In his two years as Bishop of Lismore Greg Homeming says the biggest cry he hears is from children from dysfunctional families in the diocese.
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The Lismore diocese spans from Port Macquarie to the Queensland border.
"I have met children who have little hope and I wonder what will happen to those children in the future," he said.
"I do have a sense that nothing much is being done.
"If the church has a role in society it is to be doing what nobody else is doing."
Bishop Homeming said the diocese has ramped up its investment in counsellors in schools such as as at Bowraville Catholic school to help more children.
Bishop Homeming is a participant at the Catholic Social Services Conference in Port Macquarie from February 19-20.
The theme of the conference is 'meeting the unmet need' and draws together people from a range of Catholic social services around the country.
26-year-old Niamh Lane from Melbourne is another participant at the conference.
The "proud Catholic says her job as an occupational therapist in the emergency department at St Vincent's Public Hospital in Melbourne has given her ample opportunities to put her faith in action.
The hospital is inundated with people experiencing a range of psycho-social issues.
One of the youngest in the room she believes the Church must be more tolerant of the views of those outside the Church while still maintaining Church doctrine.
Port Macquarie was chosen as the location of the conference due to the legacy of the late Fr Leo Donnelly.
"I have travelled around Australia and I thought St Agnes Parish was the best example in Australia of breaking down the silos of health, aged care, education and so forth," CEO of Catholic Social Services Fr Frank Brennan said.
"As Leo said to me on his death bed what he did was he just had trust in people and a will to go out and meet any unmet need and over 30 years that amounts to something."
