Archdiocese of Brisbane

Two-Minute Homily by Dcn Martin Lewis for the Twenty-Ninth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025, Year C. "Most of us would like God to answer our prayers instantaneously. However, God knows our hearts and thoughts. God knows our wants and needs."

On October 19, the Church joyfully celebrates the canonisation of Blessed Peter To Rot, the first saint of Papua New Guinea. Born in 1912 in Rakunai, Peter was grounded in the Catholic faith and faithfully served as a lay catechist, courageously continuing his pastoral mission even after missionaries were imprisoned by Japanese forces during the Second World War. He is remembered for his steadfast defence of the sanctity of marriage and family, standing firm in the Church’s teaching amid political and cultural pressures. Beatified by St John Paul II during his visit to Papua New Guinea in 1995, Blessed Peter To Rot’s life remains a powerful witness of faith, fidelity and pastoral zeal.

Two-Minute Homily by Fr Joe McKay OFM for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025, Year C. "Salvation is being aware, knowing and responding to the love of God. Knowing that Jesus loves us and loving in return."

Our Lady of Aparecida, the beloved Patroness of Brazil, first revealed her presence on October 12, 1717. Three fishermen, struggling to find a catch, cast their nets and drew up a small statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary – first her body, then her head. On their third cast, their nets overflowed with fish. News of the miracle spread quickly and soon many came to venerate the Blessed Mother and pray the Holy Rosary in thanksgiving for her intercession. We invite you to listen and pray with Fr Francisco in Portuguese for the Feast of Our Lady of Aparecida, as he reminds us of our call to be true fishers in the Kingdom of God, drawing others to Christ through faith and love.

We invite you to join in praying the Holy Father’s intention for October –  for greater collaboration between different religious traditions. Franciscan friar, Fr Mario, prays for this intention, asking the Lord to inspire us to listen with open hearts, to speak with respect and love and to work together for justice, peace and the dignity of every person with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Two-Minute Homily by Fr Adrian Farrelly for the Twenty-Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025, Year C. "The Lord chose us to complete His work on earth, so we set out each day to do that to the best of our ability."

October is dedicated to the Most Holy Rosary, one of the Church’s greatest treasures of prayer and a powerful sacramental. Our Lady has called us, time and again, to pray the Rosary each day as a source of grace and spiritual protection. Join the Newman Catholic Society as we honour this devotion by praying together the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary. May this month draw us closer to Christ through the gentle intercession of His Blessed Mother.   The Holy Rosary is one of the most cherished prayers in the Catholic Church, with many great popes, saints, and Christian leaders urging us to embrace it. In her apparitions, Our Lady frequently calls us to pray the Rosary daily, seeking peace for the world and an end to conflict. As we pray the Rosary, we meditate on the public life of Jesus and Mary through Scripture. The Rosary encompasses twenty Mysteries, divided into the five Joyful Mysteries (prayed on Mondays and Saturdays), five Luminous Mysteries (prayed on Thursdays), five Sorrowful Mysteries (prayed on

Two-Minute Homily by Fr Matthew Tonini O.Carm. for the Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025, Year C. "Our Christian commitment compels us to know and love the poor by creating spaces of belonging and by acting for change that makes it possible for people to be fed, clothed, safely sheltered and to live fully."

The Cathedral of St Stephen Schola lifts their voices in the Church’s timeless plea: ‘Lord, have mercy.’ They present Orlandus Lassus’ Miserere mei, Deus (Psalm 51), a stirring cry of repentance: ‘Have mercy on me, O God… blot out my iniquities.’ These sacred works draw us into the depths of God’s mercy, inviting us to prayer, repentance and humble trust. Listen, pray and lift your heart to the Lord.  

The Catholic community of Brisbane joyfully welcomes our new shepherd, Archbishop Shane Mackinlay, as he takes up his pastoral duties. With hearts filled with hope and faith, we entrust him and our local Church to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, praying for wisdom and grace in the journey ahead.

Two-Minute Homily by Dcn Peter Pellicaan for the Twenty-Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025, Year C. "This life is not forever. We know that we cannot get out of this world alive. And so the challenge is to be like this shrewd steward and orientate our whole lives toward the next life."

A Christian martyr is someone who willingly suffers persecution and death for their faith in Jesus Christ. Our Church celebrates the feast of the Korean martyrs, St Andrew Kim and his companions – a day to reflect on their courageous faith in the face of adversity. These faithful men and women were captured, tortured and gave their lives for Christ. May their boldness inspire us to proclaim our faith with courage and keep our eyes fixed on heavenly glory. Join Fr Minje in prayer as we honour their witness.

Archbishop Shane Mackinlay was installed last week as the eighth shepherd for the Church in south-east Queensland. It was a moment of great joy and significance for our local Church. For those who could not be present or who would like to relive the occasion, we invite you to view this highlights video. Please continue to keep Archbishop Shane in your prayers as he begins this sacred ministry, trusting that the Holy Spirit will guide him and all of us as we enter this new chapter together.

Please join us in praying a prayer of welcome with Fr Peter Dillon for our new Archbishop Shane Mackinlay. May the Lord bless him with wisdom, faith and compassionate shepherding as he leads our Archdiocese. Mary, Mother of the Church, intercede for him always.

Two-Minute Homily by Fr Sean Woods for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross 2025, Year C. "When you or I start to lose our patience, and stray from the right path, let us look upon the Cross."

Each month, our Holy Father entrusts the Church with a special intention of prayer. This September, Our Lady Of Dolours Primary School Mitchelton principal, Trish, joins us, along with the school therapy dog, Winnie, to offer a prayer for all of creation. We invite you to unite with us in asking God to deepen our care and respect for all creation, so that we may faithfully tend the earth as stewards of God’s gift.

On September 5, we joyfully celebrate the feast day of St Teresa of Kolkata, known to many as Mother Teresa, whose life is a shining example of total trust and faith in God amidst hardships. She teaches us to be faithful in the small, often unseen acts of love. We are blessed to hear from Sister M. Hannah M.C., of the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa, who shares with us the profound lessons Mother Teresa imparted to the world through her humble obedience to God’s holy will.

Two-Minute Homily by Fr Sang Duc Bui for the Twenty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time 2025, Year C. "God always invites us to be wise in following Him to prepare for eternal life."

Let's Pray with Luke Thomsen a prayer for the gift of fatherhood

With grateful hearts, we give thanks to God for Archbishop Mark Coleridge, who has faithfully tended the flock of the Archdiocese of Brisbane. We honour his loving care and wise leadership, which have been a true blessing to our community. As he prepares to retire in the coming days, let us unite in prayer, asking God to strengthen and guide him as he begins this new chapter of his sacred vocation. We also invite you to share how his pastoral guidance has nourished your own journey of faith.