On the first anniversary of the horrifying Hamas attack on Israeli kibbutzim, Pope Francis issued a letter to Catholics of the Middle East. In the letter, he insisted that violence never brings peace. He acknowledged that much blood and many tears have been shed in the last year, particularly in Gaza. He expressed his solidarity with the people of Gaza at a time when they suffer in so many ways. The full text of the letter may be read here.
The Pope’s announcement that the Ukrainian Catholic Bishop Mykola Bychok, whose eparchy is based in Melbourne, would be made a Cardinal in December also reminds us of the great suffering and loss by both sides since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Along with the many other conflicts around the world, these wars re-emphasise our call to be witnesses and agents of peace in our violent world as Australia’s Bishops wrote in their 2024 – 2025 Social Justice Statement, Truth and Peace: A Gospel Word in a Violent World.
You can still download the Statement or purchase printed copies of the Statement and its associated prayer card. A variety of resources are also available to help you engage with the Statement including a spoken word version of the Statement, a video of its launch, and the text of the launch speeches of Bishop Vincent Long andAssoc. Prof. Joel Hodge. All these resources are available here.
This will be the last Social Justice Trends for 2024. Our Office will use the rest of the year to work on a re-vamp of the bulletin. Look for the new Social Justice Trends in your In Box at the end of February.
In the meantime, Bishop Vincent Long, Chair of the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service, Dr. Susan Connelly rsj, Chair of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, Harrison, Yoda, my guide dog, and I wish you much happiness and peace during the upcoming season of Christmas. We look forward to joining you on the journey in 2025.