Agenzia Fides

Sydney (Fides Service) - To offer Web users the opportunity not only to read Holy Scripture but also to hear it on-line, the Church Resources office of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has launched Dailyreadings.com.au. a daily podcast of the readings from the Liturgy of the Word of the Mass that is part of the Daily Prayer Online prayer portal. The podcast allows automated transfer of the readings recording to an iPod or similar portable device. There is also streamed audio for listening at the computer and MP3 downloads. The readings are from the Lectionary approved for use in Australia. Dailyreadings.com.au is intended to complement the site’s Meditation on the readings which is also available as audio.
The Church in Australia has various services on the Web including a new Catholic Australian Newsletter for 2006 offering monthly news from the Catholic Australia web resource, launched last year for parishes, schools and individuals offering accessible information of interest to any Australian wanting to know about anything Catholic. This month the site content will contain an extended reflection on the life and spirituality of Australia’s first saint, Mary McKillop.
There is also a monthly newsletter “Mission & Spirituality News”, on missionary themes. Archbishop Barry Hickey of Perth who is head of the Bishops’ Commission for Communications and Media, says the Church must harness the media, the culture of the third millennium, and take advantage of these “new pulpits” for evangelisation. In February the Australian Bishops will release a new Pastoral Letter with the title “Go out and announce to the whole world ”. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 20/1/2006 righe 25 parole 248)