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Faith, Justice and Formation

National Refugee Week

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This week is National Refugee Week, with the 2026 theme of A Million Stories. This week is a reminder for us to celebrate what refugees have to offer our nation as well as a time to work for their protection and dignity. 

 

In Pope Leo’s recent Encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, he talks about the dignity of all humanity. Those of us who have much, often need to be reminded of the humanity of refugees and how they need our care and welcome. Let us place ourselves in their shoes.

 

No refugee or person seeking asylum wants to leave their home. Many of you will know this firsthand. But sadly, they are forced to due to political or social reasons, climate change affecting their land or war. They do not come to other lands to take away from others. They simply come to survive and seek a better life for their family, just as any of us would. There are a lot of misconceptions around refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia. Statistically they end up giving more back to the country than they take in the initial years of finding their feet. So many people talk about not wanting migrants in our nation, but sadly for the refugees they end up doing many of the jobs we don’t want to do – we need them. They do not raise house prices as they do not have the funds to afford it, and they come for peace not turmoil.

 

So many refugees commit fully to an Australian life, giving gratitude for the life they have been granted. Places like the House of Welcome at Granville ensure they are cared for and can contribute to society. We connect on many levels with the House of Welcome including through employment, donations, and learning. Last Friday several of us were blessed to attend their 25th Anniversary celebration, seeing the lives of many change for the betterment of all over this period of time.

 

With World Cup fever in full swing, we are also reminded about how it takes all backgrounds to create our successful Socceroos squad. Here is food for thought….

(UNHR image then green and gold image – side by side)

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As we remember those who have come here due to war, politics, climate change and more, we remember that Jesus, Mary and Joseph were also refugees. They had to flee to Egypt as Herod searched out Jesus. Their journey reflects what we understand as a refugee experience: 

 

  • They fled a violent ruler.

  • They escaped to protect their child.

  • They sought safety in another country.

 

In Jesus, God chose to enter the world in vulnerability. He wasn’t born into comfort or power. He began His life as a child whose parents ran to protect Him — just as so many families do today.

 

It is not easy to be a refugee. You often have to learn a new language, new customs, new ways of doing things. You need to find work, as well as education, food, housing and health care. You are often hit with the insults of the ignorant, and you miss those left behind or just the land on which you were born and raised.

 

We say thank you and congratulations to all those who have had to start again; who have contributed to the growth of our nation and who look to a brighter, calmer and more peaceful Australia into the future. We welcome you!!

 

Gillian Daley

Director of Identity

SPC is Committed to Ongoing Advocacy – ERFA Doco in a Day 

The Edmund Rice Foundation Australia (ERFA) is involved in the support of more than 43 projects across six nations, assisting more than 50,000 people to have better access to education, improving their own lives and those of their families. The ERFA Doco in a Day program challenges students from across Australia to use the power of storytelling to champion access to education, in just one day. 

 

This year, three teams of students from Year 10 participated in this exciting event. These teams had a six-hour window to make a documentary in one day with the footage and resources provided to them by ERFA. Their goal was to showcase a story, while learning about the plight of others who yearn for an education, while we often take ours for granted. This initiative is part of the Year 10 Justice Partnership program.

 

Please take some time to watch their short documentaries and consider a donation to this very worthy cause.

 

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Donations to school account for ERFA - https://docoinaday.au/o/st-patricks-college-strathfield. 

 

Each of the teams has a unique donation code which you can find at this link:

 

Donation Codes  

 

Advocacy is about amplifying the voices of those who are often not heard, especially with regard to justice issues, spreading the message and awakening others to take action for a better world for all. Each of our teams did just this, and I commend them all for their passion and effort. It was a pleasure to work with them over the day.

 

Denise Lombardo

Instructional Coach - Literacy