Catholic Development Fund (CDF) congratulates Bishop George Kolodziej SDS on his ordination and installation as the fifth Bishop of Bunbury. The ceremony took place on March 19, 2025, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, at St Patrick's Cathedral in Bunbury. Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC), presided over the ceremony as principal consecrator, and was joined by more than 19 bishops from across Australia, including CDF’s Board Member Most Rev. Anthony J. Ireland, Auxiliary Bishop of Melbourne. Tim O’Leary, CDF Deputy Chair of the Board, and Matthew Cassin, CDF Chief Executive Officer, were also in attendance amongst distinguished guests. Apostolic Nuncio Charles Balvo presented the Papal Bull during the ceremony, which brought together the entire Bunbury Catholic community—clergy, seminarians, acolytes, altar servers, musicians, choir members, Salvatorian priests from across Australia, and representatives from Catholic Education Western Australia Ltd and Catholic Religious Australia. In his poignant homily, Archbishop Costelloe highlighted the significance of Bishop George's middle name being Joseph, noting, "Perhaps today, as we celebrate the Solemnity of Saint Joseph, we might look to him as a model of this tender and compassionate presence to others, a model especially, though not only, for our soon-to-be Bishop George." 

Last month, St Columba’s College celebrated the blessing and official opening of its brand new Foxford Innovation Centre. The state-of-the-art facility is the result of a 20-year vision, designed to transform educational opportunities for students through a focus on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education. Supported by a $13 million loan from CDF, the Centre blends modern innovation with the heritage architecture of the College campus; it features cutting-edge facilities, including food technology kitchens, maker spaces, arts and science classrooms, specialist labs, a canteen, and a competition-grade sports court. The Centre is named after the Foxford Woollen Mills in Ireland, honouring the legacy of Mother Agnes Morrogh-Bernard, a Sister of Charity who founded the mills in 1892. Her vision and leadership transformed a struggling community, embodying the values of innovation, inclusivity, and collaboration.

Catholic Development Fund (CDF), recently hosted its first Catholic Connect Workshop for 2025 exploring ' Leading with Hope in Uncertain Times.' The event, brought together in partnership with Catholic Social Services Victoria (CSSV) , united Catholic organisation leaders to explore the intersection of leadership, formation, and hope. The workshop's theme aligned perfectly with both International Women's Day and the Jubilee Year theme "Pilgrims of Hope," creating a timely opportunity to reflect on cultivating hope within communities and organisations. The heart of the event featured an impressive panel moderated by Josh Lourensz, Executive Director of CSSV. The distinguished speakers included: Micaela Cronin , the Inaugural Federal Commissioner for Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence, whose career began in social work with organisations like St. Vincent De Paul Society and MacKillop Family Services, Annie Carrett , the Chief of Staff to the Archbishop of Melbourne and first female Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Melbourne, bringing over 35 years of experience within the Catholic Church; and Sr. Joan Healy , a 90-year-old author, activist, and pioneer in family and child support models whose work over five decades continues to influence current practices.

In Clyde North, a new chapter in Catholic education has begun with the recent opening of St Josephine Bakhita Catholic Primary School . As the second primary school within the Parish of St Thomas the Apostle and the 39th operated by Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Ltd (DOSCEL) , this school was built in response to the growing need for quality, faith-based education in an area experiencing rapid residential development. Recognising this need, Catholic education leaders, in collaboration with parish and community stakeholders came together to create a school that would serve local families. The chosen location in the Five Farms residential estate was ideal due to its modern infrastructure, transport links, and potential for future expansion as the community grows. The school is built on a clear vision ‘ to provide a safe and inclusive environment where students can learn and grow both academically and spiritually ’. The story of St Josephine Bakhita, the first contemporary female saint from Africa who overcame severe hardships to become a symbol of resilience and compassion, is an important part of the school’s identity. Her words , “The Lord had loved me so much: we must love everyone…we must be compassionate,” serve as a daily reminder of the values the school aims to instill.

For over two decades, CDF has directly supported the next generation of Catholic leaders through the Father James Wall Bursary . The award, established in honour of CDF’s founder, Father James ‘Jim’ Wall, continues his legacy of fostering faith, leadership, and service within our Catholic school communities. Each year, seven Year 10 students from across the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale, Bunbury, and Ballarat are recognised for their outstanding contributions to their schools and communities. The bursary provides each recipient with $5,000 to support their Year 11 and 12 school fees, helping the students continue their education journey in a Catholic secondary school. This year seven remarkable students, who embody the values of service, commitment, and faith-filled leadership were celebrated at school presentation ceremonies across the country. Notably, this year marks another milestone for the bursary as CDF extended the award to the Diocese of Ballarat.

Two hundred and twenty delegates from Catholic parishes, schools, and organizations across the Diocese of Sale gathered at Federation University in Churchill on February 14, and 15 for a Diocesan Assembly focused on defining the pastoral priorities and actions for the next five years.

At the end of 2024, CDF had the privilege of working alongside our clients, Villa Maria Catholic Homes (VMCH), CatholicCare Victoria, MacKillop Family Serivces and Sacred Heart Mission, to spread Christmas joy, hope, and compassion to individuals and families in need. Each year, our clients rely on donations from everyday people, and corporate partners like CDF, to help ensure that the festive season is a time of care and connection across communities. Villa Maria Catholic Homes’ (VMCH) annual Hamper Appeal was their largest yet with 850 hampers distributed to those in need across their network of affordable homes, home care, and disability services. These hampers, filled with essential items and festive treats, brought comfort and joy to those most in need.

As the Christmas holiday season approaches, many of us are planning festive celebrations, shopping for loved ones, and looking forward to well-deserved breaks. However, it’s also a time when cybercriminals ramp up their activities, taking advantage of busy online traffic and the seasonal increase in digital transactions. This Christmas, make cybersecurity a priority by fortifying your online accounts with Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to keep your personal information safe. Why MFA is Essential for Your Cybersecurity In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, cyber threats are ever-present, and recent headlines about online scams and data breaches highlight just how vulnerable personal information can be. In Australia, cyber incidents continue to rise, underscoring the need for proactive measures. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a powerful tool that provides an added layer of security, making it more challenging for cybercriminals to access your sensitive information. What is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)? Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), also known as two-factor authentication (2FA) or two-step verification, is a security mechanism that requires users to provide two or more authentication factors to verify their identity before gaining access to a system or account. These factors typically fall into three categories: Something you know: This includes passwords, PINs, or security questions. Something you have: Such as a mobile device, smart card, or token. Something you are: Biometric identifiers like fingerprint scans, facial recognition, or iris scans. By combining two or more of these factors, MFA adds an additional layer of security that makes it significantly harder for cybercriminals to gain unauthorised access, even if they manage to obtain one factor, such as a password.

A Major IT Outage: What Happened? On July 19, 2024, a significant IT outage disrupted services worldwide. Banks, healthcare facilities, emergency services, and payment systems faced interruptions, causing widespread business closures and even flight cancellations. This global incident left many travelers stranded and businesses scrambling to restore operations. What is CrowdStrike? CrowdStrike is a leading American cybersecurity company specialising in software to monitor and detect cyber threats. Their flagship product, Falcon EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response), acts like a powerful antivirus tool. It detects and mitigates security threats, alerting of potential hackers. During a recent update, it caused many computers to crash, resulting in the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) on Windows systems. Given that Microsoft systems constitute about 70% of desktop operating systems worldwide, the effects of this outage were extensive, impacting millions globally. * Is My Computer Safe? The good news is that CrowdStrike's products are primarily used by organisations, not individual home users. If you are using regular antivirus and anti-malware programs, you would not have been affected by this outage. However, it raises an important question: what can I do to prepare for future outages?