About the Confraternity
The Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy (ACCC) is a private, voluntary and fraternal association of Catholic bishops, priests and deacons of the dioceses of Australia. The ACCC is constituted in conformity with the Code of Canon Law:
Secular clergy have the right of association with others
for the achievement of purposes befitting the clerical state.— Can. 287 § 1.
Our fraternity helps members build up each other in the grace of their vocation. It hopefully increases the wider flourishment of authentic living and exercise of vocations among bishops, priests and deacons, and attracts younger men to consider a vocation to the Sacred Ministry. Membership is also open to lay and religious faithful who support the clerical association in its objectives. The ACCC has five objectives:
- To give glory and honour to the Most Blessed Trinity.
- To assist the eternal salvation and holiness of members.
- To foster unity among Catholic priests and deacons with the bishops in loyalty to the Supreme Magisterium.
- To encourage faithfulness to priestly life and ministry.
- To assist bishops, priests and deacons in the fulfilment of their ministry of teaching, sanctifying and governing.
The Confraternity has active branches in New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, and ACCC members also reside in the ACT, Tasmania and New Zealand.
Patron saints
The patroness of the ACCC is Our Lady Help of Christians. Our other heavenly patrons are:
- Ss Peter and Paul;
- St John Fisher;
- St Thomas More;
- St Jean-Marie Vianney;
- St Charles Borromeo;
- St Pius X; and
- St Mary of the Cross