In 2025, MacKillop Family Services will launch its first Paw Pals School Holiday Program in Ballarat; an expansion of the animal-assisted education initiative that has been quietly transforming the lives of students across Victoria since 2018. The holiday program will complement Paw Pals’ existing school-based sessions by offering a more relaxed and engaging environment for students to continue developing emotional confidence, resilience and learning skills outside of the traditional classroom setting. With growing rates of school refusal, classroom disruption, and learning challenges, particularly in the wake of COVID, this added layer of support is both timely and essential.

CDF Catholic Connect brought together over 150 people from Catholic and mission-driven organisations to explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can advance their purpose while maintaining human-centered values.

CDF, in partnership with Flexischools, is pleased to announce an exciting new feature for CDFpay, designed to simplify school fee management for Catholic schools and families. From 2026, CDFpay will enable parents and guardians to view, manage, and pay school and tuition fees...

Located on the historic Rupertswood Estate, Salesian College Sunbury is a school deeply ingrained in legacy – it is the oldest Salesian educational institute in Australia, with registration dating back to 1927. At the heart of the College’s mission is the Salesian charism, founded by St John Bosco. Focused on the education and evangelisation of young people - especially those in need - it emphasises joy, family spirit, pastoral charity, and building communities based in faith. As thousands of families settle into Melbourne’s fast growing north-west corridor, the demand for faith-based education continues to grow. Salesian College is meeting that need, with ongoing developments and a bold vision to uplift and expand their current footprint.

CDF was proud to support Bunbury Catholic College and local Catholic primary schools across the Diocese of Bunbury through sponsorship of the Wardandi Gift - an annual celebration of Aboriginal culture, language, and learning on Noongar Country. Held at Bunbury Catholic College , the event brought together over 200 students from five Catholic primary schools across the region. Now in its third year, the Wardandi Gift is becoming a recognised fixture in the Bunbury Diocese—an opportunity for young people to engage deeply with the stories, languages, and traditions of the First Peoples of the Southwest of Australia.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Vinnies CEO Sleepout with more than $100 million raised so far to combat homelessness across Australia. It also marks 50 years of the Vinnies Soup Van program, which offers meals, care, and hope to those doing it tough. On Thursday 19 June 2025, Catholic Development Fund (CDF) will once again join leaders across Victoria for the annual event — sleeping out at South Melbourne Market — in a night of solidarity, reflection, and action. Following on from last years’ success, the CDF team is stepping up to sleep rough. Among them is David Brown, CDF’s General Manager IT and Products, who reflected on his experience last year: " Hearing the stories of a young woman fleeing domestic violence and a man who had fallen through every safety net reminded me that homelessness can happen to anyone. That night gave me a deep appreciation for the support services that Vinnies provides—and how much more is needed.”

Located just 25km from Melbourne CBD, Mt Atkinson is part of the broader Melton growth corridor in Truganina, which sits within the fast-developing Western region of Victoria. While birth rates have declined across the state in recent years – this region remains an outlier with one of the highest birth rates in the state, averaging 23 babies born each day. The boom in population has corresponded to an increased demand for schools, early learning centres and community services in the grassroots estate. Meeting the needs of the community is St Marianne Cope Catholic Primary School which is set to open in 2026. The new education precinct will not only house the new school, but also a MACSEYE Children’s Hub, delivering faith-based learning and early years education to growing families. This state-of-the-art development will be supported by a $10.6 million loan from CDF.

In a world where the threat of fraud is constantly evolving, staying safe online is not just good practice — it’s essential. CDF recently helped identify and stop a fraud attempt on a client account that could have led to the loss of a significant amount of money. Here’s how it unfolded and what you can learn to protect your own digital security at home and at work. The power of human firewalls This situation, involving a current CDF customer, showcases a recent prevented fraud attempt: CDF received a transfer request from a registered client’s email address The transfer request involved making a payment to a new account, which the client had not previously transacted to CDF staff followed internal processes, requesting additional verification from the client When the fraudster couldn't provide further information, the staff member called the client directly This phone call revealed the email account had been compromised In this attempt, it was the human element that added the extra layer of security to an already robust internal process – it demonstrates the importance of proper security procedures when handling transfer requests, especially to new bank accounts. " Technology like emails can be compromised and used for fraud. Staying proactive, adhering to processes, and maintaining regular training is critical ," says CDF Information Security Manager, David Huang.

Media Release A new online hub for Catholic events, CathEvents, has officially launched, providing a central platform for Catholics across Australia to find, share, and promote events that foster connection, faith, and Catholic leadership. CathEvents has been developed through the foresight and leadership of the Association of Ministerial Public Juridic Persons (AMPJP), in partnership with and supported by the Catholic Development Fund (CDF). This innovative initiative is designed to serve as Australia’s pre-eminent site for Catholic events, creating new opportunities for individuals and organisations to engage with one another and grow in their fa ith. For some years, Catholic events have been promoted to members on the AMPJP website, but in response to the call of the Plenary Council and Synod on Synodality to increase formation, AMPJP has established CathEvents as a national service to all Catholics and Catholic organisations. "CathEvents represents an important step in connecting Catholic communities around Australia. It is a place where anyone—whether from a parish, school, ministry, or community group—can easily find and share events that bring many more people together in faith and fellowship," said Moira Najdecki, Chair of AMPJP. The platform features a wide variety of events, including retreats, workshops, conferences, faith formation sessions, leadership training and special celebrations. It is designed to be user-friendly, enabling organisations to submit events for free and allowing visitors to search by category, location, and date. "We are proud to support CathEvents as part of our commitment to strengthening Catholic communities," said Brendan Hoy, General Manger Client Services at CDF. " This platform will provide a valuable resource for all those across the sector seeking to learn, grow and engage more deeply with their faith or one another." Key Features of CathEvents: Comprehensive listing of Catholic events nationwide. Easy-to-use search and filter functions. Free event submission for Catholic organisations and groups. Focus on community connection, faith formation and leadership development. CathEvents is now live and can be accessed at: www.cathevents.org.au Catholic organisations, parishes, schools, and individuals are warmly invited to visit the site, explore upcoming events, and contribute their own events to share with the wider community. Please note - CathEvents is not associated with CathNews, and is a separate service to the Australian Catholic community. About AMPJP The Association of Ministerial Public Juridic Persons (AMPJP) is a national association of Catholic entities entrusted with the mission of governance and leadership within the Church. Its member organisations minister in health, aged care, community services and education. AMPJP promotes collaboration, formation, and shared mission among Catholic organisations. About Catholic Development Fund (CDF) CDF provides financial solutions to Catholic organisations that balance margin and mission for the common good. Guided by Catholic Social Teaching, CDF supports Catholic schools, parishes, healthcare, aged care, and social service facilities, primarily through funding capital development projects, that strengthen the Church’s mission and ensure its lasting impact on the community. For media enquiries, please contact: Martin Teulan Executive Director, AMPJP 0408 867 046 executive.director@ampjp.org.au For website enquiries and advertising, please contact: Tony Biviano Project Leader 0448 465 128 cathevents@ampjp.org.au