News & Events
CCJP Seminar Uluru Statement from the Heart
This CCJP Seminar (Catholics in Coalition for Justice and Peace) was held on Sunday, 17 February 2019 at the Catherine McAuley room, Sisters of Mercy Parramatta.
We began outside at the Ground Painting, The Journey by Ngemba artist Danny Eastwood. The Uluru Statement from the Heart was read by guest speaker Wiradjuri woman Jennifer Newman, followed by an acknowledgement of the Barramattagal of the Darug nation and a commitment statement by the assembly.
The crux of Ms Newman’s talk was as follows:
"The form of constitutional amendment presently under consideration is confined to an act of recognition exercised by Australia, to which the responsive role available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is silent and passive." Through indigenist discourse analysis, with a strong narrative turn, Jennifer Newman gently (and admits herself she accompanies herself with "a lot of arm flapping") proposed an idea of engagement on the strength of reciprocal principles rather than compromising adversarial powers.
During Jennifer's warm, heartfelt and inspiring address to the CCJP seminar group on Sunday, we asked ourselves:
Was this the first time some of us felt that the concept of 'sovereignty' was not so complex?
Read: Jennifer's document for quotes that ask for changed thinking in Australia today can be found here.
Be inspired: by Judith Durham (The Seekers) singing new words for our national anthem (below)
Read the text: of Noel Pearson's Declaration for Australia, a proposed Preamble for Australia's Constitution here.
Lyrics:
Australians let us all be one, with peace and harmony.
Our precious water, soil and sun, grant life for you and me.
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts to love, respect and share,
And honouring the Dreaming, advance Australia fair.
With joyful hearts then let us sing, advance Australia fair. ...
Australians let us stand as one, upon this sacred land
A new day dawns, we’re moving on to trust and understand.
Combine our ancient history and cultures everywhere,
To bond together for all time, advance Australia fair.
With joyful hearts then let us sing, advance Australia fair. ...
Australians let us strive as one, to work with willing hands.
Our Southern Cross will guide us on, as friends with other lands.
While we embrace tomorrow’s world with courage, truth and care,
And all our actions prove the words, advance Australia fair,
With joyful hearts then let us sing, advance Australia fair. ...
And when this special land of ours is in our children’s care,
From shore to shore forever more, advance Australia fair.
With joyful hearts then let us sing, advance . . Australia . . fair.
National Day of Sorrow and Promise.
Members of the Sisters of Mercy Parramatta, our Staff and Partners in Ministry, gathered at our Congregation Centre on Sunday December 2nd, to participate in the National Day of Sorrow and Promise which has emerged through Catholic Religious Australia to acknowledge survivors of abuse within the Catholic Church and all those who have been hurt by that abuse.
The liturgy, which included the testimony of survivors and their family members, acknowledged the tragedy of Institutional child sexual abuse, its devastating and life long effects on survivors and their family and friends, and was underpinned by a promise to ensure such crimes can never happen again, and that the safety of all children and vulnerable adults under the care of the Catholic Church, Catholic Religious Congregations and out ministries, is ensured.
The Liturgy concluded with the following Statement of Promise, made by all Sisters of Mercy who were present or who participated in smaller gatherings in local communities:
WE promise to listen to and support those who have been harmed by abuse
WE promise to act to prevent abuse, respond with compassion and justice and put the protection of children and the vulnerable at the heart of all our ministries
WE promise to support all those walking courageously with the abused and those working fearlessly for the prevention of abuse
WE promise to work tirelessly and humbly to build a culture in our Church which is loving and answerable to the wider community
WE promise to partner with those who have been abused, with governments, civil agencies and society at large to continue to learn and work towards a safer, more respectful and accountable Church
WE promise to be people of action, to embed prevention and safeguarding practices and governance reforms throughout our Church
WE promise to remember and to be forever changed
Where art and eyes meet the heart and insight
‘ Nothing is in the mind that is not first in the senses’
- Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274)
The eyes with which you see.
Rosemary Crumlin is an art curator, historian and consultant in contemporary art and spirituality and in its intersections with Liturgical Art in Paintings and Churches. Her life (art, writings, books, religious commitment) revolves around the intersections between her own questions and those mirrored in the changing faces of contemporary art. She has been a consistent advocate for artists, including indigenous artists and their art.
Some of her books and exhibitions include: Images of Religion in Australian Art (1988), Aboriginal Art and Spirituality (1991), Beyond Belief: Modern Art and the Religious Imagination (1998), and most recently, The Blake Book: Art, Religion and Spirituality in Australia (2011). She is currently the art consultant for Our Lady of Good Counsel Church at Deepdene in Victoria and feels passionately about this sacred place.
Approach
Date: Saturday March 2, 2019COP24 UN Climate Change Conference Now Underway
'Mindful that we are called by the world and the church at this particular time in history to hear the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, we will continue to respond mercifully to both.' (Chapter Statement)
The UN Climate Change Conference 'COP 24' opened today, 3 December, in Katowice, Poland and will continue until 14 December.
This conference is widely regarded as the most significant climate change event since the Paris Agreement was achieved in 2015 at COP21, applicable to all countries, aiming to keep global warming below 2°C. According to Patricia Espinosa
,UNFCCC Executive Secretary, COP24 Will be Paris 2.0. "In Poland, as I call it Paris 2.0, we will put together the pieces, directions and guidelines in order to make the framework really operate"
Kids Off Nauru
'We will open our hearts to the cries of the poor using our energies, gifts and resources to address violence and discrimination especially for women and children...' (Chapter Statement)
The Sisters of Mercy and colleagues are appalled that children have been languishing in offshore detention on Nauru for five years.
To show our support for the young casualties of this cruel offshore detention policy, we joined the Kids Off Nauru campaign by going #Blue For Nauru at our morning tea table.
We also signed a petition that was sent to Prime Minister Morrison, the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten and our Parramatta Federal Member Julie Owens,
asking them to free the remaining children and their families immediately.