The Catholic Leader

Brisbane teacher on mission witnesses Gospel being lived in PNG

Kymberlee Gomes — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:50:00 +0000

PREP teacher Ora Duffley has seen first-hand how holiness is found in daily acts of love and service. She spent two weeks in a community in Vanimo, Papua New Guinea during the Easter break. “What I saw in the children, their villages, the homes, the Mercy House, the school, is that in Papua New Guinea, […]

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Italians replace crucifix destroyed by Israeli soldiers in southern Lebanon

Kymberlee Gomes — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 04:53:37 +0000

A DESECRATED statue of Jesus has been replaced by the Italian battalion of United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon along with the residents of a Catholic village in southern Lebanon. Two Israeli soldiers have been placed in military detention for 30 days, one for striking the face of Christ with an axe and another for […]

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Seven powerful moments from Pope Leo XIV’s 11-day trip to Africa sharing Jesus’ message

Guest Contributor — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 23:27:13 +0000

By EWTN News POPE Leo XIV recently completed an 11-day trip visiting the faithful in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. With stops in 11 cities across those countries, the Holy Father met with the youth, political leaders, prisoners, families and many more to share the Gospel message. Here are seven powerful moments from Pope […]

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Anzac Day – duty calls us to selfless service in the 21st Century, Deacon Peter Devenish-Meares writes

Guest Contributor — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 03:30:00 +0000

SOME may think that the battlefields of the Somme, Vietnam and beyond were just about despair beyond words and that suffering had the last word. Never. To give into hopelessness would be to fail to honour the many examples of noble sacrifice, mateship, looking out for each other, service and doing one’s duty. Each such action then is a living example to […]

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‘Peace is possible’ – Deacon Gary Stone reflects on Anzac Day

Guest Contributor — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 21:00:00 +0000

By Deacon Gary Stone “…On April 25, I will thank God for the good we have done. I will pray for a peace in the world and amongst Australians, then along with veteran colleagues, we will march through Brisbane as Veterans Peacemakers, hoping our witness inspires all Australians to promote and live in peace, and […]

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World’s oldest nun turns 113 and reveals the secret to a long life – ‘My whole mind is on God’

Guest Contributor — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:30:00 +0000

A DOMINICAN sister from New York recognised by Guinness World Records as the worldʼs oldest living nun celebrated her 113th birthday this week. Sister Francis Domenici Piscatella was born on April 20, 1913, on Long Island. “My whole mind is (on) God. He has kept me going all these years,” she said. “God gives us a certain […]

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St Michael’s College student to carry family service medals to Villers-Bretonneux dawn service

Staff writers — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:19:22 +0000

KURT Lane is proud to be walking in the footsteps of his ancestors. Kurt is a Year 9 student at St Michael’s College, Merrimac, and was recently selected as one of only eight secondary students in Queensland to take part in the 2026 Queensland Premier’s ANZAC Prize. The prize is a program that sees students […]

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Pope Leo questioned on Iran war, same-sex blessings and migration on flight back to Rome

Catholic News Agency — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:10:53 +0000

POPE Leo XIV spoke bluntly about war, migration, same-sex blessings and the Holy See’s relations with authoritarian governments during a roughly 20-minute in-flight press conference with journalists traveling with him from Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, to Rome after his 10-day apostolic journey to Africa. Before taking questions, the pope stressed that the primary purpose of a […]

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Protest erupts after Hoyts Cinemas refuse movie about killing baby girls

Kymberlee Gomes — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 03:33:14 +0000

PRO-LIFE advocates are protesting Hoyts Cinemas’ decision to block the screening of It’s a Girl. The 2012 documentary investigates widespread female infanticide in India and China. A group of women marched outside Hoyts’ head office in Sydney hoping to overturn the ban. The cinema chain backtracked after first approving the private screening for Australia Life […]

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Christian charity means welcoming the vulnerable with dignity, Pope Leo says on African apostolic visit

Guest Contributor — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 23:03:08 +0000

VISITING a psychiatric hospital on Tuesday, Pope Leo XIV said a humane society was measured not by how it hid weakness, but by how it surrounded the vulnerable with love and stressed that God loved each person “just as we are” while desiring their healing and restoration. “Whenever I visit a hospital, I have mixed […]

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Israel investigates soldier who destroyed crucifix in Catholic village in Lebanon

Catholic News Agency — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:50:00 +0000

An Israeli soldier destroyed a statue of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion in a Catholic village in southern Lebanon, prompting a criminal investigation by Israel and condemnations by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Catholic leaders. Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on April 19 confirmed the authenticity of a photo on social media showing one of its soldiers […]

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Church remembers and gives thanks for Pope Francis one year since his death

Joe Higgins — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:21:24 +0000

CHURCHES and communities are remembering Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death as his life and legacy continue to inspire Catholics to prayer and action across the world. Brisbane Archbishop Shane Mackinlay said Pope Francis’ legacy was extraordinary. “He was joyful, approachable, committed to simplicity, and passionate about God’s mercy and love for […]

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Army veteran falls back on prayer and faith while navigating conflict

Kymberlee Gomes — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 21:00:00 +0000

A CATHOLIC army veteran says faith kept him grounded and prayer gave him hope while serving in conflict zones. “I wonder if we’ll ever have peace,” says Craig Rickards, Warrant Officer Class One in the Australian Army. “Things weren’t perfect around Jesus’ time. “I don’t know if they ever will be, but you always try […]

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Pope Leo XIV urges Angola’s young people to build a world free of war, injustice and poverty

Guest Contributor — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:34:29 +0000

POPE Leo XIV on Sunday urged young people in Angola to help build “a better, welcoming world, where there is no more war, injustice, poverty, or dishonesty,” during a rosary gathering at the Marian shrine of Mama Muxima. The shrine, whose name means “Mother of the Heart” in Kimbundu, is one of Angola’s best-known Marian […]

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Question Time – Who is St Gregory of Narek, Fr John Flader sheds light on a Doctor of the Church

Guest Contributor — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 21:00:00 +0000

Question: Pope Francis named St Gregory of Narek a Doctor of the Church in 2015. I had never heard of this saint. Who was he? Answer: St Gregory of Narek was an Armenian mystical and lyrical poet, monk and theologian. He is considered the most beloved and significant theological and literary figure of the Armenian […]

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Pope Leo says a ‘handful of tyrants’ are ravaging the world, spending billions on destroying lives

Joe Higgins — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:41:51 +0000

POPE Leo XIV called on “every honest conscience” to denounce the trajectory of global politics towards death and war at a peace rally in Cameroon as tensions deepen between United States leadership and the Holy See. “The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet a lifetime is often not […]

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Formal fits under $50 – pop-up shop heading to Hervey Bay

Staff writers — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000

Following its spectacular success across different locations, St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland is bringing its popular ‘St Vincent de Formal’ to Hervey Bay for two days. Xavier Catholic College Goa Centre at 1 Wide Bay Drive will be turned into a one-stop formalwear destination – with everything for sale under $50 – on April […]

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Divine Mercy Sunday a reminder that no sin is greater than God’s forgiveness

Kymberlee Gomes — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 01:50:00 +0000

DIVINE Mercy Sunday was celebrated with prayer, exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and adoration across parishes in Brisbane. Three children were baptised at Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Parish, Gatton-Laidley. It was a special moment because their mother was welcomed into the Catholic Church through RCIA at the Easter vigil the week before. “On […]

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Myanmar cardinal driving change through education to visit Brisbane

Kymberlee Gomes — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:50:00 +0000

THE Church in Myanmar has made education a priority and it has now become a lifeline for its communities. Cardinal Charles Maung Bo, Myanmar’s first cardinal, is leading the charge as he works with communities facing hardship. Through schools and farming programs, the Missionaries of St Paul, which he founded, is equipping people in remote […]

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US leaders Trump and Vance take aim at Pope Leo again

Staff writers — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 05:48:00 +0000

By Joe Higgins and Georgia Whiteley UNITED States President Donald Trump has spoken out at Pope Leo XIV on social media once again as the pontiff continues his 10-day apostolic tour in Africa. “Will someone please tell Pope Leo that Iran has killed at least 42,000 innocent, completely unarmed, protesters in the last two months, and […]

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Family Mass brings community together, fosters a sense of belonging

Kymberlee Gomes — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 21:00:00 +0000

A STRONG community connection was highlighted during the Family Mass at St Peter Chanel Church, The Gap last month. The parish and school community came together in prayer, united by faith and shared purpose. “The Mass was a beautiful celebration of faith and togetherness,” St Peter Chanel Primary assistant principal of religious education Hayley Hadfield […]

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St Rita’s College marks centenary with a year of events planned

Staff writers — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:50:00 +0000

TWO Presentation Sisters had a vision for a Catholic college on a hill in Clayfield that would shape young minds and hearts with their charism. After 100 years, St Rita’s College stands as a testament to its enduring spirit. Principal Maree Trims said the college had “educated, empowered and inspired generations of young women to […]

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Pope Leo in Africa – What his visit means for a continent embracing the Church

Catholic News Agency — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 21:00:00 +0000

ON the heels of his first apostolic visit of 2026 to Monaco in March and after presiding over Holy Week and Easter events and celebrations, Pope Leo XIV is embarking on his 10-day papal visit to four countries in Africa from April 13 to 23. The pontiffʼs first apostolic trip to Africa comes at a […]

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Chaldean Church chooses new patriarch, Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona

Catholic News Agency — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000

THE Chaldean Synod has elected Archbishop Amel Shamon Nona as the new patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church, succeeding Cardinal Louis Raphael Sako, who submitted his resignation to Pope Leo XIV on March 9. The election took place during the synod’s meetings in Rome since April 9. Archbishop Nona has served in Australia since 2015. […]

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US bishops’ president ‘disheartened’ by Donald Trump’s attack on Pope Leo

Catholic News Agency — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:13:48 +0000

UNITED States President Donald Trump publicly attacked Pope Leo XIV on social media on Sunday, calling the pontiff “weak on crime, and terrible for foreign policy” in a lengthy post which appeared to be in response to the pope’s recent appeals for peace and an end to war. In comments to reporters at Joint Base […]

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