Catholic Identity & Mission News

Last Sunday was Social Justice Sunday – a day where we particularly remember and celebrate the Catholic Church’s commitment to promoting justice and the principles of Catholic Social Teaching (CST). CST principles include prioritising the dignity of each human person, providing a preferential option for the poor, being in solidarity with others and helping them reach their full potential, and enabling subsidiarity by providing the opportunity for voice in decision making.  It is therefore very timely that the annual Social Justice Statement, released by the Australian Catholic Bishops, centres around our engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In fact, this year their statement is called Listen, Learn, Love: A New Engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. This new statement is issued at an important time for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and, indeed, for all Australians. In the next few months, many of us (our senior students included!) will vote on a referendum to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians through enshrining a Voice to Parliament in the Constitution.  Peter Arndt, writing the release for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC), states, “Both the Bishops and NATSICC speak to us in this year’s statement. They see the referendum as an opportunity for the Church to begin a new engagement with the First Peoples of our land and they see this year as an opportunity for the Church to lead the way for all Australians. Instead of telling the First Peoples what should happen, they say we need to listen to them and learn from them what is the best way to overcome their significant disadvantage. Instead of arrogance, the Church can lead the way to a better future for the First Peoples and for all Australians by engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in a spirit of humility and love.”  At St Peter’s, the visibility and practice of Catholic Social Teaching has been enhanced by this year’s referendum and is consolidated by this Social Justice Statement. As we have acknowledged country this year, we’ve referenced the support of the Australian Catholic Bishops for greater indigenous voice, and we continue to pray that our annual theme ‘Let your light shine’ will encourage all in our College community to actively model Christ’s love, justice and hope in all that we do.

As such, we are inspired by the Bishops and NATSICC invitation into a new engagement with our Indigenous brothers and sisters as is reflected in the statement’s conclusion: We, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and the National Aboriginaland 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.” If you have not yet read this year’s statement, you can find a copy of it HERE.

Fiona McKenna

Deputy Principal - Catholic Identity & Mission