In January, Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM was named the 2021 Senior Australian of the Year. “Miriam-Rose has been a friend to Australian Jesuits for many years, writes Fr Frank Brennan SJ. “She has continued to call us all to a deep, attentive listening to the other and to creation.”

Proudly clutching her birthday card from Queen Elizabeth, Josephite Sister Teresa Cooper says not in her wildest dreams did she expect to reach 100, reports The Southern Cross.

One of the questions I get asked as a consecrated virgin is “so what work do you do for the Church?” I reply, “being where the Church is not, in my ordinary job as a town planner”. People are quite surprised. Some may even dismiss it as if this was not of any value. The surprise is a hangover from when consecrated people used to do the bulk of the full-time church jobs which are not sacramental – jobs like teaching and nursing. These days most of these jobs are done by the laity, writes Zara Tai OCV in Catholic Outlook.

Teresian Carmelite nuns Sister Jennifer and Sister Jocelyn exchange appreciation for the beauty that surrounds them as they walk through the garden of their new home in Toronto, New South Wales, writes LIzzie Snedden in Aurora.

For 60 years Palms Australia has been recruiting, preparing, sending and supporting Catholics from around Australia to fill overseas professional placements in response to requests from international community partners and this year, they are asking for the help of the entire faith community to find recruits.