Most Rev. Archbishop Christopher Prowse

Christopher Prowse was appointed by Pope Francis as Archbishop to the Canberra Goulburn Archdiocese on September 12, 2013. Archbishop Christopher’s installation Mass at St. Christopher’s Cathedral, Canberra was held a few months later, on November 19. This was a joyous and reverent celebration marking the start of a new season for the Archdiocese.

Archbishop Prowse brings many gifts to the Archdiocese and reaches out to those of all walks of life, young and old, lay and religious, to draw people closer to God and the Church. Archbishop Christopher has a long association with First Australians having chaired the Bishops Commission for Relations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and worked closely with the ACM in Melbourne as a Priest.

Dr. Caroline Hughes - Welcome and Smoking Ceremony

Caroline Hughes is a Ngunnawal Elder and is a strong Ngunnawal woman who believes and strives towards the best outcomes for community.  Caroline is leading the revitalisation of the Ngunnawal language and Co-Chairs the Dhawura Ngunnawal Caring for Country Committee - natural resource management of the ACT.

Caroline has been an active member of the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry in the Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn for many years.

Caroline has worked in the adult education and community sectors for over 30 plus years as a practitioner, manager and leader of programs, community development and client support services.

Sarah Richards - Healing through art

A proud Ngiyampaa woman, Sarah's journey began on Gadigal land (Sydney). Her formative years were spent on Wiradjuri (Griffith) and Yugambeh (Gold Coast) Country, culminating in her move to Ngunnawal country (ACT) in 2012. From a young age, she was captivated by the world of creativity, with painting emerging as her preferred medium of artistic expression.

Her passion for art eventually crossed paths with her commerce degree in 2018, transforming her hobby into a thriving small business to create Marrawuy Journeys. By August 2021, Sarah had fully committed herself to nurturing Marrawuy Journeys and its vision.

Fundamentally, Sarah believes in the healing power of individual growth and how it can contribute to the larger healing journey of the nation. She is driven by the conviction that personal healing can bring about collective healing, making each Marrawuy Journey a step towards a more harmonious future.

“I believe that we all have something to heal from and if we can heal as individuals, it will contribute to our healing as a country.”

Anne Dennis - Aboriginal Spirituality and Catholic Faith

Gamilaraay woman Anne Dennis, was nominated for the NSW Woman of Excellence Award, is an elected councillor for the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, co-chair of the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations and a lifetime member of the NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group.

The former teacher, who has lived most of her life in Walgett, is a firm believer in the role of culturally safe education in improving education, health and social outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

A strong Catholic, Anne lives the Gospel through her commitment to her community and others.

Fr David Tremble MGL - Lord, Teach us how to Pray

Born in Goulburn, NSW, Fr Dave identifies the year that Pope John Paul II visited Australia in 1986 as significant in his faith journey. During that year in a celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation on a youth retreat he encountered something of the tenderness and forgiveness in the heart of God described by Jesus in Luke 15. His experience of being unburdened and compassionately welcomed home through this Sacrament has remained one of the seeds of his priestly vocation. He describes how having received God’s mercy he felt compelled to be an instrument of mercy. In response to this call he was drawn into a way of consecrated life expressed in the MGLs making his religious vows on the 9 th December 1990 and ordained a priest on the 5th December 1997. After ordination he served in the St Benedict’s Parish in Canberra for seven years.

Then six years as Chaplain to the St Martin de Porres Catholic Aboriginal Community in Darwin. Then moved to Melbourne as Parish priest for 6 years at St Benedict’s Community in Burwood. Then returning to the Darwin Mission for two more years before his current position in the Canberra MGL Formation House.

Karan Taylor - Laudato Si

Mrs Karan Taylor - Professional Officer – Catholic Education Diocese of Wollongong

Karan is a proud Aboriginal woman and her heritage is of the Gadigal peoples of the mighty Eora Nation in Sydney.

Karan has worked in Catholic Education for the past 28 years in the area of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education. With her strong connection of Aboriginal spirituality and her Catholic faith Karan has shared her diverse cultural knowledges and connection to Catholic Social teachings as part of her journey in walking along side of others in a true sense of reconciliation for all.

Beth Riolo - Laudato Si

Beth Riolo has worked in Catholic Education in the Diocese of Wollongong for over 35 years. She has been a Primary Teacher, Religious Education Coordinator, Education Officer working in RE Curriculum, Assessment and Formation and is currently Professional Officer for Environment and Liturgy (K-12) in the Catholic Life, Education and Mission (CLEM) Team.

Beth is passionate about enlivening religious education and Catholic School communities so that they are relevant to both students and teachers and works to help schools read the ‘signs of the times’ so that they can be communities of justice, inclusivity, sustainability and hospitality.

One of Beth’s key roles is leading the Diocesan school’s system response to the Papal encyclical Laudato Si' through building staff capacity in ecological conversion with particular emphasis on creating links with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education and spirituality. As a non-Aboriginal woman, Beth is strongly committed to working alongside her Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander sisters and brothers in contributing to a vision of a reconciled, just and equitable Australia for all.