in an interview released May 18 by the Order of St Augustine. Fr Rimaycuna offered details regarding the daily spiritual life of the […]

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Unity in diversity key to Church mission, Brisbane Archbishop tells staff at first Curia Mass

Kymberlee Gomes — Thu, 21 May 2026 04:13:34 +0000

AT his first Curia Mass, Brisbane Archbishop Shane Mackinlay acknowledged the diversity of the archdiocese and the contribution of its staff in carrying on the mission of the Church. Over his eight months with the archdiocese, he said to the large congregation gathered at St Stephen’s Cathedral, there were many departments he had discovered for […]

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Pope Leo XIV laments that after receiving confirmation, many young people ‘disappear from the parish’

Guest Contributor — Thu, 21 May 2026 02:01:00 +0000

By EWTN News POPE Leo XIV lamented that after being confirmed, many young people no longer attend church. He asked those awaiting confirmation to “pay special attention” to one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, perseverance. The pope met May 16, with those awaiting confirmation from the Archdiocese of Genoa, Italy. In an impromptu […]

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Queensland students commit to peacebuilding in letter to Vatican and international bodies

Kymberlee Gomes — Wed, 20 May 2026 22:54:55 +0000

GOLD Coast’s Assisi Catholic College hosted students from six Franciscan schools in south-east Queensland for a day of on prayer, dialogue and advocacy calling for peace in the world. The theme for the Student Justice and Peace Day, coordinated by Franciscan Schools Australia, was Francis Unfiltered. Nearly 60 students from Years 9 and 10 and […]

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Archbishop Mackinlay blesses Mater’s new public hospital serving Greater Springfield

Joe Higgins — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:47:35 +0000

MATER has opened the doors on a new era for healthcare in Springfield with the state’s newest public hospital. Brisbane Archbishop Shane Mackinlay blessed the Mater Hospital Springfield and joined Queensland Governor Dr Jeannette Young and Premier David Crisafulli opening the doors this morning. The official opening also included Minister for Health and Ambulance Services […]

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Brisbane hosting national gathering of Knights focusing on faith and service

Staff writers — Wed, 20 May 2026 06:07:08 +0000

THE Knights of the Southern Cross Australia will gather in Brisbane this week for a national conference aimed at renewing their mission and strengthening its response to an increasingly secular culture. The 10th National Triennial Conference, running from May 22–24 and hosted by the Queensland branch of the Knights, will bring together members from across Australia under the […]

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Brisbane Christian denominations gather to pray for unity

Kymberlee Gomes — Tue, 19 May 2026 04:36:45 +0000

ARCHBISHOP Shane Mackinlay was joined by leaders of nine other Christian churches in Brisbane for the week of prayer for Christian unity service. Held in St Stephen’s Cathedral on May 19, the service also brought together staff and students from All Hallows’ School, Bethania Lutheran School, Cannon Hill Anglican College, Lords Lutheran School, Prince of […]

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Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnificent Humanity, on artificial intelligence to be released May 25

Guest Contributor — Mon, 18 May 2026 23:10:21 +0000

By EWTN News IT has been announced that Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical will be published on May 25 with the title Magnifica Humanitas. Pope Leo will speak at a presentation for the release of the social encyclical — a papal letter to the Church — at 11.30 am Rome time on May 25 in the […]

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Catholic education responds to co-ed learning demand in Brisbane

Kymberlee Gomes — Mon, 18 May 2026 05:28:03 +0000

FAMILIES with children at three Brisbane Catholic schools are being supported as major changes get underway to keep up with the evolving educational landscape in Queensland. The latest Brisbane Catholic Education school to transition to a co-educational secondary offering is Our Lady’s College in Annerley. The school has been an all-girls learning space since it […]

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AI communication must preserve ‘human voices and faces’, Pope Leo XIV says

Guest Contributor — Sun, 17 May 2026 23:51:12 +0000

POPE Leo XIV has urged Catholics and communicators to promote forms of communication that respect the truth of the human person in the age of artificial intelligence, while also calling for renewed care for creation and peace as Laudato Si’ Week begins. Speaking after praying the Regina Caeli yesterday from the window of the Apostolic […]

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Community mourns Catholic education leader Dr Sally Towns, remembered for her faith, dedication and courage

Joe Higgins — Sun, 17 May 2026 03:53:23 +0000

LONG-serving Catholic education leader Dr Sally Towns died peacefully yesterday surrounded by family. Dr Towns served in Catholic education for more 30 years and led Brisbane Catholic Education for four years until her resignation in March this year. Brisbane Archbishop Shane Mackinlay said the news would come as “a great shock and sorrow to many […]

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Holy Cross Cathedral in Honiara overflowing with worshippers at every weekend Mass

Matt Emerick — Thu, 14 May 2026 21:00:00 +0000

ARCHBISHOP Christopher Cardone has a problem most parish priests would gladly inherit – where do you put everyone? Visiting Brisbane this week to spend time with his Dominican brothers and concelebrate Mass in St Stephen’s Chapel, the Archbishop of Honiara in the Solomon Islands shared stories of a cathedral overflowing with worshippers each weekend, where […]

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Israeli soldiers jailed for desecrating statue of Mary in Lebanon

Kymberlee Gomes — Thu, 14 May 2026 03:38:53 +0000

TWO Israeli soldiers have been sentenced to weeks in jail – one for placing a cigarette in the mouth of statue of the Virgin Mary and another for photographing it. The soldier in the photo was sentenced to 21 days in prison and the one who took the photo was given 14 days. The Israeli […]

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Church leaders plead for action after hundreds killed and thousands displaced in Nigeria

Guest Contributor — Wed, 13 May 2026 21:00:00 +0000

MORE than 100 people have been killed, 98,000 displaced and 217 churches destroyed in the Diocese of Wukari in Nigeria’s Taraba state. Violence continues to devastate rural Christian communities in the region, according to Church leaders. In a statement after the diocese’s third General Assembly, Bishop Mark Maigida Nzukwein said the attacks, which have intensified […]

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Brazilian Carmelite friar topped last year’s streaming charts by praying the rosary daily at 4am

Guest Contributor — Wed, 13 May 2026 06:30:00 +0000

A BRAZILIAN Carmelite friar praying the rosary at 4am has become the nation’s most-watched online streamer, drawing millions of viewers to long broadcasts centred on prayer, repentance and Catholic teaching. Fr Gilson Pupo Azevedo, better known as Frei Gilson, topped Brazil’s streaming rankings in 2025, outperforming sports commentators, gaming personalities and evangelical preachers in a […]

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Catholic peak bodies weigh in on CGT changes, NDIS and more in Budget 2026

Joe Higgins — Wed, 13 May 2026 02:11:04 +0000

AUSTRALIAN Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the 2026 Budget with housing affordability and intergenerational equity as headline measures. The budget landed during a turbulent 12 months – petrol shocks, high inflation, rising interest rates, a housing crisis, a cost-of-living crisis and a geopolitical deadlock in the Middle East. Mr Chalmers’ major tax measures included scrapping […]

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