Category Archives: service

Oldest Justice and Peace Commission Celebrates Milestone

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cjpclogoAustralia’s oldest diocesan Justice and Peace Commission, the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission of the Archdiocese of Brisbane, celebrated twenty-five years of service to the Archdiocese of Brisbane this year.

The Commission was established by the late Archbishop Francis Rush in 1985 and held its first meeting in what was, then, the Indooroopilly Parish Education Centre in October of that year.

Its first Chair was the late Fr Morgan Howe who was Parish Priest of Indooroopilly Parish at the time.

With the opening by the Sisters of Mercy of Justice Place in Woolloongabba in 1992, the Commission established an office and moved its meetings there.

Former Deputy Director of the Queensland Catholic Education Commission, Mr Garry Everett, and Principal of St Agnes Primary School, Mt Gravatt, Mr Rick Sheehan, have followed Fr Howe in the role of Chair of the Commission.

The Commission has been served by three Executive Officers, Mr Brian O’Halloran, Sr Annette Arnold rsj and the current Executive Officer, Mr Peter Arndt.

Over seventy Catholic women and men, religious, priests and bishops have served as members of the Commission in its twenty-five years.  Among those who have served on the Commission are Bishop John Gerry and Bishop Joseph Oudeman, President of the Senate, Senator John Hogg, Member for Morayfield in the Queensland Parliament, Mr Mark Ryan, Aboriginal elder, Aunty Joan Hendriks an former Josephite Provincial Leader, Sr Margaret Robertson rsj.

The Commission’s current Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that the Commission had walked with many people who face injustice, violence and discrimination.

“The Commission has been there with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as they struggled for justice in relation to native title, the Stolen Generations, stolen wages, deaths in custody and the Northern Territory Intervention,” Mr Arndt said.

“We have tried to bring Catholics face to face with the indignities confronting refugees as they sought protection in Australia,” he said.

“The Commission has also tried to support the struggle of people for their human rights and for justice in places like East Timor, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka and West Papua,” he said.

“Many Catholics around Brisbane joined with the Commission in challenging Australia’s participation in the Iraq War,” he said.

“In recent years, the Commission has also put more emphasis on caring for the Earth with our Cool Communities Project in 2003 and 2004, our collaboration with the Social Action Office in the holding of a Climate Change Conference in 2007, and our more recent collaboration with Catholic Earthcare Australia on the ASSISI Project,” he said.

The Commission  marked its silver anniversary with a Eucharist  led by Archbishop John Bathersby on Friday 5 November  at Holy Family Catholic Church, Indooroopilly.

Sr Annette Arnold rsj, the Commission’s second Executive Officer, delivered an address: Mary MacKillop and the challenge to the Australian Church after the Eucharist.  Sr Annette is now a member of the Provincial Leadership Team of the Sisters of St Joseph and was heavily involved in the recent celebrations surrounding the canonisation of Mary MacKillop in Rome.

For further infomation, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.

NB  This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Mandate which enables it to speak in its own right when required.  The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

Social Justice Sunday 2009

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WYD Brisbane 2008

WYD Brisbane 2008

2009 Social Justice Sunday – 27 September

And You Will Be My Witnesses:
Young people and justice

The Commission has also prepared

for use by parishes and other groups.

Commission and Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Pay Tribute to Elder

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Thursday 9 July 2009

 Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and peace Commission and Archdiocesan Murri Ministry Team today paid tribute to prominent Aboriginal elder, Aunty Monica O’Callaghan, who passed away on 26 June in Brisbane.

Aunty Monica had worked for Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people in community organisations and Government bodies for many decades and was widely respected in the community.

Aunty Monica was farewelled at a funeral service at our Lady and St Dympna’s Catholic Church, Aspley, on Friday 3 July.

The Governor-General, Quentin Bryce, Brisbane Council of Elders Chair, Aunty Valda Coolwell, and Torres Strait islander elder, Uncle Bill lowah, were among many who paid tribute to Aunty Monica at her funeral.

Tribute messages from Queensland Attorney-General and the Chief Magistrate were also read at the service.

The Coordinator of the Murri ministry Team, Ravina Waldren, said that Aunty Monica was a passionate advocate for justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The Justice and Peace Commission’s Executive officer, Peter Arndt, said that Aunty Monica had offered great leadership and support to many young Indigenous people in Brisbane.

“Aunty Monica never stopped working for her people and she was loved very much,” Ms Waldren said.

“She was an extraordinary woman and we are honoured to have known her and worked with her,” Mr Arndt said.

Aunty Monica was the first Indigenous Prisons Liaison Officer in Queensland and she worked with the Prisoners League to support prisoners.  She also worked tirelessly to rehabilitate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people after their release from prison.  She was a long-serving member of the Queensland Parole Board and also sat on the Brisbane Murri Court as an elder.

She managed the Elly Bennett Hostel for twenty years and influenced the lives of many Indigenous people for the better during this time.

In 1966, she was also employed by the Australian Electoral office to educate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on their right to vote.

She served as a Board member on many Indigenous organisations including OPAL, Murri Watch, Bahloo, Nungeena and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s legal Service.

“Aunty Mon was a strong, caring woman with a good sense of humour,” Ms Waldren said.

“Many of the young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people whom she nurtured were at her funeral and spoke movingly about her positive influence,” Mr Arndt said.

“Many Aboriginal people are working hard today to make things better for our people because of the example of Aunty Mon,” Ms Waldren said.

For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.

NB  This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right.  The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Achievements Should Be Recognised

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Monday 29 June 2009

NAIDOC 2009

NAIDOC 2009

Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission has urged Catholics in the Archdiocese of Brisbane to take more interest in learning about the achievements of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders.

The Commission made the call in the lead-up to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday on 5 July and NAIDOC Week which runs from 5 to 11 July.

The Commission’s Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday is marked in the Church in order to celebrate the culture and contribution of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders to the Church and the community.

He said that NAIDOC Week also provided an opportunity within the wider community for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to celebrate the ancient and living culture of the first peoples of Australia.

“At other times in the year like National Sorry Day and Reconciliation Week, we can reflect on the serious injustices faced by Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, but Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday and NAIDOC Week is a time for celebration and for honouring the first peoples of our land,” Mr Arndt said.

“In no way are we trying to downplay the seriousness of matters like the level of Indigenous poverty or the big life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, but it is important to take some time to reflect on the gifts and achievements of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders,” he said.

“How many of us know about the stories of the local Aboriginal people in our own community?” he asked.

“How many parishes and schools have made an effort to develop relationships with the local elders?” he also asked.

“Do we know about the wonderful achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in sport, the arts, medicine, the law and business?” he said.

“There are so many great initiatives developed and run by Aboriginal people that we should be celebrating too,” he said.

“How many of us know about the native salad project of the Dhugamin Aboriginal Corporation on the Fraser Coast which is growing and selling traditional bush tucker to local restaurants?” he said.

“We should all know about the establishment of the Traditional Credit Union which provides personalised quality financial services to individuals and organisations in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory,” he said.

“Magabala Books is a tremendous initiative of Aboriginal people in Western Australia which publishes the work of Aboriginal authors and encourages Aboriginal communities to record their history and culture,” he said.

“The Brisbane Indigenous Media Associaton has been an invaluable resource supporting local Indigenous people who want to get involved in the media and the Murriajabree Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Association is doing wonderful work providing support to Indigenous mothers and families in Deception Bay,” he said.

“Indigenous Australians face many significant problems, but they are also a proud people with a rich culture and a commitment to taking the initiative to do some great things for their benefit and for the benefit of the whole community,” he said.

“This is something worth recognising and celebrating,” he said.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday and NAIDOC Week could be a launchpad for efforts by many Catholic communities in our Archdiocese to learn more about local Aboriginal people and the initiatives they are taking,” he said.

All are welcome to participate in an ecumenical NAIDOC Week service on 5 July next to Jagera Arts Hall in Musgrave Park, South Brisbane, at 2 p.m.

Everyone is also welcome to come to the NAIDOC Week Family Fun Day at Musgrave Park from 9 a.m. on Friday 10 July.

For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.

 

NB  This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right.  The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

 

Peace Commitment Call by Commission

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Monday 16 February 2009

A call for a commitment to Pope John XXIII’s “four pillars of peace” was made last night at an inter-faith memorial for those killed in the current conflict in Gaza.

The call was made by the Executive Officer of Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, Peter Arndt.

Mr Arndt joined representatives of other religions in expressing sorrow for the loss of life in Gaza and calling for an end to the violence.

He told those assembled that Pope John XXIII had established some clear principles and values for the promotion of peace in his important encyclical, Pacem in Terris.

“Pope John said that the four pillars on which peace is founded are truth, justice, freedom and love,” Mr Arndt said.

“It is only through a commitment to these four ‘pillars of peace’ that the conflict in Gaza can be resolved,” he said.

“There must be an end to political spin and lies and a commitment to finding out the truth about what has happened in Gaza and what has caused this horrifying situation,” he said.

“There must be justice for those civilians who have been killed and who have suffered so much,” he said.

“Those who have defied international law in the current military action and in the illegal occupation of Palestinian land must be held to account for their actions,” he said.

“There must also be a commitment to human freedom which ensures the political, civil, economic, social, cultural and religious rights of Palestinians and Israelis alike,” he said.

“And love must rule all things if there is to be an end to the violence,” he said.

“It is the love of one human being for another which fosters mutual respect and creates the possibility for forgiveness and compromise,” he said.

“I pray that all of us who love God and our neighbour will urge all involved in the Gaza conflict to seek and promote truth, justice, freedom and love in the name of peace,” he said.

For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.
NB This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right. The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

Apology Anniversary A Time to Reflect and Commit

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Media Release

Monday 9 February 2009

Sorry by Tony Albert Girramay/Kuku Yalanji people

Sorry by Tony Albert Girramay/Kuku Yalanji people

The first anniversary of the apology to members of the Stolen Generations by the Federal Parliament is an opportunity for Australians to reflect on our nation’s journey of healing and to commit to action which advances the cause of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, according to Brisbane’s Catholic Justice and Peace Commission.

The Commission is working with the Archdiocesan Murri Ministry Team to organize a celebration of the anniversary on Friday 13 February.

Brisbane community elders, members of the Stolen Generations, representatives of a number of Catholic schools and Bishop Brian Finnegan have been invited to participate in the celebration.

The Commission’s Executive Officer, Peter Arndt, said that the parliamentary apology was an immensely significant moment in the reconciliation process in Australia.

“The apology was greeted so passionately by many Indigenous Australians because it officially acknowledged their history,” Mr Arndt said.

“Acknowledging the mistreatment and the enormous hurt and damaging effects caused by it allows healing to begin,” he said.

“We can only acknowledge that history if we know about it,” he said.

“That is why it is so important that all Australians make a commitment to learn about the history and culture of the first peoples of our land,” he said.

“The Bringing Them Home report recommended education in the community, schools and within various professions about the Stolen Generations story,” he said.

“More needs to be done in this area, not so that people can feel guilty, but so that we all understand why there is so much hurt and disadvantage within Indigenous communities,” he said.

“Understanding and acknowledgement enable us to develop effective action to address the hurt and the problems and to get community support for them,” he said.

“Along with the apology, the Federal Government made commitments to act in a number of areas and it is pleasing to see that some progress has been made in the last twelve months,” he said.

“The commitment, in particular, by the Federal and State and Territory Governments to inject significant funding into efforts to close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians is welcome,” he said.

“There is so much to be done and it won’t be easy or quick, but, with the on-going support of the Australian community, change for the better can happen,” he said.

“The Commission hopes that Catholic parishes and schools will continue to reach out to local Indigenous people and develop relationships which can be the basis for reconciliation,” he said.

For further information, please contact Peter Arndt on (07) 3336 9173 or 0409 265 476.

NB This release is issued with the approval of the Commission or its Executive under the provision of its Charter which enables it to speak in its own right. The views expressed in it do not necessarily represent the views of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.