Tag Archives: offshore processing

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

Catholic Migrant office calls for reflection on asylum policy during the Christmas season.

Media Release,
23 December 2011
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office today urged both political parties to show moral leadership over the Christmas period with regard to policy debates on asylum seekers and refugees.
Director of the ACMRO Fr Maurizio Pettenà CS expressed the view that people seeking asylum need to be processed in countries who are signatories to the UN Refugee Convention and who can assure them of the opportunity to rebuild their lives in dignity.
“Richer countries like Australia have a moral duty to do more to help the world’s refugees who are mostly hosted by poorer nations” he said.
“Christmas reminds us that it is in giving that we receive. This applies even more so to how much we give to those who seek asylum. Increasing the humanitarian program is an appropriate outcome that both political parties can agree on.” Continue reading

Monsignor John Murphy – A reflection from Fr Maurizio Pettena CS

Photo courtesy of the Catholic Leader, Brisbane.

By Fr Maurizio Pettena CS

This text is also available on the website www.acmro.catholic.org.au

Monsignor John J. Murphy, former Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office concluded his journey here on earth, Monday, November 14, 2011. The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office joins the many people who mourn and offer prayers for this truly good and faithful servant of Jesus Christ and of the Church. Continue reading

Help Boat People by Increasing Settlement Places

Media Release
2 November 2011

The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office offers condolences to the victims of the
terrible tragedy of those who lost their lives off the coast of Indonesia yesterday.

Director of ACMRO, Fr Pettená said “This tragedy heightens the need to provide legal pathways
and more space within our humanitarian program. Australia has been content to resettle around
13,500 refugees per a year for over a decade, while this is generous in comparison to many
countries; it is simply not enough”. Continue reading

Help carry one another’s burdens

By Fr Maurizio Pettená – Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office

The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference is part of the community delegation supporting the Federal Government’s positive pathway towards community-based alternatives to immigration detention.

This community delegation is meeting with ministers at Parliament House today and includes: Paul Power, Refugee Council of Australia; Rev. Elenie Poulos, Uniting Church in Australia Assembly; Phil Glendenning, Edmund Rice Centre; Cassandra Goldie, Australian Council of Social Service; Brad Chilcott, Welcome to Australia; Rev. Tara Curlewis, National Council of Churches; Joe Moloney, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference; Alex Pagliaro and Tamara Lions, Amnesty International; Asmi Wood, Australian Federation of Islamic Councils; Kate Gauthier, ChilOut (Children Out of Detention); Jeremy Spinak, Executive Council of Australian Jewry; Padma Menon, Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia.

The following statement was developed by Fr Maurizio and Joe Moloney and outlines the Catholic Church’s position on issues of migration. Continue reading

ACMRO offers sympathy on death of Sri Lankan refugee;

Media Release,
28 October 2011

For more information go to www.acmro.catholic.org.au

The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office offer our condolence to the family of the Sri Lankan refugee who passed away on Wednesday, 26 October. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to the Sri Lankan community. Continue reading

The Catholic Solution

Growing up in regional Australia you will forgive me for thinking that been part of the Catholic Church was a lot like been a member of an RSL club – same thing each week and full of old people! I didn’t even know what the word “Catholic” meant and only recently found out it means “Universal”.

While I found that info on Wikipedia, I was also very blessed to actually ‘see’ our Universal Church while at World Youth Day in Madrid this year. Seeing the Church at an event where over two million Catholics from every country in the world come together in unity as sisters and brothers is an amazing sight. It was the Church in her true colours – vibrant and universal! Continue reading