Living with Strength and Kindliness

Catholic Identity News

At the end of September the Catholic Church marks Social Justice Sunday. To that end, the bishops have prepared a statement which they introduce now:

The Australian Catholic Bishops’ Social Justice Statement for 2018–19 is titled ‘A Place to Call Home: Making a home for everyone in our land’.

The latest Census figures show that more than 116,000 Australians are homeless – something unacceptable for a rich and well-resourced nation like ours. Yet these people are only the tip of the iceberg: welfare agencies report growing numbers of families and individuals struggling to meet the cost of mortgages or rents and turning to specialist housing services, which are often unable to meet demand. House prices and even rents are spiralling out of reach of too many families and placing huge financial stress on ordinary people, even when they are employed. For those living on pensions or allowances, finding secure housing can be a far greater challenge – one that often takes a terrible toll on social wellbeing and mental health.

The Statement draws on the example of people who have gone out of their way to assist sisters and brothers in great need, of agencies and charities of the Church that have provided shelter, safety and care, and of Pope Francis, who himself has reached out to men and women on the streets of Rome and reminded us forcefully of the rights of people experiencing homelessness around the world.

The Bishops consider the extent of our housing crisis and Australia’s falling rates of home ownership. They focus especially on those in our society who are most vulnerable to housing insecurity and homelessness. We are reminded that safe and secure housing is a human right, asserted both by the Church’s social teaching and by the Declaration of Human Rights. It is the inherent dignity of each brother and sister in need of a place to call home that urges us on to confront the growing challenge of homelessness and housing insecurity in Australia.

I wish you all the best for a happy and safe holiday and I thank the parish, parents and staff for their support during my time as Acting College Leader for Catholic Identity.

God Bless,

James Rogerson

Acting Catholic Identity Leader