Australia

The Latest

The Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia.

Catholic diocese in Australia found vicariously liable for clerical abuse

Jan 21, 2022

By CNA Staff

The ruling is believed to be the first of its kind in the country. Read more

Parliament House for the state of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.

Victoria anti-discrimination bill 'unfairly targets' religious organizations, archbishop says

Dec 7, 2021

By Jonah McKeown

Catholic leaders in Australia expressed concern this week about a new set of laws passed in the state of Victoria... Read more

Credit: Photographee.eu / Shutterstock.

Bishop urges Queenslanders to oppose euthanasia, assisted suicide bill

Sep 2, 2021

By Jonah McKeown

Catholics in Australia’s Queensland state are being urged to sign a petition asking the parliament not to pass a bill... Read more

CNA

Australian pro-lifers to march against proposed assisted suicide law

Aug 30, 2021

By Jonah McKeown

Pro-life advocates in Queensland, Australia will hold a public March for Life ahead of parliamentary debate on a proposed assisted... Read more

Refugee children from Afghanistan.

Afghan refugees deserve welcome, Australian and Irish bishops urge governments

Aug 24, 2021

By Kevin J. Jones

Bishops in Ireland and Australia have asked their governments to do more to take in refugees from Afghanistan after the... Read more

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Australian archbishop: Catholics will ‘need to adapt’ to liturgy restrictions

Jul 22, 2021

By Courtney Mares

Archbishop Peter Comensoli said that “for some, it will be not an easy moment.” Read more

Support grows for ‘born-alive’ abortion bill in Australia

Jul 7, 2021

By CNA Staff

The private members’ bill was introduced on June 21. Read more

Credit: GUNDAM_Ai / Shutterstock.

Australian diocese breaks with Sydney archbishop on gender fluidity ban

Apr 21, 2021

The Australian Diocese of Parramatta has split with other Catholic leaders in responding to a new bill that would ban... Read more

A view of St. Peter's Basilica from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

Australian Cardinal Edward Cassidy, Vatican official and diplomat, dies at 96

Apr 10, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

The retired cardinal had been a Vatican nuncio and Holy See official for over 30 years. Read more

Tasmania poised to legalize euthanasia, assisted suicide

Mar 5, 2021

The Australian island of Tasmania is expected to become the third Australian state to legalize assisted suicide and euthanasia, after... Read more

The flag of Australia. Credit: Rob Wilson/Shutterstock.

Australia’s Catholic bishops issue plenary council working document

Feb 26, 2021

Australia’s Catholic bishops on Thursday issued a working document ahead of the first assembly of a landmark plenary council in October.  Read more

Parliament House for the state of Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.

Victoria’s ‘conversion therapy’ ban has dangerous flaws, say religious leaders

Feb 4, 2021

By CNA Staff

A proposed ban on “conversion therapy” for sexual orientation or gender identity in Australia’s Victoria state is far too broad... Read more

The flags of Australia and the Vatican. Credit: elic via Shutterstock.

Australian federal police find no criminal misconduct in mysterious Vatican transfers

Feb 3, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Australian Federal Police said on Wednesday that it had found no evidence of criminal misconduct in its investigation into... Read more

Cardinal George Pell gives an interview to EWTN News in Rome, Italy, on Dec. 9, 2020. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Prosecutors drop charges against journalists over Pell trial as media outlets admit breach

Feb 1, 2021

Australian prosecutors announced on Monday that they were dropping charges against individual journalists accused of breaching a gag order over the... Read more

The flags of Australia and the Vatican. Credit: elic via Shutterstock.

Report: Probe can’t account for $2 million sent from Vatican to Australia

Jan 20, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

Investigators examining transfers from the Vatican to Australia have been unable to account for around $1.9 million sent between the... Read more

Archbishop Philip Wilson. Courtesy of the Archdiocese of Adelaide.

Australian Catholic Archbishop Philip Wilson dies unexpectedly at age 70

Jan 18, 2021

The Australian Archbishop Philip Wilson died unexpectedly on Sunday at the age of 70.  Read more

Report: Australia’s financial crime watchdog says it vastly overestimated Vatican transfers

Jan 13, 2021

Australia’s financial crime watchdog has said that it vastly overestimated Vatican transfers, local media reported on Wednesday.  Read more

The flag of Vatican City with St. Peter's Basilica in the background on April 29, 2019.

Australia’s financial crime watchdog conducts ‘detailed review’ of Vatican transfers

Jan 7, 2021

Australia’s financial crime watchdog said Thursday that it is conducting a “detailed review” of Vatican-linked transfers worth $1.8 billion.  Read more

Victoria's conversion therapy bill a 'dramatic overreach of the state'

Dec 10, 2020

A bill seeking to ban so-called conversion therapy for sexual orientation or gender identity in the Australian state of Victoria... Read more

Photograph of Saint Mary MacKillop in 1890. Public domain.

Australia celebrates 10th anniversary of St. Mary MacKillop’s canonization

Dec 7, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Australia is celebrating the 10th anniversary this year of the canonization of the country’s first and only saint, St. Mary... Read more