In 2025, the Life, Marriage and Family (LMF) team witnessed a vibrant renewal of faith and commitment, as unprecedented numbers participated in initiatives for families, women, men, and new Catholics.
At the Rite of Election at St Mary’s Cathedral, Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP welcomed a record 384 catechumens and candidates preparing for Baptism – a 30 per cent increase on the previous year.
Accompanied by more than 1,000 family members, friends, sponsors, godparents, clergy, and RCIA teams from 54 parishes, the event was a powerful witness to the fruits of evangelisation and renewal.
Beyond the numbers, what stood out were the stories: people searching for truth, longing for meaning, and encountering Christ through friendships, parish welcome and hospitality, and personal spiritual experiences.
The Catholic Women’s Network (CWN) continued to grow as a vital platform for women’s formation, community, and spiritual renewal.
Through landmark initiatives – including the Women’s Lenten Retreat with the Dominican Sisters and the inaugural Women’s Conference featuring Sr Miriam James Heidland, SOLT –CWN brought together more than 1,600 women to encounter Christ through prayer, teaching, sisterhood, and the sacraments.
These gatherings provided spaces where women of all ages and vocations could rediscover their identity as beloved daughters of God, receive healing, deepen their discipleship, and form authentic friendships.
A remarkable renewal was also evident among Catholic men in Sydney.
More than 1,200 men, including clergy, joined the night-long Camino of St Joseph pilgrimage, walking from Como to Cronulla in prayer, reflection, and fraternity.
More than 300 men attended the men’s conference with Archbishop Julian Porteous, exploring how vulnerability and honesty before God and one another can be a source of spiritual strength.
Together, these events fostered authentic Catholic masculinity, inspiring men to reclaim their Christian identity, embrace their vocation as husbands, fathers, sons, and disciples, and lead their families and communities with faith.
Families benefited from a rich variety of initiatives throughout 2025, including marriage preparation, Catholic parenting formation, support programs, and celebratory events for families, providing practical guidance and spiritual enrichment.
The mission of the Life, Marriage and Family team at the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation remains to support the faithful in the everyday realities of their vocation as women and men, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, inquirers and believers.
Through spiritual encounters, retreats, pilgrimages, and faith formation, the team helps women, men, and families deepen their faith, build community, and bear witness to God’s love in daily life.
 team witnessed a vibrant renewal of faith and commitment, as unprecedented numbers participated in initiatives for families, women, men, and new Catholics. ){kind=link}