Media Release
Monday
18 September 2006
Commission
Urges Church to Make
Long-Term Commitment to Reconciliation
Brisbane’s
Catholic Justice and Peace Commission today urged Catholic parishes,
schools, bodies and agencies to make a long-term commitment to
reconciliation in response to the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Social
Justice Statement for 2006.
In their statement, the Bishops reclaimed and passed on Pope John Paul
II’s message of twenty years ago when he addressed Indigenous
Australians in Alice Springs.
The Commission’s Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that it is the
strong desire of the Commission that every part of the Church in Brisbane
responds to the Bishops’ Statement with enthusiasm and commitment.
“Just as Pope John Paul did, our Bishops are throwing out a significant
challenge to the Church in Australia,” Mr Arndt said.
“The Bishops highlighted four major elements in the Popes’ message,”
he said.
“They stressed the need for supporting efforts to preserve Indigenous
culture and for a dialogue between Indigenous culture and spirituality and
the Christian tradition,” he said.
“They also emphasised the importance of caring for the land, of
supporting land rights for Indigenous people and of doing what is possible
to remedy the hurts of the past,” he said.
“Much has been done and this should be acknowledged and celebrated, but
this year’s Social Justice Statement will help us to re-focus our
efforts in critical areas,” he said.
Mr Arndt emphasised the importance of supporting the adoption of the United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People which will come
before the UN General Assembly by the end of this year and for the Plan of
Action which has been developed to follow up the Declaration.
This was the principal focus of the Commission’s recent Social Justice
Gathering and it will be making efforts to promote greater awareness of
and action in support of the Declaration and the Plan.
“Australia is one of only a couple of countries which have refused to
support the Declaration and encouraging our politicians to support it
would be one worthwhile and practical response to the Australian
Bishops’ call,” Mr Arndt said.
“The Commission will continue to work with its Indigenous advisory group
to keep the call of our Bishops and Pope John Paul before the Church of
Brisbane and to provide resources to help Catholics to take action,” he
said.
Mr Arndt also encouraged Catholics in Brisbane and other parts of
Queensland to develop close relationships with local Indigenous people and
communities in the wake of the recent State election.
“During the election period, the Commission urged politicians and
electors to focus more attention on the most marginalised people,
especially Indigenous Queenslanders,” Mr Arndt said.
“Since the re-election of the Beattie Government, we have seen the
integration of Indigenous policy into the Communities Department and this
provoked great concern among many Indigenous people,” he said.
“The Premier has said that having a Minister with sole responsibility
for Indigenous policy did not work and that ‘mainstreaming’ Indigenous
affairs has more chance of working,” he said.
“None of this seemed to be aired as part of the election campaign and it
is concerning that the Premier has provided no substantial analysis and
assessment of the situation before taking this significant step,” he
said.
“What Indigenous people keep saying is that the Government is not
getting anywhere because of the attitude it adopts with Indigenous people
and communities,” he said.
“They are upset that the Government is more interested in telling
Indigenous people what they ought to do instead of developing meaningful
partnerships with them,” he said.
“There must be a greater commitment on the part of both the Labor
Government and the Coalition Opposition to work with Indigenous people to
eradicate enormous disadvantage within Indigenous communities while
maintaining Indigenous culture and identity,” he said.
“Over
the next three years, there will be a need for Catholics to support
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices which challenge our political
leaders to take concerted action to, at last, offer dignified lives to the
first peoples of our land,” he said.
For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or
0409 265 476.
NB This release is issued with the authority of the
Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which
enables it to speak in its own right.
The views contained in it do not necessarily represent the views of
the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.
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