Catholic Social Services Victoria

09/06/2026

2026 marks a number of anniversaries for CSSV – 25 years since Catholic Social Services Victoria formed as a state-wide body, and 45 years since its inception as a peak body for Catholic social and community organisations.

Please join us at our 2026 Annual Dinner for a night of connection and stimulation as we celebrate these anniversaries and look to the future. All are welcome!

We are pleased that the Most Reverend Joe Caddy AM, Bishop of Cairns, will be joining as guest speaker. Bishop Joe is well known to CSSV, having served as both a staff member and on Council in his capacities as CEO of CatholicCare (Greater Melbourne, Geelong and Gippsland) and as Episcopal Vicar for Social Services in the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Bishop Joe will reflect on the imagination and work of those who have contributed to CSSV over the years and what we are called to consider for the next 25 years.

Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/DMKED

DATE: Friday, 10 July 2026
VENUE: Newman College Dining Hall, 887 Swanston Street, Parkville VIC

22/05/2026

In National Volunteer Week, we'd like to acknowledge the thousands of volunteers at Catholic social and community services in Victoria who give their time and efforts to serve others in their communities. Thank you for all that you contribute and the care you provide ❤️

20/05/2026

How are we shaping the future of our planet?

In Laudato Si' Week (17-24 May) we remember the words of Pope Francis: "I urgently appeal, then, for a new dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet. We need a conversation which includes everyone, since the environmental challenges we are undergoing, and its human roots, concern and affect us all." (Laudato Si', 14)

Such conversations are happening at places like Jesuit Social Services' Ecological Justice Hub. Read more:

Through our various ministries and agencies, we exist to serve the people of God, enabling the Gospel of Jesus Christ to come alive in our local community.

01/05/2026

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference's Commission for Justice, Mission and Service has released a statement this Feast Day of St Joseph the Worker urging attentiveness to seeing workplaces as spaces for human flourishing, particularly for younger unemployed and underemployed workers.

It urges us all to build a future of work that is just, dignified and full of hope: they say "work needs to truly reflect the dignity of every person".

It is a challenge to all of us to ensure our workplaces to young people who are perhaps having a hard time of it and put in place the supports that will allow them to flourish.

Happy May Day!

Read the full statement here:

https://cathnews.com/2026/05/01/employers-and-governments-urged-to-give-young-people-a-fair-go/?

Thanks to all the work that Australian Young Christian Workers (AYCW) do to attend to these issues across the country. The YCW's work over time has much to teach us about how we can engage in a positive way forward with younger workers.

Australians have been urged to use today’s Feast of St Joseph the Worker to reflect on young peoples’ struggle for secure work. Source: ACBC Media Blog.

16/04/2026

Are you a senior leader or board member of a Catholic social service organisation interested in a space to learn with peers and reflect on and deepen your approach to mission-aligned leadership?

CSSV's professional development and formation program, Mission Inspired Leadership, is now open for registration. The five-part program will be available online Australia-wide.

It's sure to be a great program this year, with a lineup of expert facilitators guiding each session.

Find out more and register here: https://css.org.au/events/mission-inspired-leadership-program-2026/

09/04/2026

Truth-telling is fundamental to reconciliation and justice.

The Australian Bishops, in their 2023-2024 statement 'Listen, Learn, Love', particularly acknowledged the need for injustices to be recognised, and for deep listening and change to occur, urging ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples need to be welcomed from the margins into the centre so that they can lead the discussions about change and implementation of actions to bring about healing and justice’.

Following the work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission in Victoria, which has by many accounts been a significant milestone in truth and healing for First Peoples, CSSV supports the upcoming National Walk for Truth and the calls for a national truth-telling process.

Alongside the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council, Opening The Doors Foundation and the Catholic Education Sandhurst Ltd Fire Carrier Program, we encourage the Catholic community to join the National Walk for Truth to demonstrate support for a national truth-telling process – in solidarity for a healed and reconciled country.

Find out more on our website: https://css.org.au/events/support-the-national-walk-for-truth/

https://cathnews.com/2026/04/08/catholics-urged-to-step-up-for-national-walk-for-truth/

Catholic Social Services Victoria has thrown its support behind a national truth-telling process and is urging the broader Catholic community to join it in taking part in this month’s National Walk for Truth.

27/03/2026

A lovely acknowledgement of ongoing service by VMCH Corpus Christi Community Greenvale to men who have navigated much complexity in their lives by Iwan Walters MP.

The work of Catholic agencies such as VMCH, Sacred Heart Mission and The Little Sisters of the Poor's St Joseph's Home for the Aged in Northcote, all have specialised aged care offerings for folk who continue to navigate serious life complexity, including mental ill health, premature ageing and hardship.

This work is crucial and worthy of acknowledgement.

25/03/2026

It was good to gather cross sector leaders to build a sense of shared purpose in light of the upcoming Victorian election. Thanks again to Hang Vo of Sacred Heart Mission for presenting to the group and allowing for a great conversation, and beginning of actions, to follow.

Ahead of the Victorian state election in November, Catholic Social Services Victoria invited leaders from across its membership, alongside colleagues from Catholic education and health, to discuss core areas of need in the state.

22/03/2026

Join CSSV in supporting the annual Palm Sunday Walk, where we continue to stand in solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers, calling for a compassionate response in Australia.
This year's theme, "Stronger Together", encourages us to spread kindness, respect and compassion through our communities.
For more information visit
https://css.org.au/events/palm-sunday-event-we-are-stronger-together/

Date: Sunday 29 March 2026
Time:
• 1pm: Gather on Princes Bridge with banners and placards
• 1.30pm: Walk to Lower Terrace, Birrarung Marr
• 2pm – 3.30pm: Speakers and music at Lower Terrace, Birrarung Marr

Organised by the Refugee Advocacy Network




Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) Rural Australians for Refugees Speaking Up for Refugees Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project

16/03/2026

Today we celebrate World Social Work Day 2026 and the incredible work of social workers and others working in the sector who support individuals, families, and communities every day.

From helping people overcome adversity to advocating for equity and wellbeing, social workers play a vital role in building stronger and more just communities.

This year’s theme — “Co-Building Hope and Harmony: A Harambee Call to Unite a Divided Society” —highlights the power of coming together across communities, cultures, and systems to bridge social, cultural, and political divides.

Harambee, a concept rooted in African philosophy, embodies the idea that through unity, mutual support, and shared responsibility, communities can uplift themselves and one another. In a world facing conflict, inequality, displacement, and ecological crises, this message resonates deeply. It reminds us that meaningful change happens when we work together in solidarity and partnership.

On , we recognise and thank our member organisations who have answered the Harambee call — working with and within communities and parishes, across borders and sectors, to support those in need and help shape a fairer and more sustainable future.

We are stronger together.







IFSW International Federation of Social Workers