Australian Catholic Students Association


The Australian Catholic Students Association or ACSA is the peak body for Catholic students in Australia. The body was founded in 1942 as the University Catholic Federation Australia, and has been renamed several times. In 1971 it became known as Tertiary Catholic Federation Australia, and in 1990 it was renamed the International Movement of Catholic Students Australia. The body has been known as the Australian Catholic Students Association since 2005.
ACSA is made up of Catholic tertiary students predominantly from the Eastern states of Australia and from many of academic institutions. It is officially supported by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
The current National President is Alexander Kennedy. Past Presidents include Fr Nicholas Rynne, Dr Alex Sidhu, Fr John Corrigan, Daniel Hill, Aaron Russell, Camillus O'Kane, Elise Nally, Dr. Xavier O'Kane, Thomas Horsfall, Justin Gill, Richard Lyons, Nicholas Smith, Christian Ellis, Damian Wilks, Madeline Gilbert and Christopher Wilks. The current patrons of the organisation are Professor Tracy Rowland, head of the Australian John Paul II Institute for Marriage and Family, and George Cardinal Pell.

Conferences

ACSA is best known for the annual conference it hosts. The conferences involve a program Masses, lectures, a rugby match and the black-tie Mannix Ball named in honour of the former Archbishop of Melbourne Daniel Mannix. It usually takes place in early July.