Our Archdiocese
CONNECTING OUR COMMUNITY
There is much that we can rejoice in as a Church community at a local, national and international level. Here is some of the good news about the Catholic Church in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn to be celebrated.
- A beautiful and vital part of our faith is worshipping together. Across the Archdiocese, about 17,000 devoted Catholics meet each Sunday in 55 parishes to pray and celebrate Mass.
- From Lake Cargelligo to Goulburn, and Jindabyne to the shores of Narooma, 163,000 people profess their faith as Catholic.
- The Archdiocese is blessed to have 64 Diocesan Priests, 23 Religious Priests and 9 permanent Deacons, as well as 15 Religious Brothers and 123 Religious Sisters.
- The richness and faithfulness of the Archdiocese can be experienced while visiting and worshipping throughout our parishes.
- The fruits of the Archdiocesan mission can be seen throughout various ministries and services. Amazing service takes place in our 4 hospitals, 10 nursing and convalescence homes and our children’s welfare centre.
- Many are serving in education, with 1,700 teachers reaching 21,000 school children in 56 Catholic schools. In non-government schools, 200 Catechists are reaching over 2,200 students.
The good news of the action and service within the Archdiocese is accompanied by good news of the beauty of the land we have been given. Our Archdiocese is abundantly blessed with a stunning variety of landscapes. To the west lies rolling hills and valleys, dotted with farms and the springtime beauty of the golden canola fields, to the south, the beautiful snowy mountains and to the east, glorious coastal locations. At the centre, geographically, is the nation’s capital, Canberra.
Whilst the physical beauty of our Archdiocese is breathtaking, it is the people of our Catholic community that are our richest blessing.
The 2015 Archdiocesan Assembly, Embrace – The Joy of the Gospel in Marriage and Family Life highlighted the diversity of our community and the many ways we seek to bring the Good News of Christ to our parishes and indeed, the wider community. Showcased were local Catholic initiatives ranging from social justice, women and men’s movements, married and engaged ministries and Catholic education, to lay communities and religious orders. This range of ministry and service demonstrates the immense giftedness, generosity and diversity of the Archdiocesan people. Furthermore, the presence at the Assembly of many nationalities and backgrounds, including communities of Aboriginal, Asia-Pacific and Indian people, shows the richness in culture of the Archdiocese.
We invite you to celebrate with us the joy of what God is doing in the Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn. From the beautiful and diverse landscape, to the rich cultures and gifted people, His goodness is evident.
More information
Useful links
- Find a local parish
- View the events calendar to see what’s happening in our Archdiocese