Office For Justice, Ecology and Peace

Nelson Mandela International Day
2020-07-18 00:00 - 23:59 (Australia/Sydney)
“It is easy to break down and destroy.The heroes are those who make peace and build.” Nelson Mandela

South African leader Nelson Mandela was born on this day in 1918. A timeline of his life, and links to the texts of some of his major speeches can be accessed here.

For Reflection

What can we learn from the life and work of Nelson Mandela that will help us to promote justice and reconciliation in Australia today?

World Emoji Day
2020-07-17 00:00 - 23:59
This day was created by Emojipedia to celebrate the use of emojis. An emoji is a small digital image or icon used to convey an idea or emotion. They are different from emoticons which use characters rather than images, for example the smiley face emoticon is :). Emojis are commonly used in text messages and on social media.

Emoji exist in various genres, including facial expressions, common objects, places and types of weather, and animals. They are much like emoticons, but emoji are actual pictures instead of typographics.

If you are confused about the meaning of the many emojis that you see, that’s what Emojipedia is for – is is a visual encyclopedia of emojis.

Originating on Japanese mobile phones in 1997, emoji became increasingly popular worldwide in the 2010’s after being added to several mobile operating systems. They are now considered to be a large part of popular culture in the west. For example, in 2015, Oxford Dictionaries named the Face with Tears of Joy emoji Word of the Year. Find out more about emoji here.

Image Credit

1945: Detonation of the first atomic bomb, New Mexico USA
2020-07-16 00:00 - 23:59
“Any act of war aimed indiscriminately at the destruction of entire cities or extensive areas along with their population is a crime against God and humanity itself. It merits unequivocal and unhesitating condemnation.” Vatican II, Gaudium et Spes, n 80.

The code name for the operation that lead to the first use of this weapon of mass destruction was ‘Trinity’. It is a distressing reminder of the disordered relationship with God that underpins the quest for the power to destroy the whole of creation.

The International Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons are marking the 75th anniversary of the detonation of the first atomic bomb with a webinar and campaign of action.

World Youth Skills Day
2020-07-15 00:00 - 23:59
This day highlights the importance of youth skills because rising youth unemployment is seen as one of the most significant problems facing economies and societies in the world today, both for developed and developing countries. Find out more here.

St Bonaventure
2020-07-15 00:00 - 23:59
Saint Bonaventure … played an important role in both the medieval Church and the history of the Franciscan Order. A senior faculty member at the University of Paris, Saint Bonaventure certainly captured the hearts of his students through his academic skills and insights. But more importantly, he captured their hearts through his Franciscan love for Jesus and the Church. Like his model, Saint Francis, Jesus was the center of everything—his teaching, his administration, his writing, and his life. So much so, that he was given the title “Seraphic Doctor.” Franciscan Media, Saint of the Day.

It is through Saint Bonaventure’s writings that we have learned much of what we know about the life of St Francis of Assisi.

Trivia question: how many times did Pope Francis quote St Bonaventure in his encyclical Laudato Si’ on the care of our common home?

1995: Proclamation of Aboriginal Flag and Torres Strait Islander Flag as official flags of Australia
2020-07-14 00:00 - 23:59
Did you know that the Australian national flag is not the only official flag of Australia? The Australian Aboriginal Flag and Torres Strait Islander Flag were proclaimed as official flags of Australia on 14 July 1995. Find out more here.

This would be a great day to invite people from your local Aboriginal Catholic Ministry or local Land Council to talk to your parish, school or group about what it means to them for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags to be officially recognized.

1971: Aboriginal Flag first flown, Adelaide SA
2020-07-12 00:00 - 23:59
Does your parish, school or Catholic organisation fly the Aboriginal flag? If not, perhaps you can consider doing so on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday and other special dates such as Sorry Day, NAIDOC Week and Reconciliation Week?

Find out more about the Aboriginal flag here.

World Population Day
2020-07-11 00:00 - 23:59
World Population Day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues.

1985: Sinking of Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior in Auckland
2020-07-10 00:00 - 23:59

St Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions
2020-07-09 00:00 - 23:59
Augustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his baptism, Augustine was ordained as a diocesan priest. He was martyred in 1815. Beatified in groups at various times, these 120 martyrs were canonized together in Rome on October 1, 2000. https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-augustine-zhao-rong-and-companions/

Find out more here.

1945: Blessed Peter To Rot
2020-07-07 00:00 - 23:59
On this day in 1945 Blessed Peter To Rot was martyred in Papua New Guinea. Find out more about his life here.

1839: Massacre of Aboriginal people at Chimney Pots, Grampians, Vic: 60 people estimated killed
2020-07-06 00:00 - 23:59

1935: Birth of the Dalai Lama in Tibet
2020-07-06 00:00 - 23:59

NAIDOC Week
2020-07-05 00:00 - 2020-07-12 23:59
Here is an important announcement from the National NAIDOC Committee:

The National NAIDOC Committee has decided to postpone NAIDOC Week 2020 (5 July – 12 July) in the interest of safety for our communities. This decision was not taken lightly. We have taken on-board the advice from the Federal Government, health experts, our key partners and from leading national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health organisations. We all believe that an escalating COVID-19 (Coronavirus) crisis as we head into winter would have disastrous impacts on our mob – especially for our elders and those in our communities with chronic health issues. The National NAIDOC Awards scheduled for Saturday 11 July in Alice Springs will not go ahead as planned. We have suspended the nomination process for the National NAIDOC Awards 2020 and announcement of the winner of the poster competition until further notice. The 2020 NAIDOC Local Grants Round has also been closed until further notice. We are in the process of finalising a new date for NAIDOC Week 2020 – towards the end of the year – and we’ll continue to work closely with the National Indigenous Australians Agency and our partners for NAIDOC Week 2020. We will keep you updated. National NAIDOC Committee

The NAIDOC 2020 theme, Always Was, Always Will Be, recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. This is also a great time to get in touch with your local Aboriginal Catholic Ministry or to check out NATSICCTV to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences, perspectives and contributions to life of the Church here.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday
2020-07-05 00:00 - 23:59
Bishop Don Sproxton’s Message for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday is the first Sunday in July. NAIDOC Week follows because it is always celebrated in the first full week of July. This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, there will be an online Mass for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday steamed live from the Adelaide Cathedral.

Here is an online Acknowledgement of Country that you can use at your own events.

Online Acknowledgement of Country from NATSICC

The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) is producing materials to help parishes organisations and schools to celebrate this special Sunday in an appropriate manner. Check out this page on their website for videos and images that you can use in your own liturgical celebrations, whether face to face or streamed.

Find out more about NATSICC’s concerns for First Nations communities facing COVID-19 and the ways in which NATSICC is responding here.

International Day of Cooperatives
2020-07-04 00:00 - 23:59
The United Nations International Day of Cooperatives is celebrated annually on the first Saturday of July. This year, the theme of the International Day of Cooperatives 2020 is Cooperatives for Climate Action. Since 1995, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the United Nations have been setting the theme for the celebration of the International Day through Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC).

Find out more here.

St Thomas, Apostle
2020-07-03 00:00 - 23:59
We feel great kinship for the apostle Thomas because, like him, most of us curiously combine faith and doubt. We sometimes share the enthusiasm St. Thomas expressed when upon Lazarus’s death Jesus decided to go to Bethany. “Let’s go too,” Thomas said to the other disciples,“that we may die with him” (see John 11:16). But also like him we sometimes wonder where Jesus is headed and where he is taking us (see John 14:5).

2016: Election of Linda Burney as first Aboriginal woman member of the Australian Parliament
2020-07-02 00:00 - 23:59
The Hon Linda Burney MP has contributed significantly to the development of Indigenous communities locally, regionally and nationally as an educator, championing reconciliation in Australia, as Member of the NSW Parliament, and as the Federal Member for Barton.

In 2014 she received a NAIDOC Week lifetime achievement award. You can read the citation here.

1970: Death of women's rights activist Jessie Street
2020-07-02 00:00 - 23:59
https://www.nationalwomenslibrary.org.au/aboutus/who-was-jessie-street/
Jessie Street (1889-1970) was an activist, a feminist and a lifelong campaigner for women’s rights, the peace movement and the elimination of discrimination against Aboriginal people.

1971: Yvonne Goolangong Crawley wins Wimbledon
2020-07-02 00:00 - 23:59

2012: Commencement of the Fair Work Amendment (TCF Industry) Act
2020-07-01 00:00 - 23:59
Many of the outworkers in the garment industry are migrant women. They are often vulnerable to exploitation due to limited English language skills or lack of knowledge about their rights as workers. The 2012 amendment to the Fair Work Act aimed at ensuring fair pay and conditions for them. Find out more here.

The amendment was the result of an extensive fair wear campaign by trade unions and community groups. At the international level, the Fair Wear Foundation continues to work for safe, dignified and properly paid work in the garment industry.

Check out the website of Ethical Clothing Australia to find out how to ensure that your clothing was not made in just conditions.

Coming of the Light Festival
2020-07-01 00:00 - 23:59
The Coming of the Light is a holiday celebrated by Torres Strait Islanders on 1 July each year. It recognises the adoption of Christianity through island communities during the late nineteenth century. Find out more here.

1945: Introduction of unemployment benefits in Australia
2020-06-30 00:00 - 23:59

World Social Media Day
2020-06-30 00:00 - 23:59
Can you imagine living through a pandemic without social media? World Social Media Day is a time to recognise and celebrate social media’s impact of global communication.

Here are some ideas for activities:

Revisit the Social Justice Statement Making it Real: Genuine human encounter in our digital world with your parish, school or community group.Share examples of positive uses of social media to promote social justice.Review the social media policy or guidelines of your parish or community group.Write reviews of your favorite spirituality apps for your parish Facebook page or Catholic magazines – you can submit them for our Social Justice Trends!

2009: Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth)
2020-06-29 00:00 - 23:59
“Knowing that we, as persons and communities, are part of God’s family gives us a vision and energy to serve a truly integral human development.” Pope Benedict XVI, Caritas in Veritate, n 78.

Read a general introduction to Caritas in Veritate here.

Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles
2020-06-29 00:00 - 23:59

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
2020-06-26 00:00 - 23:59

1950: The Korean War begins
2020-06-25 00:00 - 23:59

Day of the Seafarer
2020-06-25 00:00 - 23:59
As the Day of the Seafarer celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, seafarers are on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read about the Church in Australia’s support for seafarers on the Ruby Princess here. Find out more about the work of the Apostleship of the Sea here.

Nativity of John the Baptist
2020-06-24 00:00 - 23:59
