Speaker series seeks to inspire more Catholic action

06 Aug 2015

By Mark Reidy

Mark Fitzpatrick, CEO of St Vincent De Paul WA, to deliver the initial address at a series of presentations by the Knights of the Southern Cross Western Australia. PHOTO: Supplied

In a series of presentations beginning on 19 August, the Knights of the Southern Cross Western Australia (KSCWA) want to showcase the broad and inspiring outreach existing within the Catholic Church and to provide men with the opportunity to contribute positively to the community.

Tristan Kolay, Deputy State Chairman of KSCWA, is excited about the speaker series and the potential it has to connect Catholic men with new insight and avenues to put their faith into action.

“In an increasingly secularising world, this series is a great opportunity for active Catholic gents to get inspired and create some Christ-centred change,” he said in a recent interview for the eRecord.

Mr Kolay said KSC’s intention was to present a talk every three months, to not only provide existing members with a broader knowledge of works existing within the Church, but also to present the opportunity for other Catholic men to discover the array of activities and outreach performed through the KSC.

“At the conclusion of each talk, we will be offering opportunities for people to become involved with Knights programs and to be hands-on in their faith,” Mr Kolay announced.

“The first area we will be looking at is Community Services which is why we have invited Mark Fitzpatrick, CEO of St Vincent De Paul WA, to deliver the initial address.”

Mr Fitzpatrick said he was delighted to be keynote speaker at the inaugural presentation, which is entitled Modern Missions for Catholic Change Makers, and hopes it will inspire participants to become involved in some of the many practical services available within the community.

Mr Fitzpatrick said he hopes to address the issue of community services on a number of levels during his presentation, from a global perspective and what is occurring in programs around the world, to how individuals can connect and actively participate at a local level.

“We need to look at how organisations, both government and non-government, can work together and support one another,” he said.

“As Catholics, we need to be able to put our faith into action, to be able to create a collective of communities, so we can create better outcomes for those we are called to serve.”

Mr Kolay said he is passionate about the upcoming series and hopes it will provide the opportunity for many Catholics to able to become actively involved in reaching out to those in need, which is a principal work of KSC.

He said future talks will look at issues such as Social Services, Youth Leadership and Faith Development.

For further information, contact Tristan Kolay on 0412 732 329 or email dsc.kscwa@gmail.com.

Bookings for the event can be made online by 17 August at www.trybooking.com/141095.