In This years Social Justice Statement, Australia’s Bishops invite us to renew our engagement with the First Peoples of Australia. They have come to this view through much listening to the First Peoples and they encourage us all to listen to them in a spirit of love and humility.
We explore Pope Francis’ prayer intention for April which focusses on non-violence.
Peter Arndt, Director of the Office reflects on Advent and particularly on seeing God with us each day. The hustle and bustle of this time of year can stop us seeing and hearing God in our day-to-day lives. He urges us to keep Christ in our celebrations of Christmas by remembering and including people excluded from society and our brother and sisters in the environment in our celebrations. Peter farewells Patrice Moriarty who is moving on from her support of the Office.
Peter Arndt, Director of the Office reflects on Advent and particularly on seeing God with us each day. The hustle and bustle of this time of year can stop us seeing and hearing God in our day-to-day lives. He urges us to keep Christ in our celebrations of Christmas by remembering and including people excluded from society and our brother and sisters in the environment in our celebrations. Peter farewells Patrice Moriarty who is moving on from her support of the Office.
On 25 November, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace worked with ACRATH, Jesuit Refugee Service and Small Steps 4 Hannah to provide an online workshop to advocate for the elimination of violence against women and girls, and against domestic and… Read More »WATCH: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women Event
Respect: Confronting Violence and Abuse points out that the roots of domestic and family violence “lie in the abuse of power to control and dominate others” and that “this stands in contrast to the relationships to which God calls us”. Our relationships should be “marked by equality and reciprocity rather than domination and violence, respect and freedom rather than coercion and control”. We reject the manipulation of religious teachings to justify violence and abuse. We support women in calling for respect in relationships; their lives and those of their children are sacred.
The Australian Catholic Bishops have released a new election resource highlighting key issues for consideration this election. The guide doesn’t assign ratings to candidates or parties, but rather gives a background on the different issues that could affect the election and information on these issues from a Catholic perspective.
Pax Christi Victoria held an online conference entitled Where Does Australia’s Security Lie? Director of the Office, Dr. Sandie Cornish provided input into the discussion, centring on the concept of a just peace and Pope Francis’ latest encyclical, Fratetlli Tutti on social friendship. This talk is now available online for all to download and reflect upon.
Archbishop Mark Coleridge, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and Bishop Mykola Bychok, leader of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Australia have released a joint statement calling for peace after Russia invaded Ukraine. “Ukraine is a peaceful nation. We don’t want war.” Caritas is support people on the ground fleeing the conflict in dire straits.
Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Archbishop Mark Coleridge has expressed indignation at what is happening in Ukraine and called for a rejection of the madness of war and a return to reason, saying “the peace of the world is at stake”.