Newsletter 11: 22 August 2023
Dear Colleagues,
The Catholic Church in Australia marks the last Sunday in August each year as Social Justice Sunday, with the launch of the Social Justice Statement for the following 12 months. The 2023- 2024 statement is titled Listen, Learn, Love – A New Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. With the upcoming referendum of the Voice to parliament this carefully prepared document is essential reading for all Marist educators. The title itself indicates the tone of the Bishops’ statement, grounded in the Spirit of the Gospel. Importantly the Bishops invited the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) to speak directly in the statement to Catholics in Australia and to all Australians, under the heading Listen to the Voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This section concludes with, Supporting the Voice is a Start, with the statement,
We, NATSICC, feel that the referendum is too important to fail.
The consequences for our people would be devastating. (p. 12)
The Bishops respond under the heading Learning from our Indigenous Sisters and Brothers. This section concludes under Together with Love, stating:
We, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council,
invite members of the Church to walk with
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in this year of great possibility.
We hope for an end to the pain, the hurt and the injustice
that has burdened the First Peoples of this land for far too long.
Let us commit ourselves to fostering a civilisation of love in Australia.
Let’s come together in friendship and love to show all that love can not only change individual lives, but that it can change society for the better.
In our shared commitment to make Jesus known and loved, we Marist educators also heed the words of the Provincial Brother Peter Carroll which are highlighted in one of the key online resources for all Catholics in the lead up to the referendum.
Whilst we understand that there are many voices and opinions
across Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,
we support a constitutionally enshrined voice for Indigenous peoples.
Brother Peter Carroll FMS
Provincial of the Marist Brothers
Star of the Sea Province
Earlier this week I had the privilege of meeting Mr John Lochowiak, Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council and Ms Sherry Balcombe, who is the Coordinator of Aboriginal Catholic Ministry in Melbourne. Their stories, reflections and personal experiences were generously shared with other leaders from a range of ministries in the Church with faith, hope, love and humour. One resource Sherry highlighted and is commended to you is this short video titled Voice to parliament Debunking common myths and misconceptions. The video is presented by Ms Shelley Reys, a Djirribul woman, and a partner and Board member at KPMG, as well as the CEO of Arilla Indigenous Consulting. Shelley’s concise, informative and engaging presentation is educative and addresses misconceptions some people have about the Voice to parliament.
There are many excellent resources to share with members of your school community that can be found at https://indigenousvoice.church/messages-from-our-bishops-and-religious-leaders/.