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.
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 a media statement on 14 October 2021, Bishop Long welcomed the end of the Australian offshore detention program in Papua New Guinea. However durable solutions are needed for those refugees and asylum seekers who do not wish to settle there, and the program continues in Nauru.
The first anniversary of the release of Pope Francis’ encyclical, Fratelli Tutti was celebrated on 3 October, 2021. The encyclical, which focuses on social friendship and overcoming racism and discrimination through dialogue and encounter has a new website which contains many resources all can use to share its message that we are all one human family. Videos, infographics, reflections, social media graphics, photos and prayers are available.
The Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum, of which the ACBC Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace is a part, is running an ongoing campaign to support the people of Afghanistan. It is looking for people to contact their local member of Parliament and advocate for 20,000 refugee places and permanent protection. Offshore processes will end in Papua New Guinea with the Australia and PNG governments ending their agreement. It will continue on Nauru.
The Diocese of Parramatta and the Archdiocese of Sydney have both had a busy month in August and September as they launched the Australian Bishops Social Justice Statement 2021-22, Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor, ran several events for the Season of Creation… Read More »Parramatta and Sydney Dioceses gather for climate and refugees
Australian Government family reunion policies have been found to ‘prolong family separation and exacerbate its negative effects’ in Jesuit Refugee Service Australia’s submission (JRS) to the Senate Standing Committee of Legal and Constitutional Affairs Inquiry into the process and granting of family reunion visas. Based on the experience of thousands of those they work with, JRS highlighted five ways this occurs and provided eight recommendations for consideration including abolishing bans on overseas travel for temporary reunions overseas.
Deuteronomy 10: 12 – 19 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and… Read More »World Refugee Day
The Social Justice Statement 2015-16 invites us to reflect on the call of Jesus to welcome those in most need and to give comfort to those who come to us in flight from fear and suffering.