Pope Francis has released his message for the World Day of Peace 2022. This takes place on the first of January every year and this year Pope Francis focuses on dialogue between generations, education and the value of work. The Office has created a Discussion Guide for individuals and groups to use throughout the year.
The BBI-TAITE and the ACBC Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace are partnering together for an online course on Catholic Social Teaching. Open to all and reasonably priced, this course consists of eight sessions across 16 weeks. Perfect for teachers, parish leaders, diocesan workers and volunteers it looks at local, national and international issues from a Catholic Social Teaching lens. Taught by Dr. Sandie Cornish, enrolments are now open. The course begins on 15 February, 2022.
The Australian Catholic University has a scholarship which is aimed at supporting refugees who arrived in Australian as unaccompanied minors or students leaving year 12 and currently on temporary, bridging, or safe haven visas. The scholarship is for students starting their university journey and covers the full course, student service fees and provides healthcare for those not receiving medicare. Applications close 16 January, 2022.
Sandie Cornish, the Director of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace provides an overview of what to look forward to in 2022. Formation will be a key priority for the ACBC and the Office is supporting an 8-week course in Catholic Social Teaching, providing prayer and reflection materials, the launch of the Signs of Our Times Project Collaboration and continuing on the seven year Laudato Si’ Action Plan.
The Signs of Our Times Project had its soft launch on 30 November where Bishop Vincent Long welcomed the project “as a means of going deeper in our appreciation of the tradition of social teaching and action and engaging in it.” The project which started from living out Pope Francis’ call for a Culture of Encounter has produced resources parishes and schools can use to reflect on our times as we pray with scripture, reflect on CST and share our stories.
The ACBC Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace has signed a letter to Trade Minister Dan Tehan warning him against ignoring the need to waive COVID-19 vaccine monopolies. Intellectual property laws are stifling the global production of vaccines causing huge supply issues for countries and in turn vaccine rates of 7% in some African countries. The Office joins calls for the immediate waiver of these laws at the next World Trade Organisation meeting.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council has created a new online cultural competency course which provides a foundational knowledge for any Catholic worker, volunteer, Clergy or religious. To be used with engagement with local Traditional Custodians, this cultural competency course is available online and is the first of its kind to be created from a Catholic perspective. All are encouraged to participate.
Over 21 November – 24 November, NATSICC held its first ever online retreat through zoom. Over 120 people participated across the 4 days which included talks from Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green on Caring for Creation, Aunty Dulcie Isaro on Aboriginal culture and spirituality as well as online yarning circles and prayers. The talks and two beautiful prayer reflections are now available online for all the view.
Jesuit Refugee Service – Australia and the University of Western Sydney have released their report on the experience of homelessness and exclusion from housing experienced by people seeking asylum. The report found that the policies of the Federal government forced people seeking asylum into continual financial stress that detrimentally affected people’s ability to have housing, one person even staying in a small room in a car park in exchange for work.
In his message to COP26, Pope Francis said that “now is the time to act, urgently, courageously and responsibly.” Dr Sandie Cornish suggests that rather than being a cause for despair, the modest outcomes of COP26 should serve as a call to renewed action by every part of society. She reflects on COP26 and enrolling in the Laudato Si’ Action Platform.