Pope’s message for Lent
Pope Francis has issued the Lenten statement for 2024, entitled ‘Through the desert, God leads us to freedom’. In his statement, Pope Francis asks each of us to consider whether we are ready to move into a new world and leave behind our old compromises and concerns with material things and to move forward in hope. ‘The witness of many of my brother bishops and a great number of those who work for peace and justice has increasingly convinced me that we need to combat a deficit of hope that stifles dreams and the silent cry that reaches to heaven and moves the heart of God.’
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Teaching test changes could spell easier pathway into workforce
Changes to the Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) test mean those who fail the test can re-sit the exam the following term.
All graduate teachers must pass the LANTITE test before they are awarded their degree and allowed to teach in a classroom.
Professor Anne-Marie Morgan from the University of South Australia Education Futures academic unit said the requirement to pass has not diminished.
‘Relaxing of the LANTITE sitting rules is a temporary trial to see if it impacts pass rates and reduces some of the stress on students or prospective students sitting the test.
‘It does give some students who have previously had to wait to resit opportunities to take the test again, but in a short window with only three resit opportunities’.
Church agencies call for whole-of-church response to family violence
Australia’s largest Catholic social service agencies want more advocacy, education, and collaboration within the institutional Church to improve the response to the scourge of family violence, a new report has found.
Caritas Australia, Catholic Social Services Australia, and Catholic Health Australia worked with experts at Australian Catholic University to study their unique contribution to the prevention of and response to family violence.
A report into the study reveals the overwhelming pressure being felt by Catholic social service agencies responding to the family violence. Find out more.
Government grants for NSW faith communities
The NSW Government has committed $15 million to support the safety and security of places of worship and other places where faith communities gather regularly.
The first round of the Safe Places for Faith Communities Program is open. The grants provide funding to enable faith communities to come together safely to profess and practice their faith, and maintain their religious heritage. It also aims to reduce the risk of harm to people or damage to property, and build community resilience, wellbeing and cohesion.
Grant funding is provided as a one-off payment and is non-recurrent. The project must be completed and funds expended by 30 June 2025. Find out more.
What’s on
Next Australian Catholics Professional Learning session for subscribers: The Critical Role of Catholic Educators in Our Changing World
Guests: Ann Rennie and Bernadette Mercieca
Date: Tuesday, 27 February
Time: 4.30-5.30pm (AEST)
Find out more
The Jesuit Communications annual Young Voices Awards (YVA) are opening soon: The theme this year is ‘Do Good, be good, spread the good news’. This is an opportunity for YVA entrants to highlight people and programs that are working to improve their communities.
The YVA is divided into three sections – Junior (Years 5 and 6), Intermediate (Years 7 to 9) and Senior (Years 10 to 12). Each section has three entry categories: articles, photographs and digital (video or podcast). Entries close 5pm, Friday, 24 May 2024. Find out more.
Applications for Jesuit Communications media internship – opening soon: Years 10 and 11 students interested in media and writing, and specifically how a magazine is put together, will soon be invited to apply for Jesuit Communications’ media internship program. The program will be offered online during school time in the second week of May (6-10 May 2024). There will also be a two-hour introductory session on the evening of Monday, 29 April for students to get to know each other. During the internship, students learn about all aspects of magazine production and are encouraged to write articles for the Spring edition of Australian Catholics. Applications close 5pm, Friday 15 March 2024.
Leading a Neurodiverse Classroom - Transferable Skills for School and Home: facilitated by Colin Foley, Director of Education at the ADHD Foundation, the UK’s leading neurodiversity charity (28 Feb, 7-8.30pm AEST).
This session will focus on key themes of different conditions, proactive approaches to support and proven effective strategies to support neurodiverse learners in the classroom.
Find out more.