We are constantly in the process of becoming disciples – learning, growing and practicing the art of following Jesus in faith and life. On this page you will find links to resources that will assist each of us in becoming more intentional and faith filled disciples, bringing hope, love, peace and joy to the world.
The Foundations of Missionary Leadership Course forms and equips people with practical skills, spiritual formation and theological knowledge to become leaders in the Church’s Mission today.
This course is suitable for anyone working in various expressions of adult evangelisation, youth ministry, Catholic education, formation, and parish renewal.
What Participants Have Said About the Course
“I love the Areté Course not only because I learn so much about different aspects of missionary leadership, but also because it equips me with practical skills to live it, daily.” (Rachel, Youth Minister)
“I feel equipped with the skills, knowledge, and insights to be able to meaningfully engage with people wherever they are on their faith journey.” (Laura, Family Educator)
Who Is This Course For
The theology and skills you will learn in this course are applicable to paid or volunteer roles, whether your setting is a parish or school, new community or ecclesial movement.
This course provides a systematic and thorough foundation in the theology and practice of mission in an Australian Context. You will learn the theory and the skills needed to be able to actually lead others in real-life ministry situations and experiences. Shape and refine your ministry through reflecting upon your current practice in the light of all you are learning in the course.
You will also be formed spiritually and grow as a person through the experience of learning in a short-term intentional community setting. The live-in intensive experiences offer opportunities for spiritual development and personal growth as you enter into an experience of temporary community with your fellow students.
Finance
A course of this quality and scope does have a tuition fee. Part sponsorship can be applied for through our Diocesan Office for Evangelisation and Renewal by contacting Darren McDowell using the details below. This will be done at the time of applying for the course.
For More Information
Further information is contained in the links below as well as at the Arete’ Centre website www.aretecentre.org
You may also liketo contact Darren McDowell, Coordinator of Evangelisation and Discipleship within the Office of Renewal and Evangelisation at [email protected]
www.hallow.com
Hallow is a Catholic prayer app that offers audio-guided meditation sessions to help us grow in our Christian faith & spiritual lives and find peace in God. Explore over 6,000 different sessions on contemplative prayer, meditation, Catholic Holy Bible readings, music, and more. Pray with millions around the world alongside Mark Wahlberg, Jonathan Roumie, Sr. Miriam, Fr. Mike, and more on Hallow.
A resource website containing thousands of faith formation videos, movies, programs, audio and books covering all aspects of our Catholic faith. Materials for both adults and children. Sign-up for Free using our Diocesan Subscription. Click here for details.
If you’ve struggled to read the Bible, this podcast is for you. Ascension’s Bible in a Year Podcast, hosted by Fr. Mike Schmitz and featuring Jeff Cavins, guides Catholics through the Bible in 365 daily episodes. Each 20-25 minute episode includes:
two to three scripture readings
a reflection from Fr. Mike Schmitz
and guided prayer to help you hear God’s voice in his Word.
Unlike any other Bible podcast, Ascension’s Bible in a Year Podcast for Catholics follows a reading plan inspired by the Great Adventure Bible Timeline® learning system, a groundbreaking approach to understanding Salvation History developed by renowned Catholic Bible teacher Jeff Cavins.
Tune in and live your daily life through the lens of God’s word!
Join us for The Catechism in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)!
If you have ever wanted to understand what it means to be Catholic and allow those truths to shape your life—this podcast is for you! With this podcast, Catholics will:
Read the entire Catechism of the Catholic Church in 365 days
Understand the essentials of the Catholic Faith and why they matter
See how Church teaching is rooted in Sacred Scripture
Absorb over 2,000 years of Sacred Tradition
Encounter God’s plan of sheer goodness
Transform their relationship with the Church that Christ founded.
Bible in One Year (phone app)
www.bibleinoneyear.org
From the founders of Alpha, Nicky & Pippa Gumble take you through a reading of the whole bible, with reflections, in one year. Taking 20-30 min to soak in scripture.
Bible & Catechism in One Year
www.chnetwork.org
By making a commitment of only twenty to thirty minutes a day, you can prayerfully read through the entire Bible and/or Catechism in one year! Use whatever Bible translation you like that contains the entire Canon of Scripture. This guide is divided by month, but you can start at any time.
Online Biblical Commentaries
www.mbfallon.com
Australia’s own Fr Michael Fallon msc has made available online his extensive range of online Biblical commentaries including audio
CAtHFAMILY provides a selection of activities, prayer rituals, crafts and recipes for families to use in nurturing faith. Part of this suite includes CathKids: A weekly interactive experience with a two-minute animated reflection on the Sunday reading, questions to stimulate discussion, a simple activity and prayer. Families in the diocese are encouraged to utilise these resources at home to share faith with kids. Visit www.cathfamily.org to sign up.
Hallow Kids (phone app)
www.hallow.com
Hallow is a Catholic prayer app that offers audio-guided meditation sessions to help us grow in our Christian faith & spiritual lives and find peace in God. Hallow now offers Hallow Kids–prayers and sessions designed specifically for children.
Hallow hope’s that Hallow Kids will help you and your children to feel peace, deepen your relationship with God, and sleep soundly every night.
Faith Circles
The Faith Circles resource is for faith sharing small groups aimed at bringing people together to share their lives and the ways in which Jesus is working in them through his Holy Spirit. Each month we provide a set of 1 page sheets with the Sunday gospel for that week, reflection by Pope Francis, discussion questions and prayer points.
Liturgy & Prayer Resources
LiturgyHelp – Prayer resources for individuals and families
LiturgyHelp provides a range of online resources which include daily prayers and readings, prayer services, the Sunday Mass, commentaries, homilies and reflections as well as Gospel based activities and resources to support personal and family prayer.
Created by the Australian Province of the Redemptorist Missionaries, this app provides reflections on the daily scripture readings. Bread 4 Today is as a free, accessible meditation aid which people can use to come closer to God and effect positive change in their lives and their community.
The prayer archive allows users to search past entries by category so that they can reflect on prayers that match their frame of mind. Its categories include: Courage, A Just World, Relationships, Hope, Hard Times, Faith, Forgiveness and special intensions (calendar days of prayer and reflection). All prayers can be shared via social media with a tap of the screen, thanks to its integrated social media.
Hallow (phone app)
www.hallow.com
Hallow is a Catholic prayer app that offers audio-guided meditation sessions to help us grow in our Christian faith & spiritual lives and find peace in God. Explore over 6,000 different sessions on contemplative prayer, meditation, Catholic Holy Bible readings, music, and more. Pray with millions around the world alongside Mark Wahlberg, Jonathan Roumie, Sr. Miriam, Fr. Mike, and more on Hallow.
menALIVE
menALIVE is a national Catholic ministry to men which was founded out of a response to a great need in the hearts and lives of men and a great need in the life of the Catholic Church. The purpose of menALIVE is to bring men together, to renew their faith in God and to encourage them to become an active force within the Church. Through a variety of events and programs, men are invited to explore what God would want for their lives and how they might come to experience the fullness of life that God wants for us all.
We regularly run menALIVE weekends which are opportunities for men to explore what makes them feel fully alive. During the weekend, the menALIVE team share about their lives, the challenges they face and the hope they have discovered in seeking to walk this journey with God. Perhaps the most important thing the weekend offers is the space for men to reflect and share with one another about themselves and their lives. The experience of the weekend is powerful and dynamic, and most men are inspired with a new sense of purpose and mission. The weekend is organised by men in your local region and conducted by an experienced team of menALIVE leaders. It is suitable for all men from 18 years of age.
Sharing faith in small groups is both enjoyable and fruitful – we feel supported and can find the insights and reflections from others helpful in discovering where God is at work within our own situation.
The Diocese has made available some DVD resources for continuing to build and develop the strong community and faith relationships we seek. Many parishes already enjoy using these resources to assist people grow deeper in their faith and life as disciples.
Account means the account held at your financial institution from which we are authorised to arrange for funds to be debited.
Agreement means this Direct Debit Request Service Agreement between you and us, including the direct debit request.
Business day means a day other than a Saturday or a Sunday or a listed public holiday.
Debit day means the day that payment is due.
Debit payment means a particular transaction where a debit is made, according to your direct debit request.
Direct debit request means the Direct Debit Request between us and you.
Us and we and our means the Catholic Development Fund.
You means the customer(s) who signed the direct debit request. Your financial institution is the financial institution where you hold the account that you have authorised us to arrange to debit.
Debiting your account
By submitting a direct debit request, you have authorised us to arrange for funds to be debited from your account according to the agreement we have with you.
We will only arrange for funds to be debited from your account:
As authorised in the direct debit request; if the debit day falls on a day that is not a business day, we may direct your financial institution to debit your account on the following or previous business day. If you are unsure about which day your account has or will be debited, please check with your financial
Changes by you
If you wish to stop or defer a debit payment you must write to us at least 5 business days before the next debit day.
This notice should be given to us in the first instance.
Your obligations
It is your responsibility to ensure that there are sufficient clear funds available in your account to allow a debit payment to be made.
If there are insufficient clear funds available in your account to meet a debit payment:
you or your account may be charged a fee and/or interest by your financial institution;
you or your account may be charged a fee to reimburse us for charges we have incurred for the failed transaction;
you must arrange for the payment to be made by another method
Please check your account statement to verify that the amounts debited from your account are correct.
Dispute
If you believe that there has been an error in debiting your account you should call us on 1800 047 703 and confirm the details in writing with us as soon as possible so that we can resolve your query quickly.
Accounts
You should check:
with your financial institution whether direct debiting is available from your accounts offered by financial
your account details which you have provided to us are correct by checking them against a recent account statement; and
with your financial institution before completing the direct debit request if you have any queries about how to complete the direct debit
Warning: if the account number you have quoted is incorrect, you may be charged a fee to reimburse our costs in correcting any deductions from:
an account you do not have authority to operate; or
an account you do not
Confidentiality
We will keep any information (including your account details) in your direct debit request confidential.
We will make reasonable efforts to keep any such information that we have about you secure and to ensure that any of our employees or agents who have access to information about you, do not make any unauthorised use, modification, reproduction or disclosure of that information.
However, we may use your contact details to provide information about the fund. Should you wish this not to be the case, please advise the fund in writing.
Our diocesan logo is theologically rich and very succinct. As a hand, it depicts our mission as a diocese and as individuals within the diocese, of bearing (bringing, carrying) Christ’s love to one another and to the world around us. In this, we are the hand of Jesus Christ, and we are offering ourselves to him so that he might work through us.
We can be the bearers of his love only as a response to his call and in the strength of his grace. We are reminded of this in two ways—through the symbol of the dove (the Holy Spirit) also present in the logo, and by the incorporation of the cross that segments the logo. The presence of the cross is a reminder that bearing the love of Christ will inevitably cost us if we live it authentically. However, in the way that the Cross is the portent of redemption and life—an echo of the tree of life in the book of Genesis—so becoming bearers of the love of Christ will also bring us to life.
The four fingers of the hand also represent the four regions of our diocese. The first is bluerepresenting the beautiful water of the Shoalhaven. The second is a blue and green combination representing the waters and escarpment of the Illawarra. The third is greendepicting the hills and plains of the Macarthur. The fourth is dark green illustrating the forests of the Southern Highlands.
