In the 2024 – 2025 Social Justice Statement “Truth and Peace: A Gospel Word in a Violent World”, Australia’s Bishops scrutinise the signs of our own troubled times, observe the violence around us, and ask why it is so. They also ask what is needed if there is to be peace. You can download the statement from their web site, from which this paragraph is reproduced.
In the lead up to the 2022 Federal Election, Catholic Religious Australia published a document Voting for Justice – Here’s how Volume 9 April 2022 of their regular Just Now newsletter providing advice on how Catholic Social Teaching can inform us to vote for justice.
In June 2021 the Australian Province of the Society of Jesus produced the Laudato si’ Action Plan to provide the Province with a framework to advance ecological conversion across Jesuit ministries and works.
In February 2019, Society of Jesus Superior General Arturo Sosa SJ introduced the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) to all Jesuits.
This letter from Fr Sosa discusses the four preferences (and also includes the original of the reply from Pope Francis in which he accepted and confirmed the discernment process):
- To show the way to God through discernment and the Spiritual Exercises;
- To walk with the poor, the outcasts of the world, those whose dignity has been violated, in a mission of reconciliation and justice;
- To accompany young people in the creation of a hope-filled future;
- To collaborate in the care of our Common Home.
Nangami, since its formation, has been actively involved in organising and participating in activities expressed by the second and fourth preferences.
In response to the Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs), the Australian Province developed a similar plan which links well with the UAPs, as explained in an article on the Jesuits website, Provincial Priorities. Fr. Brian McCoy has produced a beautiful document called A Call to Mission in Hope which outlines the Australian Province response to the UAPs, calling them PAPs, which support the UAPs. The PAP Heal Humanity and the World mentions the Bookends Project and how we are invited to participate in the reconciliation with refugees, people seeking asylum, and First Nations persons.
In 2020 JRS will be celebrating its 40th anniversary since Pedro Arrupe SJ established its existence. In May 2019 Fr Arturo Sosa, SJ wrote this letter to all Jesuit ministries across the world to request more support for JRS worldwide. The message is clear: if we are to remain true to St Ignatius’ criteria for apostolic work, we need to work towards a more just and equitable response to hosting and supporting the huge numbers of forcibly displaced people around the world.
The week of 19-25 August was Refugee and Migrant week and the Archdiocese Justice and Peace newsletter for August September 2019 provided a lot of good relevant reading on Pages 5,6,7.
This included a link to a kit of much useful information in a document published for this week by the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office. Make sure you read the powerful homily for August 24/25 by Father Frank Brennan.
The Archdiocese newsletter also includes a link to a 3 minute video from Pope Francis on Migrants and Refugees.
The following documents from Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) provide background information for our discussions regarding asylum seekers:
- JRS Australia Background Brief on A Safety Net June 2019
- JRS Australia Federal Election Statement Final_May 2019
The Catholic Bishops of Australia issued this statement for the Federal Election 2019 Politics in Service of Peace.
The Justice and Peace Office of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney provides news, notices of events, and resources promoting justice, peace, ecology and development through projects and activities based on the social teachings of the Catholic Church.
The Australian Catholic Social Justice Council web site has recent media releases and a wealth of resources on social justice issues.
The Vatican has this web site for migrants and refugees on which you can find 20 Pastoral Action Points. Scroll down if necessary to find this section and you can download a document in your choice of language and printable format. A conversation with refugees held in Rome in early October may offer us thoughts as we engage in our own conversations.
The Catholic Charities listing of the documents of Pope Francis provides convenient access to reading Francis, or you can, of course, go to the Vatican site.