06.29.09
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Achievements Should Be Recognised
Monday 29 June 2009
NAIDOC 2009
Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission has urged Catholics in the Archdiocese of Brisbane to take more interest in learning about the achievements of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.
The Commission made the call in the lead-up to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday on 5 July and NAIDOC Week which runs from 5 to 11 July.
The Commission’s Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday is marked in the Church in order to celebrate the culture and contribution of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders to the Church and the community.
He said that NAIDOC Week also provided an opportunity within the wider community for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to celebrate the ancient and living culture of the first peoples of Australia.
“At other times in the year like National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week, we can reflect on the serious injustices faced by Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, but Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday and NAIDOC Week is a time for celebration and for honouring the first peoples of our land,” Mr Arndt said.
“In no way are we trying to downplay the seriousness of matters like the level of Indigenous poverty or the big life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, but it is important to take some time to reflect on the gifts and achievements of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders,” he said.
“How many of us know about the stories of the local Aboriginal people in our own community?” he asked.
“How many parishes and schools have made an effort to develop relationships with the local elders?” he also asked.
“Do we know about the wonderful achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in sport, the arts, medicine, the law and business?” he said.
“There are so many great initiatives developed and run by Aboriginal people that we should be celebrating too,” he said.
“How many of us know about the native salad project of the Dhugamin Aboriginal Corporation on the Fraser Coast which is growing and selling traditional bush tucker to local restaurants?” he said.
“We should all know about the establishment of the Traditional Credit Union which provides personalised quality financial services to individuals and organisations in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory,” he said.
“Magabala Books is a tremendous initiative of Aboriginal people in Western Australia which publishes the work of Aboriginal authors and encourages Aboriginal communities to record their history and culture,” he said.
“The Brisbane Indigenous Media Associaton has been an invaluable resource supporting local Indigenous people who want to get involved in the media and the Murriajabree Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Association is doing wonderful work providing support to Indigenous mothers and families in Deception Bay,” he said.
“Indigenous Australians face many significant problems, but they are also a proud people with a rich culture and a commitment to taking the initiative to do some great things for their benefit and for the benefit of the whole community,” he said.
“This is something worth recognising and celebrating,” he said.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday and NAIDOC Week could be a launchpad for efforts by many Catholic communities in our Archdiocese to learn more about local Aboriginal people and the initiatives they are taking,” he said.
All are welcome to participate in an ecumenical NAIDOC Week service on 5 July next to Jagera Arts Hall in Musgrave Park, South Brisbane, at 2 p.m.
Everyone is also welcome to come to the NAIDOC Week Family Fun Day at Musgrave Park from 9 a.m. on Friday 10 July.
For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.
NB This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right. The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.
06.03.09
Catholics Encouraged to Take Action on Climate Change
Monday 1 June 2009
World Environment Day 2009
Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission has encouraged Catholics to take action on climate change as part of their faith commitment.
The Commission’s Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that caring for the Earth and its resources is an important part of our Christian responsibility.
The call was made with the approach of World Environment Day on 5 June.
“We must take the threat of dangerous climate change seriously,” Mr Arndt said.
“It is very easy to create doubt in people’s minds and, unfortunately, that is exactly what a number of very vocal climate change skeptics have been doing,” he said.
“It is simply not sensible to embrace the views of a handful of scientists challenging the reality of accelerated climate change and to dismiss the collective views of several thousand climate scientists from around the world who have assessed all the data and say that climate change is happening and is a serious threat,” he said.
“Too often, we hear the skeptics pointing to limited evidence to support their case and we do not hear the substantial counter arguments from eminent climate scientists,” he said.
“With so many eminent climate scientists supporting the case for accelerated and dangerous climate change on the basis of a wealth of scientific evidence, it is prudent for us to take action now as individuals, as a country and as a global community,” he said.
“If the scientific evidence is right, there is no time to waste,” he said.
“We have a moral responsibility to take action now to protect the interests of future generations and the whole planet,” he said.
“To ignore these predictions, based on so much scientific evidence and supported by so many climate scientists, risks leaving our grandchildren and great- grandchildren with a truly awful legacy,” he said.
“one of the greatest obstacles to action on climate change is that it requires significant changes in the way we do things as individuals and as a society,” he said.
“But we know that we can deal with change if it is needed,” he said.
“Look at the magnificent way in which people in South-East Queensland accepted the need for change when we faced a serious water crisis in the last few years,” he said.
“We cannot afford to wait for ten or twenty years to see if the climate change models of scientists start to come true because we will have gone too far down the track by then,” he said.
“We encourage Catholics to make an effort to look at all the scientific evidence and not just the limited information put forward by a handful of scientists or by others who deny the reality of climate change,” he said.
“When people see the overwhelming evidence presented by so many respected scientists, we believe that they will seek out information on what can be done by individuals to address the threat of dangerous climate change,” he said.
“And more and more people will add their voices to those calling for governments to act quickly and effectively on climate change,” he said.
For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.
NB This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right. The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.
05.24.09
Commission Says Sorry Day Still Needs to Be Marked
Monday 18 May 2009
Sorry (Tony Albert)
Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission has urged Catholics to continue to commemorate National Sorry Day on 26 May.
National Sorry Day has been marked on this day each year since the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission’s Bringing Them Home Report was handed to the Federal Government in 1997.
The report details the Commission’s findings from an inquiry into the policy of forcible removal of Indigenous children from their families and communities over much of the twentieth century.
The Day precedes National Reconciliation Week which runs from the anniversary of the 1967 referendum on May 27 when Indigenous people were recognized as citizens and the anniversary of the High Court’s recognition of native title in the Mabo Case on 3 June.
The Brisbane Commission’s Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that Indigenous people place great importance on National Sorry Day because it gives them an opportunity to remember the grief and loss they have suffered as a result of the policy.
“Despite the momentous apology of the Federal Parliament to members of the Stolen Generations on 13 February 2008, there is still much healing to be done,” Mr Arndt said.
“There is still much pain and trauma for many Aboriginal people because of this practice,” he said.
“The Federal Government recognized this fact when they announced the establishment of a Stolen Generations Healing Foundation on the first anniversary of the apology this year,” he said.
“There will be a number of National Sorry Day ceremonies at Bringing Them Home Plaques around Brisbane and at various locations in South-East Queensland on the day and we would encourage Catholics to join with Indigenous people in remembering the pain and making commitments to be a part of the healing process,” he said.
“We would also hope that parishes and schools around the Archdiocese will mark the day in some way,” he said.
“Despite the apology, there is still a lot of ignorance about the forcible removal policies and this must be addressed,” he said.
“The Bringing Them Home Home Report recommended education about the practice in schools and for a range of professionals who work with Indigenous people,” he said.
“We cannot come to terms with the on-going effects of the trauma of forcible removal unless we know the history,” he said.
“Teachers, police, lawyers, social workers, doctors and nurses all need to know what happened so they can understand why there are problems for some Indigenous people,” he said.
“We ask Catholics to read summaries of the Bringing Them Home Report and look at its recommendations,” he said.
“When you read the recommendations, it becomes very clear that there is still so much more that needs to be done,” he said.
“We must also keep asking Governments why they reject recommendations that affected people receive reparations payments,” he said.
“The Tasmanian Government has established a standard for the Federal Government and other State and Territory Governments in making reparations payments to members of the Stolen Generations a couple of years ago,” he said.
“We should all be asking the Federal Government and our own Queensland Government to follow Tasmania’s example,” he said.
For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.
NB This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right. The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.
03.30.09
Earth Hour Should Be Followed Up
Earth Hour
Monday 30 March 2009
Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission has urged Catholics to continue taking action to promote effective Government climate change policies.
The call was made following Earth Hour on Saturday 28 March when households and businesses were encouraged to turn off their lights for an hour to send a message about the need for strong and urgent action on climate change to Governments around the world.
The Commission’s Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that many Catholics would have joined community members around Australia by turning off their lights during Earth Hour.
“Pope Benedict, Pope John Paul II and Australia’s Bishops have encouraged Catholics to understand that caring for the earth is an important part of our faith,” Mr Arndt said.
“So, it is natural that many Catholics would have participated in Earth Hour as a way of acting to promote responsible management of our environment and earth’s resources,” he said.
“We hope that Catholics will try to continue to impress on our political leaders the need for strong action on the environment,” he said.
“Many Catholic parishes, schools and households are taking steps to reduce their contribution to the greenhouse gas pollution which has caused greatly accelerated climate change,” he said.
“Reducing use of electricity and other forms of energy, more responsible use of water and better waste management are some of the ways in which this is being done,” he said.
“We applaud these actions and encourage Catholics to continue their efforts to live more sustainably,” he said.
“However, we need Governments at all levels in Australia to develop policies which commit our nation to deeper cuts in greenhouse emissions so that our children and grandchildren will not have to deal with very serious environmental problems,” he said.
“We hope that the many Catholics who took part in Earth Hour will find the time in the coming months to keep sending messages to local MPs and the Federal and State Governments urging that strong and urgent action on climate change be taken,” he said.
“Serious long term problems like accelerated climate change will not go away but get much worse if we put them to one side to focus attention on serious short term problems like the current financial crisis,” he said.
“Governments must keep doing what is needed to effectively respond to the critical global warming problem while they are also helping people who have been caught up in the problems associated with the global financial crisis,” he said.
Mr Arndt said the Commission’s sustainability task group was working on initiatives to help parishes in their efforts to respond to the climate change crisis.
For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.
NB This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right. The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.
03.28.09
Death Penalty Prayer for Good Friday
Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission will hold a further vigil to pray for all those on death row around the world.
The prayer vigil will take place on Good Friday, April 10, at noon at Christ the King Church, Churchill Street, Graceville.
The Commission’s Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that the plight of Scott Rush, whose family is part of the local Corinda-Graceville Parish, will continue to be a special focus of the vigil.
“We want to pray for all those around the world who face execution, but we are especially conscious of the pain and suffering of Scott Rush and his parents, Chris and Lee,” Mr Arndt said.
“We are very grateful for the support given to us by Fr Tim Harris and the Corinda-Graceville Parish,” he said.
“There are some comments coming from Indonesia which suggest that the time for further appeals by Scott and other Australians on death row may be limited, but we are not sure if this is actually the case,” he said.
“We do know that the Australian Government is adopting a much more positive attitude to universal abolition of capital punishment and this is very welcome,” he said.
“We hope that Catholics will continue to find the time to approach our politicians to ensure that they are doing everything they can to stop the execution of Scott and everyone else on death row,” he said.
“But we also want everyone praying constantly for Scott and his family and for everyone else affected by a death sentence in Indonesia and around the world,” he said.
“The day when Jesus was executed is an appropriate day for us to remember all those also facing execution,” he said.
“For those of us who believe in the message of the crucified Jesus, the message of God’s mercy, compassion and forgiveness is vital,” he said.
“We appeal to Catholics to stand against the violence of the death penalty and to stand up for life,” he said.
For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.
NB This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right. The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.
03.22.09
Soul Exercises
“The St Ignatius Justice & Peace Group at Toowong Parish have developed a set of soul-exercises for Lent. It is a useful resource to help us to nurture a spirituality of justice, peace and sustainability.
02.18.09
Web of the Cross 2009
As in previous years, Tony Robertson, our web editor, has prepared a reflection resource for Lent, Web of the Cross.
This site is a meditation using the Way of the Cross. Each “station” is linked to a web site that invites you to a response in faith to the suffering Christ in our global village. Some sites provide a directed meditation, others take you to a page of links for your reflection.
This series is based on the revised Stations of the Cross released by the Congregation of Rites in 1975. Visit the Online images of this series of the Stations by Peter Schipperheyn, created for Notre Dame University Fremantle. W.A.
This site has its origins in a Spirituality Project of the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission in Brisbane for 2000, the Year of Great Jubilee The 2009 version has been updated and includes a selection of sites from International Sources as well as Australia.
