10. Archdiocesan agencies
Catholic Development Fund
The Catholic Development Fund (CDF), formerly the Schools Provident Fund, was founded in 1956.
CDF supports the mission of the Church by helping to build Christ-centred, redemptive and transformative communities in the Archdiocese of Melbourne, Diocese of Sale and Diocese of Bunbury. It does this by pooling the savings of the Catholic community to fund the constructions of schools, parishes, hospitals, and aged care and social service facilities.
CDF helps put faith into action through the delivery of financial solutions that balance margin and mission, for the common good.
CDF supports parish communities and seeks to continually improve an approach that allows it to provide a unique level of support across the range of Catholic primary and secondary schools, parishes and, more recently, health care and social service providers.
Each parish has a designated CDF representative, who assists with loan and account applications, and with registering and training in using the CDF's transactional services.
For further information, refer to the Catholic Development Fund website.
Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS)
Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools Ltd (MACS) was established to be responsible for the governance and operation of approximately 300 parish primary schools and regional and archdiocesan secondary colleges in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
MACS governs Catholic schools in the Archdiocese and supports them to continue the mission of Catholic education to proclaim the Good News and equip our young people with the knowledge, skills and hope to live meaningful lives and enrich the world around them.
Working Together in Mission
Working Together in Mission is a charter that outlines the roles and responsibilities of those who lead the shared work and mission of Catholic parishes and schools in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
Parish priests and principals hold distinctive roles of leadership in their parish and school communities. The charter defines their respective roles to ensure that the relationship between parish and school is strong and continues to provide the religious leadership necessary for the success of the mission.
For further information regarding MACS, refer to the Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools website.
Villa Maria Catholic Homes
Villa Maria Catholic Homes (VMCH) was established in 2015 with the merger of Villa Maria and Catholic Homes. VMCH's vision is to be the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne's leading provider of high-quality disability, specialist education, aged care and retirement living services.
The successful integration allowed a more diverse range of services to be offered to meet the needs of older people, children and adults with disabilities, their families and carers.
Today, VMCH provides early learning and therapy, specialist education, disability services, affordable homes, residential aged care, retirement living and at-home aged care to more than 7,600 people across Victoria and southern New South Wales.
For further information, refer to the VMCH website.
CatholicCare Victoria (CCV)
CatholicCare Victoria is the social service agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Catholic dioceses of Ballarat, Sale and Sandhurst. It was formed in January 2021 upon the merger of Centacare Ballarat, CatholicCare Melbourne/Gippsland and CatholicCare Sandhurst.
CCV is committed to empowering communities and building strength and resilience, to enable everyone to reach their full potential and live life to the full.
It delivers excellence in a broad range of child, family and youth services, family relationship services, school counselling and pastoral care services, social housing, homelessness services (crisis, transitional and outreach), employment and advocacy services across dozens of office locations.
For further information, refer to the CatholicCare Victoria website.
Parish-owned land collaboration with VMCH and CCV
For many years, parishes—under the guidance of parish priests and utilising the dedication and expertise of parishioners—have developed buildings and spaces for various apostolic works of the Church, including innovative forms of housing for their parishioners and the wider community. It is recognised that many of these parish assets are no longer suitable for their original purposes and as such present opportunities for either redevelopment and/or realisation.
Housing for the elderly, aged care services, accommodation for low-income people, and refugee respite centres have all been provided to fill the void in housing accommodation in the Archdiocese, meeting a key part of its mission.
A parish wishing to develop land, or to develop or redevelop a site including buildings, should do so in a way that provides the parish with a sustainable aged, retirement or affordable housing development as well as an enduring capital/financial resource that enhances the ability of the parish to fulfil its mission. Such projects should seek to optimise the value of the land contributed towards the development.
Parish ownership of the land and improvements, under an arrangement that provides an ongoing income stream for the parish while supporting the financial viability of VMCH and CCV in the development and management of the project so as to achieve its mission, is preferred.
Parishes considering the use of land for aged care or social housing purposes are encouraged to approach the Archdiocesan Property and Infrastructure Office early in the process for advice and guidance.