Australian Catholic Students Association

{{Infobox students' union

| name = Australian Catholic Students Association

| image = ACSA Student Logo.png

| logo_padding =

| motto = Via Veritas Vita (The Way, The Truth, The Life)

| institution = Catholic Church

| location = Australia

| established = 1942

| president = Shawn Mitchell

| affiliated = Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference

| homepage = https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/

}}

The Australian Catholic Students Association or ACSA is the peak body of Catholic students in Australia.{{Cite web |url=https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/our-mission-identity |title=Our Mission & Identity |access-date=2022-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904093103/https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/our-mission-identity |archive-date=2022-09-04|url-status=live}} The body was founded in 1942 as the University Catholic Federation Australia (UCFA), and has been renamed several times. In 1974 it became known as the Tertiary Catholic Federation Australia (TCFA) and in 1990 it was renamed the International Movement of Catholic Students Australia (IMCSA). The body has been known as the Australian Catholic Students Association since 2001.

ACSA is made up of Catholic tertiary students, predominantly from the eastern states of Australia. ACSA affiliated societies have a presence in many universities, including Macquarie University, the University of Sydney, the University of New South Wales, the University of Melbourne, Monash University, and the Australian National University.{{Cite web |url=https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/affiliated-societies |title=Affiliated Societies |access-date=2022-09-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904094927/https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/affiliated-societies |archive-date=2022-09-04|url-status=live}} It is officially supported by the Australian Catholic Bishops' Conference.

The National President as of February 2025 is Shawn Mitchell.{{Cite web |url=https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/national-executive |title=National Executive |access-date=2022-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904093103/https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/national-executive |archive-date=2022-09-04|url-status=live }} The national patrons of ACSA are Tracey Rowland, head of the Australian John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, and Anthony Fisher, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney.{{Cite web |url=https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/our-patrons |title=Our Patrons |access-date=2022-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904093128/https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/our-patrons |archive-date=2022-09-04|url-status=live}}

History

=Background=

In 1921, Catholic student leaders from 23 countries met in Fribourg, Switzerland to create the International Movement of Catholic Students (ICMS).{{Cite web |url=https://imcsap.org/a-brief-history-of-imcs-pax-romana/ |title=A Brief History of IMCS-Pax Romana – Pax Romana IMCS AP |access-date=2025-02-12 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212041141/https://imcsap.org/a-brief-history-of-imcs-pax-romana/ |archive-date=2025-02-12|url-status=live }} Compelled to form an international union for peace after the events of World War I, national representatives were selected from Europe, the United States, Argentina, and Indonesia.

While studying at the University of Paris in 1938, Australian theologian Rosemary Goldie was commissioned to bring the ICMS to Australia by the General Secretary Rudi Salat. The Catholic Students' Society of the University of Sydney, the Newman Society, was affiliated in 1938, and intended to attend the 1939 World Congress. However, the outbreak of World War II limited both the actions of the ICMS and the ability of Australian Catholic students to interact with their international counterparts.

=University Catholic Federation of Australia: 1942–1973=

The loose connection to the ICMS inspired Australian Catholic university students to organise more formally. Plans for a 1940 national conference of all Catholic students were delayed due to World War II. The inaugural national conference was held in 1942 under the name of the University Catholic Federation of Australia (UCFA). Founding members included philanthropist Thomas Burke, neuroscientist John Eccles, and Rosemary Goldie.

=Tertiary Catholic Federation Australia: 1974–1989=

In 1968, the movement was restructured and its focus moved from social activities to community building and social justice issues. In 1974, it was decided to re-structure the movement to make it more relevant to university students at the time and it was renamed the Tertiary Catholic Federation Australia (TCFA).{{Cite web |url=https://librarysearch.adelaide.edu.au/discovery/fulldisplay/alma9928405878301811/61ADELAIDE_INST:UOFA |title=Newsletter |access-date=2025-02-12 |url-status=live}}

=International Movement of Catholic Students Australia: 1990–2000=

The Movement then went through another restructuring period in 1990 when it was renamed the International Movement of Catholic Students Australia (IMCSA).

=Australian Catholic Students Association: 2001–today=

Since 2001, the organisation has been called the Australian Catholic Students Association and has been hosting national conferences and various other activities.

Events

=National Conference=

ACSA hosts an annual national conference. This conference involves a series of theological and philosophical talks, a celebration of the Mass, and the Mannix Ball. The Ball is named after Daniel Mannix, a former Archbishop of Melbourne.{{Cite web |url=https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/conference |title=Annual Conference |access-date=2022-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904093119/https://www.auscatholicstudents.com/conference |archive-date=2022-09-04|url-status=live}}

class="wikitable sortable"

|+List of National Conferences

! Year

! Theme

! State

! Venue

! Mannix Addressor

2003

| N/A

| {{flagicon|Victoria}} VIC

| Janet Clarke Hall, Melbourne

| Most Rev. Mark Coleridge {{post-nominals|post-noms=SSD}}, Auxiliary Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne

2004

| N/A

| {{flagicon|Queensland}} QLD

| St Leo's College, Brisbane

| Rev. James V. Schall {{post-nominals|post-noms=SJ}} (cancelled due to illness)

2005

| Be Not Afraid

| {{flagicon|NSW}} NSW

| St John's College, Sydney

| No Mannix Address delivered

2006

| How Can We Know the Way?{{Cite web |url=https://catholicleader.com.au/youth/breaking-the-ice_41768/ |title=Breaking the Ice - The Catholic Leader |access-date=2022-09-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212044633/https://catholicleader.com.au/youth/breaking-the-ice_41768/ |archive-date=2025-02-12|url-status=live}}

| {{flagicon|Victoria}} VIC

| Newman College, Melbourne

| Most Rev. Barry Hickey {{post-nominals|country=AUS|OAM}} {{post-nominals|country=VAT|KC*HS}}, Catholic Archbishop of Perth

2007

| The Church and the Next Generation

| {{flagicon|Australian Capital Territory}} ACT

| Abbey Function Centre, Canberra

| Most Rev. Anthony Fisher {{post-nominals|post-noms=OP}}, Auxiliary Catholic Archbishop of Sydney

style="background:#C8C8C8"

| 2008

colspan="3" | No conference held due to World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney.

| His Eminence George Cardinal Pell {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AC}}, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney

2009

| Renewing all things in Christ

| {{flagicon|Queensland}} QLD

| Duchesne College, Brisbane

| Most Rev. Geoffrey Jarrett {{post-nominals|post-noms=DD}}, Bishop of Lismore

2010

| Rebuilding the Church and the World

| {{flagicon|New South Wales}} NSW

| Lake Hume Resort, Albury

| Tracey Rowland {{post-nominals|country=VAT|DHS}}, Dean of the John Paul II Pontifical Theological Institute for Marriage and Family Sciences

2011

| Authenticity{{Cite web |url=https://catholicleader.com.au/youth/catholic-students-embrace-their-faith_73293/ |title=Catholic students embrace their faith - The Catholic Leader |access-date=2025-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212045000/https://catholicleader.com.au/youth/catholic-students-embrace-their-faith_73293/ |archive-date=2025-02-12|url-status=live}}

| {{flagicon|New South Wales}} NSW

| University of Notre Dame, Sydney

| George Cardinal Pell {{post-nominals|country=AUS|AC}}, Catholic Archbishop of Sydney

2012

| Defending Human Dignity

| {{flagicon|Victoria}} VIC

| Queen's College, Melbourne

| Christopher Pearson, journalist and former proprietor of The Adelaide Review.

2013

| Foundations of Faith

| {{flagicon|Victoria}} VIC

| The Women's College, University of Queensland, Brisbane