Applications Now Open for the 2026 Father James Wall Bursary

July 14, 2026

As CDF celebrates 70 years of empowering Catholic communities, we are delighted to announce that applications for the 2026 CDF Father James Wall Bursary are now open.

To mark our 70th anniversary, the value of each bursary has increased from $5,000 to $7,000. Seven bursaries will be awarded across the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale, Ballarat and Bunbury, supporting outstanding Year 10 students as they complete Years 11 and 12 at a Catholic secondary school.

Honouring a founding vision

Established in 2002, the Father James Wall Bursary honours the vision of CDF's founder, Fr James Wall. In 1956, at a time when Melbourne was experiencing a post-war population boom and government funding for Catholic schools was unavailable, Fr Wall established the Fund, as a new way for Catholic communities to invest in the future of education and support schools in growing communities.

For 70 years, CDF has continued that mission, partnering with Catholic organisations to build schools, churches, health care services, aged care facilities and other projects that strengthen communities. The Father James Wall Bursary carries that same spirit forward, investing directly in young people who demonstrate the leadership, service and compassion that Fr Wall's vision was built upon.

Since its establishment, the Bursary has supported 119 students, helping them complete their senior secondary education and grow into confident leaders making a meaningful contribution to their schools and communities.

CDF CEO John McClusky said the increase in bursary value is a fitting way to mark the anniversary. "As we celebrate CDF's 70th anniversary, it is fitting that we honour Fr James Wall's legacy by increasing the value of these bursaries and continuing to invest in young people who are already demonstrating leadership, compassion and service within their school communities."

Who can apply?

The bursary recognises Year 10 students who demonstrate leadership through academic achievement, community service, social justice, the arts, sport or public speaking. Catholic secondary schools across the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale, Ballarat and Bunbury are invited to nominate one outstanding Year 10 student per school.

Key dates

Applications open: Tuesday 14 July 2026
Applications close: Friday 18 September 2026

To learn more about eligibility criteria and the application process, visit the CDF Father James Wall Bursary page.

As we celebrate 70 years of empowering Catholic organisations and communities, we look forward to recognising the next generation of leaders who will continue to build, serve and grow; much like Father James Wall.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Share this article:

The Invoice Looks Real. The Bank Details Aren't

August 25, 2026

Australians reported 481,523 scams in 2025 , with 274,577 reports involving financial losses totalling $2.18 billion . Behind those numbers are scams that are becoming increasingly difficult to spot. For organisations, one of the most convincing can begin with something as routine as an invoice. Invoice fraud is becoming increasingly sophisticated. The email may come from a supplier you know. The invoice may look exactly like previous ones. The amount is correct, the project is familiar, and the message may even sit inside a genuine email thread. The only thing that's changed is the bank account. That one change can redirect thousands of dollars into a cyber criminal's hands. How it happens Invoice fraud, also known as payment redirection fraud, is a common form of Business Email Compromise (BEC). Criminals gain access to a real email account - through phishing, stolen credentials, malware or a data breach - then quietly monitor it. They learn who approves payments, how invoicing cycles work, and wait for the right moment to intercept a genuine transaction and simply change the bank details. Because nothing else changes, it's very hard to spot. Example of What a Scam Looks Like

70 Years of Building, Serving and Growing: Celebrating CDF's Anniversary

By Hillaria Juliana • August 19, 2026

In 1956, a priest with a vision and a community with faith came together to solve a problem. Catholic schools across Melbourne were overflowing. Families were growing. Government funding for Catholic education was simply unavailable. And so Fr James Wall, later honoured with the title 'Father of the Funds', established what he called the Schools Provident Fund (SPF): a new way for the Catholic community to pool its resources, invest in its future, and care for one another. The very first school funded through that vision was Sacred Heart Parish Primary School in Preston, Victoria, which opened in 1957 and became an instant success, laying the framework for what would follow. The movement spread across Australia and New Zealand, growing from a solution for Catholic schools into a broader vehicle for funding parishes, hospitals, aged care and social services. Seventy years later, that vision is very much alive.

A Place to Gather, a Place to Belong: Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Bayswater Renews its Heart

August 18, 2026

For the parishioners of Our Lady of Lourdes in Bayswater , the newly renovated Parish Hall is far more than a building. It is the fulfilment of a long-held dream; a place where a vibrant and growing Catholic community can finally come together, share life, and welcome others. Supported by a $1.85 million loan from CDF, the renovation has transformed what was once an ageing and inadequate space into a modern, welcoming hall that will serve the parish and wider Bayswater community for generations to come. A community that needed a home Our Lady of Lourdes Parish has been a cornerstone of Catholic life in Bayswater for more than 60 years, celebrating daily Mass throughout the week and welcoming between 450 and 600 parishioners and visitors across four weekend Masses. It is a community rich in faith, culture and connection, and one that had long outgrown its ability to gather together in a shared space. For Parish Priest Fr Sabu, taking on the renovation project was both a personal commitment and a responsibility to those who had built the parish before him.

CDPF Limited, a company established by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, has indemnified the Catholic Development Fund ABN 15 274 943 760 (the Fund) against any liability arising out of a claim by investors in the Fund. In practice, this means your investment is backed by the assets of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne. The Fund is required by law to make the following disclosure. Investment in the Fund is only intended to attract investors whose primary purpose for making their investment is to support the charitable purposes of the Fund. Investors’ funds will be used to generate a return to the Fund that will be applied to further the charitable works of the Archdiocese of Melbourne and the Dioceses of Sale and Bunbury. The Fund is not prudentially supervised by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority nor has it been examined or approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). An investor in the Fund will not receive the benefit of the financial claims scheme or the depositor protection provisions in the Banking Act 1959 (Cth). The investments that the Fund offers are not subject to the usual protections for investors under the Corporations Act (Cth) or regulation by ASIC. Investors may be unable to get some or all of their money back when the investor expects or at all and investments in the Fund are not comparable to investments with banks, finance companies or fund managers. The Fund’s identification statement may be viewed here or by contacting the Fund. The Fund does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence.