Tag Archives: justice

Crisis in Congo – Church leaders say DRC on brink of war

Congolese women – Caritas Australia

Media Release, 23 November, 2012

Fear and insecurity has sent tens of thousands of innocent civilians into hiding and flight as the M23 Rebels now occupy Goma, the main city in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The military spokesperson of the M23 has now publically declared that the rebels are prepared to march onwards to take over the country’s capital, Kinshasa should the people “invite” them.

Caritas is extremely concerned that water and electricity supplies have been cut off; accentuating the panic and uncertainty amongst the city of one million people. Continue reading

International Day of People with Disability – Removing barriers to create inclusive society

Banner – International Day

Media Release, November 26, 2012

The International Day of People with Disability is celebrated on 3 December each year, with this year’s theme of, “Removing barriers to create an inclusive and accessible society for all.”

Bishop Terence Brady, the Australian Bishops’ Delegate for Disability Issues, said that there is much evidence of the types of barriers that are faced by people with disability, and that Church communities can find ways to address these.

“Barriers can take a variety of forms, including those relating to the physical environment or to information and communications technology (ICT), or those resulting from legislation or policy, or from societal attitudes or discrimination.” Continue reading

Bishops’ Australia Day call for time limit on detention

Media Release
24 January, 2012

To mark Australia Day, the Catholic Bishops Commission for Justice, Ecology and Development calls upon political parties to work towards a common approach to asylum seekers, so that human beings do not become pawns in a political argument. Further, and more immediately, to honour the Australian sense of justice and compassion, there must be a defined limit to incarceration in detention centres for people who are not criminals. The Bishops are calling on the Government to limit detention to three months.

Four of the Bishops who signed this statement minister directly to asylum seekers in immigration detention centres located in their dioceses. Bishop Julian Porteous, Auxiliary Bishop in Sydney, supported the opinions of the other Bishops who have direct involvement in the pastoral care of asylum seekers in detention. “Prolonged and indefinite detention in these facilities can only produce psychological damage”, he said. Continue reading

Typhoon Washi fallout escalates, Caritas Australia opens appeal for Philippines

Photo by Bobby Timonera

Media Release
December 19, 2011

With the death toll rising dramatically to 652, more than 50,000 displaced and over 800 people still missing, aid and development agency, Caritas Australia, has requested urgent public support from Australians to deal with the large-scale emergency response needed in the Philippines. Continue reading

The Christmas story of asylum seekers

By Fr Maurizio Pettena CS

Yesterday, I stood in front of the Nativity scene that is displayed in front of St Mary’s Cathedral in Sydney and considered it for a moment. The Christmas story, as always during December, is much on my mind and in my prayer this week. Even David Jones just down the road has a beautiful display in its windows of puppets re-enacting the Christmas story, complete with baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, the three kings and the angels. A huge group of tourists had gathered to watch the mechanical puppets, taking photos and in some way, celebrating what Christmas is about. Continue reading

GLOBAL GIFTS – CHRISTMAS 2011: IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THEM!

LEAVE the chocolates in the aisle, your friends eat too much anyway.

LEAVE the wine on the shelf, your Dad doesn’t need another drop.

LEAVE the handcreams where they are, your Mum doesn’t really doesn’t like them.

AND don’t even think about toys. There’s just no more room for them.
So take a deep breath. For Christmas why not buy your kin something useful? Something really useful.

Aid and development agency, Caritas Australia, has launched its 2011 Global Gifts campaign _ a one-stop shop for anyone who thinks beyond their own wants. Continue reading

“One Body in Christ” –Disability Council releases new resource for people with disabilities


“One Body in Christ” – Release of a New Resource for Welcoming People with Disability
Media Release
16.11.11

The Australian Catholic Disability Council and the Disability Projects Office of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference have released today a new resource for parishes and Church communities called One Body in Christ, Welcoming People with Disability. Continue reading