By CFE Staff writers

At his inauguration Mass on 18 May 2025, Pope Leo XIV encouraged his listeners “Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one!”

Some of the final words of Pope Leo’s inaugural homily were: “With the light and the strength of the Holy Spirit, let us build a Church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made “restless” by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.”

Reading and studying the Scriptures are the foundation of the church’s ministry, and enable every Catholic to proclaim the word, most importantly through the witness of one’s own life.

This also lies at the heart of the BJ Hickey Scholarship Program offered to all the faithful of the archdiocese of Perth. The Centre for Faith Enrichment (CFE) is now calling for applications for the 2026 scholarships.

Rachel Harris receiving a Scholarship to study to help cover the fees for Scriptural units at the Acts 2 College of Mission and Evangelisation. Photo: Justice Goodrick.

The scholarships are for Biblical studies of any length and at any level, interstate, overseas (such as Jerusalem or Rome) or online. Applicants need not be academics or have an academic background and are invited to propose a Biblical study project that suits their own interests and capabilities.

In the application process they are asked to display a desire to further their knowledge of Scripture and to help others with that knowledge. Applications will be principally assessed upon two criteria:

1. The willingness, availability and capability of the applicant to use his or her Biblical studies to make a contribution at a parish and/or Archdiocesan level.
2. The degree to which the proposed project focuses on the scripture specifically. For example, a request to fund a short course on Mark’s Gospel will be favoured over a request to fund a short course on Marriage and the Family (even if the latter does draw on Biblical sources).

Applications for a 2026 Scholarship open on Monday, 8 September 2025 and close on 5.00pm on Friday, 7 November 2025.

To apply, please see our website: https://cfe.org.au/scholarships/

For more information, please email The Centre for Faith Enrichment on [email protected] or call on 9278 0261