Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) says it is profoundly honoured to receive a significant and heartfelt message of recognition from Pope Leo XIV, marking the organisation\u2019s 70th anniversary year of 2026.<\/p>\n
This rare and distinguished acknowledgment from the Holy Father underscores CSSA\u2019s enduring witness to the Gospel and its vital contribution to Australian society over seven decades.<\/p>\n
Central to the Pope\u2019s message is the Gospel passage from Matthew 25:40: \u2018as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.\u2019 This Scripture lies at the heart of CSSA\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n
Pope Leo is the global statesmen the world so desperately needs today.<\/p>\n
CSSA CEO Dr Jerry Nockles said, \u2018It is CSSA\u2019s Gospel theme that calls, guides and encourages our work every day. Receiving this message from Pope Leo XIV is a momentous honour and a significantrecognition of the work our community does.\u2019<\/p>\n
Dr Nockles reflected on the Pope\u2019s powerful message that \u2018the moral greatness of a nation is manifested, above all, in its capacity to accompany, protect and love those lives that are most fragile\u2019, saying, \u2018In these challenging times of change and division in Australia, the Holy Father\u2019s teaching is a timely and critical reminder.<\/p>\n
\u2018Pope Leo is the global statesmen the world so desperately needs today. His voice is urgently needed to inspire nations to uphold dignity and solidarity with those most in need.<\/p>\n
\u2018This call to walk with the most vulnerable is just as urgent here in Australia,\u2019 Dr Nockles added.<\/p>\n
This is a powerful invitation to move beyond words and take real, hands-on action.<\/p>\n
The message to CSSA reinforces the call to action laid out in the Holy Father\u2019s Encyclical Magnifica humanitas.<\/p>\n
\u2018The Holy Father calls us to \u201cget our hands dirty in the construction zone of our time\u201d\u2014a vivid call to active involvement and practical engagement in our communities. This is a powerful invitation to move beyond words and take real, hands-on action to build a more just and compassionate society,\u2019 Dr Nockles added.<\/p>\n
The anniversary year will be commemorated with a Gala Dinner at the Australian Parliament House in Canberra on the evening of 12 August 2026 to celebrate CSSA\u2019s enduring legacy and future mission.<\/p>\n
The message from Pope Leo XIV encourages CSSA\u2019s staff, volunteers and supporters to continue advocating for those without a voice and to embody the love and justice central to the Gospel. It is a profound source of inspiration as CSSA looks to the future.<\/p>\n
The anniversary offers us an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to serving the Australian community with faith, compassion and justice.<\/p>\n
Dr Nockles said, \u2018In a time when Australia grapples with social and political challenges, the Holy Father\u2019s teaching offers a beacon of hope and a call to action. It reminds us that true progress and greatness is measured by how we care for the most vulnerable among us.\u2019<\/p>\n
CSSA gratefully acknowledged the apostolic blessing given by Pope Leo XIV as a sign of joy and hope in the Lord.<\/p>\n
\u2018The anniversary offers us an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to serving the Australian community with faith, compassion and justice,\u2019 Dr Nockles concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) says it is profoundly honoured to receive a significant and heartfelt message of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66357,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[6866,6864,6865,6310,6868,6869,260,6867,6870,68],"class_list":["post-66356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-melbourne","tag-archbishop","tag-archdiocese","tag-catholic","tag-child-safety","tag-community","tag-jesus","tag-melbourne","tag-parish","tag-sacraments","tag-victoria"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66356\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/66357"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/australia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}