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Australian Catholic University ACU has published a unique collection of prayers that include compositions by students and staff alongside treasured Catholic prayers from the Church’s 2000-year tradition.

The inaugural ACU Book of Prayer combines heartfelt, personal prayers written by students and staff drawn from across all ACU’s campuses with more traditional Catholic prayers as an invitation to start a conversation with God.

The ACU Book of Prayer also invites readers to intercede for various causes, including ACU and its mission, the university’s patrons, issues affecting Australia and the world, and people of other faiths and denominations.

One chapter of traditional prayers has been translated into Italian in recognition of the importance of ACU’s Rome campus in the life of the university.

The book concludes with a chapter listing the core beliefs of Catholicism, such as the Three Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity, and the seven Sacraments.

President of ACU Corporation, Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge, launched the highly anticipated book, which has been several years in the planning, at ACU’s Brisbane campus on Thursday 10 February, attended by a range of guests including the Honourable Martin Daubney AM, in one of his first official capacities as Chancellor.

Speaking about the Book of Prayer, ACU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Zlatko Skrbis said the publication distinguished the university as an intentional praying community.

“Prayer is a natural expression of the Christian faith, and as a Catholic university, our defining characteristic should be that we are a community of prayer,” Professor Zlatko said.

“The ACU Book of Prayer is the physical embodiment of the streams of prayers that of our students and staff make each day - the cries for help in a time of need, or the quiet moments of victory.

“I want to encourage our students, our staff, our partners and the wider community to open the ACU Book of Prayer and pray from it daily, as a sign of unity and solidarity with our university.”

Printed copies of the prayer book will be distributed to students and staff throughout the university’s campuses, and it will also be available as an e-book.

Published in 2021, the ACU Book of Prayer was initially conceived a number of years ago by ACU Vice President and Director of Mission and Identity, Father Anthony Casamento CSMA.

“I imagined staff and students being given a prayer book, published by their university, which they could use to find solace and support during their time here,” Fr Casamento said.

“The ACU Book of Prayer is itself the result of a lot of prayer over many years, and my hope is it will be a staple for our staff and students, a go-to book for the times when the only person who can help is God.

“I’m very proud of this book, and my prayers are with all the students and staff members who use the ACU Book of Prayer, especially after they’ve left the university.”

During the official launch, Mr Daubney described the ACU Book of Prayer as a “timely resource” that illustrated the transformation power of prayer.

“As a university, we know that many of our students and staff will face challenges and hurdles in life and in their time here at ACU,” Mr Daubney said.

“This ACU Book of Prayer is a timely resource for all of us that reminds us of the importance of prayer in our Catholic, Christian tradition, and the power that prayer can have in transforming our lives.”

The electronic version of the ACU Book of Prayer can be accessed here.