News & Resources

Australia
Spiritans Oceania - Pentecost 2026
Welcome to the 2026 Pentecost edition of Spiritans in Oceania. Spiritans Celebrate Annual Gathering in Perth A Historic Return and a Harvest TimePerth, Western Australia – The Holy Ghost Fathers…
May 27, 2026
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Jornal Ação Missionária 988 - Abril 2026
Encontro Nacional da LIAM Liamistas de todo o país reuniram-se em Fátima para refletirem e partilharem a sua missão evangelizadora na igreja local e universal. p8-11 Espiritanos na Oceânia Os…
March 31, 2026
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JPIC Newsletter nº 1, Oct 2015
Spiritan Justice, Peace, Integrity of Creation and InterReligious Dialogue - From the General Council - From the JPIC & IRD Coordinator - Bridging the gap between Christian narrative and social…
October 1, 2015
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Australia
Six new posts are given to the Congregation at the end of the 2nd millennium. Altogether, there are now fourteen Spiritan places in Australia.
March 10, 1998
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Australia
As 1892 marked the departure of the Spiritans from Victoria, 1977 marks their return to pastoral activity in Melbourne. Confreres have visited Ballarat and have been warmly welcomed by the…
December 22, 1997
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Australia
There are two Spiritan priests in the Diocese of Geraldton, in Western Australia. Confreres are now located in four of the seven States of Australia.
December 12, 1995
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Australia
Fr Paul Leyden, the First Australian Spiritan, is ordained at his home parish, Our Lady's, Ringwood, by Archbishop Frank Little of Melbourne. Paul is appointed to work with the Spiritans…
October 8, 1995
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Australia
A former presbytery in Chadstone, Victoria, is bought to serve as a community house. Libermann House becomes a place of formation for aspirants. The first Australian Spiritan is ordained -…
November 17, 1986
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Australia
Fr Tom Crean is asked by Archbishop Rush to open a new parish at Pine Rivers.
October 27, 1974
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Australia
Our community support, as in Pine Rivers (1974) and Dorrington (1971) has been very much appreciated in Our Lady's, Ringwood. Our main purpose as missionaries has been to establish a…
October 21, 1971
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Nigeria
The beginning of the civil war in Nigeria. Subsequently, approximately 280 Irish confreres are displaced and later find work in other circumscriptions, including Zambia, Malawi, Ghana, PNG and Australia.
June 1, 1967
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Spiritan Confreres in Australia
Here in Australia we are literally at the "ends of the earth", but in the spirit of François Libermann, we have faith in what the Lord is asking of us…
December 13, 1900
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Australia
The Spiritan Community abandons Ballarat. This means that the Congregation will have no province in Australia. "Your fathers have made a mistake in withdrawing from the college", writes Cardinal Moren…
March 1, 1891
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Australia
Twelve Spiritans from Ireland arrive in Ballarat, Victoria, to take charge of a school, Holy Ghost College. Three years later, the fathers hand over the school to the Irish Christian…
January 27, 1889
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Australia
The missionaries of the Holy Heart of Mary leave Perth and Australia on the Eudora, but are driven back three times by storms. Fr Thiercé is too sick to embark…
July 22, 1847
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Australia
A letter from Libermann telling Fathers Thevaux and Thierse to leave Australia. Both subsequently served in Mauritius until their deaths in 1877 and 1888 respectively.
May 2, 1847
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Australia
Returning from Perth, where it has been decided with the Bishop that the Holy Heart of Mary missionaries will withdraw from an impossible mission in Mollyalup, they wait until June…
April 4, 1847
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Australia
Coming from his mission (Albany & Mollyalup) where Libermann's missionaries are completely abandoned, Fr Thévaux arrives in Perth on March 14. There are several stormy interviews with the Bishop, which…
March 14, 1847
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Australia
Bishop Brady makes a verbal agreement with Fr Libermann in Amiens (1845) that his Congregation should have control of the Vicariate; but he contravened this agreement. The Religious were to…
January 3, 1847
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Australia
The final choice for the 3 missionaries of the Holy Heart of Mary is Lake Mollyalup, near Mount Barker, about forty miles from Albany. About the middle of October they…
October 15, 1846
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Australia
Père Thévaux writes to Bishop Brady: "We are extremely poor, my Lord, with only scanty provisions and but nine shillings in our purse. Furthermore, we cannot rely on the products…
July 7, 1846
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Australia
The two surviving priests of the Congregation of the Heart of Mary, Joseph Thiersé and the two lay-brothers, Vincent and Theodore, leave Perth for King George Sound.
February 8, 1846
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Australia
One of the Immaculate Heart Fathers, Fr Maurice Bouchet, dies within weeks of his arrival at Perth. He had got sunstroke during a stopover at Cape Town and contracted a…
January 24, 1846
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Australia
The first Spiritans to set foot in Australia, 3 priests and 2 brothers arrived at Freemantle, Western Australia. They were, Fr François Thévaux, Fr Maurice Bouchet, Fr François Joseph Thiersé…
January 7, 1846
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Australia
A group of 27 missionaries leaves for Australia with Bishop Brady of Perth. Libermann appoints 3 priests and 2 brothers to join him: Pères Victor Thévaux (25), Maurice Bouchet (24)…
September 14, 1845
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Libermann to the community of Gorée, 18.08.1845. NDVII, p.274-275
Now for some news where you may not agree with me. We have accepted a huge mission in New Holland (Australia) to people who are not black but bronze. I…
August 18, 1845
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Holy Heart of Mary
Bishop Brady of Perth in Australia spends four days at La Neuville in France and asks Libermann for missionaries.
July 16, 1845
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