Social Justice Trends

Latest news from the Office for Social Justice

Dear Friend

As Palm Sunday approaches, our March issue focuses on peace and non-violence.

FROM THE CHAIR

Seeking a Better JobSeeker

In a submission to the Australian Government, Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen, Chair of the Catholic Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service, has called for a substantial and permanent increase to the JobSeeker allowance. He rejected the proposed increase to JobSeeker in the Social Services Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Income Support ) Bill 2021 as inadequate. Bishop Long said "it is imperative that the Federal Government provide income support sufficient for a dignified life. This is a basic demand of human dignity and the common good."

ACTION

Call to Prayer for Myanmar

In the Palm Sunday tradition of protest in favour of peace and non-violent alternatives for addressing social, ecological, economic and political issues, the Office for Social Justice invites you to pray on Palm Sunday for justice and peace in Myanmar. We offer a simple prayer resource that can be adapted for use in families, schools, groups or communities, or for private prayer and reflection. For example, you could use some of the intercessions at Mass, print extracts in your newsletter or bulletin, or simply say the closing prayer alone or with others. Download and share the PDF file.

NEWS

CHA's Five Priorities for Aged Care

Responding to the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, Catholic Health Australia has called on the Australian Government to concentrate on five key areas. They are: placing families and older Australians at the heart of the system; training the aged care workforce properly and paying them more; greater transparency and disclosure so that people can make informed choices; secure funding to ensure sustainability of services; and greater integration between health and aged care.

Read more...

ACTION

Sign the Sydney Statement

The Sydney Statement is an interfaith charter that details how to engage in interfaith relations with others - in daily life, in acting together for the common good, in sharing knowledge about each other's religions, and in exchanging spirituality - and to promote interreligious dialogue within one's own community. Youth PoWR (Parliament of the World's Religions) generated the content of The Sydney Statement, approved its text and authorised its publication. Everyone is invited to sign up to its values, principles and commitments on its dedicated website.

ACTION

People's Inquiry for an Independent and Peaceful Australia

The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network brings together community, peace and faith organisations, environment groups, trade unions and individuals. It is inviting people into a national conversation about the impacts of the US-Australia alliance. The inquiry will produce recommendations for a more independent Australian foreign policy that plays a role in solving international conflicts peacefully. Express your views, concerns or suggest alternatives for the future.

RESOURCE

Rising Tides, Raising Voices for the Pacific

The Inter-Congregational Voice on Climate Change is made up of 23 Catholic religious congregations working in solidarity with Pacific Island nations to address the injustice of climate change. It listens to and works with the Pacific communities on the front lines to bring their voices to the centre of climate change discourse. In this beautifully presented 28-page document they bring together the voices of Pacific people, data about climate change and a moral framework for a faithful response.

EVENT

Anniversary of Pacem in Terris - 11 April

The encyclical Pacem in Terris is known in English as Peace on Earth. It was published in 1963 in the wake of the Cuban missile crisis and focuses on issues of peace in a nuclear age. It revisits the application of the just war theory in the light of the development of these weapons of mass destruction. John XXIII welcomed and affirmed a broad range of human rights in this encyclical. It was seen as a Catholic charter of human rights.

EVENT

World Day for Health and Safety at Work - 28 April

The International Labour Organisation began to celebrate this day in 2003, however the trade union movement globally has marked this day as the International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers since 1996. In 2021 the focus will be on anticipating, preparing for and responding to crises. Last year's celebration included a major report on violence and harassment at work.

FEEDBACK

If you have any feedback for the Office for Social Justice, please contact our Editor Sandie Cornish at sandie.cornish@catholic.org.au.

BISHOPS COMMISSION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE, MISSION AND SERVICE

Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFM Conv (Chair), Bishop Paul Bird CSsR, Bishop Terence Brady, Bishop Max Davis, Bishop Karol Kulczycki SDS, Bishop Bosco Puthur, Bishop Christopher Saunders, Bishop Donald Sproxton.

FORWARD TO A FRIEND
If you know someone who would like to view this newsletter, please click here.
If your friend would like to subscribe to this list, please click here.

DISCLAIMER
The Office for Social Justice facilitates this newsletter in good faith. Its aim is to promote adult faith formation, awareness and action in relation to social, economic and ecological justice issues. Factual information is presumed free of error. If this is found to be incorrect please contact the OSJ for purposes of rectification. The reference to news items and the provision of links to other websites is solely for the user's convenience. The OSJ assumes no responsibility for, nor does it necessarily endorse, these items or websites, their content, or their sponsoring organisations.

Social Justice Trends is a publication of the Office for Social Justice and is distributed monthly. Our aim is to provide news of interest to you. If you have suggestions or feedback about Social Justice Trends please don't hesitate to get back to me.

Dr Sandie Cornish
Social Justice Officer
Office for Social Justice
sandie.cornish@catholic.org.au

You are receiving this because you subscribed from the Office for Social Justice (OSJ) website. The OSJ is an agency of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.