Australia is facing a deepening crisis. Over 273,000 people sought help from homelessness services last year, many also struggling with mental illness.
This year’s Social Justice Statement calls us to follow the example of Jesus, who always noticed, listened to, and cared for those on the edge of society.
In the 2024 – 2025 Social Justice Statement, “Truth and Peace: A Gospel Word in a Violent World”, Australia’s Bishops scrutinise the signs of our own troubled times, observe the violence around us, and ask why it is so. They also ask what is needed if there is to be peace.
Following the 2023 Social Justice Statement “Listen, Learn, Love: A New Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples”, and the Australian Bishop’s commitments within, the Office for Justice, Ecology, and Peace has compiled the following resources in consultation with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC).
Laudato Si’ Week is a time to re-commit ourselves to the ecological conversion to which Pope Francis invited us in Laudato Si’. The Office has produced new resources for the week focussing on listening to the ecological wisdom of Indigenous Peoples.
In the years since the National Apology, its impact continues to resonate. It remains a touchstone for ongoing efforts towards reconciliation, reminding Australians of the importance of acknowledging the past to build a more inclusive and just society for all.
Last week, the Prime Ministers of Australia, Canada and New Zealand issued a joint statement calling on the Israeli Government to initiate an immediate ceasefire in its war on Hamas. The statement comes as Israel prepares for a ground operation in Rafah.
Recent findings from the Productivity Commission’s Closing the Gap Review highlight the lack of progress made towards equality in Australia and remind us of the urgent need to address ongoing disparities faced by Indigenous Australians.
Director of OJEP, Peter Arndt, reflects on his experience working with guide dogs, and the challenges and discrimations people with disabilities still face in daily life.
Extra funds promise to speed up processing of protection claims by people seeking asylum, but concerns about destitution and homelessness for tens of thousands of people seeking asylum still exist.
We take a look at the Pope’s new Apostolic Exhortation on integral ecology, Laudate Deum, and give you a way in which you can take action leading up to the upcoming climate conference in Dubai.