Category: Social Justice and the Environment

Posted on

LAITY ENDORSE MARRIAGE

A number of Catholics wish to collect a petition to be forwarded to the local Federal Member of Parliament.  The words of the petition were agreed by the bishops as:
‘As a parishioner of ………………(within your electorate) please consider my position on the meaning of marriage.  Given the variety of domestic arrangements available in Australia, I request that you  protect  the unique institution of marriage as traditionally understood and actually lived as the complementary love between a man and a woman’.
Please forward before 22 December or sign a copy of the petition at the Welcome Desk.

Posted on

THANK YOU

Thank You to the children and staff of Our Lady of Mount Carmel School for raising the amount of $434.00 through a ‘Silver & Gold Donation’. The proceeds will go to Caritas Australia for the people affected by the Pakistan floods.

Posted on

PHYSICIAN ASSISTED SUICIDE(EUTHANASIA)

THE DEBATE

In recent weeks, there has been a fresh push for the legal right for certain people (specifically doctors) to be able to kill an individual when that is what the individual wants.

There is a fine article in ‘Eureka Street’ magazine published by Jesuit Communications by John Kleinsman, Director of the New Zealand Catholic Bioethics Centre. The whole article is available http://www.eurekastreet.com.au entitled ‘Resisting the duty to die’.

The push for assisted suicide has arisen only in the affluent western societies where there is an opinion that the world belongs to those who are independent, strong and productive. It follows that in a society in which the sick, dying, disabled and elderly are undervalued, the ‘right’ to die will all too quickly become a ‘duty’ to die. People who feel
neglected, undervalued and invisible will understandably think they are a burden and will want to do the ‘right’ thing.

With our increasing ageing population, we need to give more support to help people accept greater dependence with age. Modern medicine can deal with pain generally and specialist care through the hospice movement is available. To protect the vulnerable members of our community, let us not legalise assisted suicide, but deal with any deep seated fear of the dying process.

As Christians we are blessed to have our faith that ‘if we die with Christ, we will rise with Christ’ (St Paul).

Posted on

PAKISTAN FLOODING CONTINUES

Caritas would like to thank everyone who has made a donation to the South Asia Floods Appeal—Pakistan. With your support we have so far raised over $1 million to help the millions of people affected by the worst floods the country has ever seen. This disaster is massive and our response needs to be massive too. If you have not yet donated to this appeal and would like to do so, you can call 1800 024 413, donate online at http://www.caritas.org.au or send your donation to GPO Box 9830 in your Capital City.

Posted on

AUSTRALIAN CATHOLICS

Spring 2010 edition is available at the Welcoming Desk. The edition explores the impact of new technologies on how we connect with each other and how we can use these technologies to make a difference in the world. The article on Mia Northrop and the Vindaloo Against Violence campaign shows how today, one person’s actions can have a global impact.

Posted on

SPECIAL COLLECTION THIS WEEKEND

CARITAS AUSTRALIA  SOUTH ASIA FLOODS APPEAL— PAKISTAN

Torrential rain has seen 20 million people evacuated from the flood waters after losing everything—their house, belongings, businesses, livestock and crops. Your donation will help provide for their immediate needs including food, water and shelter.

Posted on

SPECIAL COLLECTION NEXT WEEKEND

Next weekend our parish will be holding the annual Catholic Mission Church Appeal, focused on Zambia. Missionary sisters reach out to remote communities where 85% live on less than $1 a day and 1 in 2 children at the local school have lost both parents to HIV/AIDS.
The Church is an active witness to people that they matter.
Support Catholic Mission’s worldwide missionary network giving faith, hope and love to people in 160 countries.
Please come prepared next week and give from your heart.

Posted on

REFUGEES ARE WELCOME

End the freeze on asylum seeker claims—Rally and March on World Refugee Day Sunday 20 June, 12 noon State Library, Swanston Street.

Posted on

SUNBURY CITIZENS ADVOCACY

A brief invitation will be offered at all Masses this weekend for more parishioners to be involved in this group caring for those with intellectual disability.

Posted on

FEAST OF THE SACRED HEART 11 JUNE

There will be two celebrations of the Eucharist-9.30am at St Anne’s Church and 11.45am at O.L.M.C. Church. This feast is our traditional opportunity to give materially to the poor. Hence, on Sunday next, we will have the collection for the Winter Appeal of St Vincent de Paul Society.

Posted on

RESPECT LIFE SUNDAY

Respect Life Sunday will be held on Sunday 2 May. The theme will be: Respecting Life, Respecting Nature: There can be no true human development without openness to life which will reflect on population, climate change and ecology. Please look for the resource material that will be available on 2 May. Further info. 9287 5587 or lmf@cam.org.au

Posted on

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE CITY SERIES

A series of talks presented by St Francis Conference Melbourne at St Francis Pastoral Centre, cnr Lonsdale & Elizabeth Streets, Melbourne on Wed 28 April 12 noon to 1.00pm.
Guest Speaker: Phil Glendenning, Director Edmund Rice Centre, involved in human rights, peace and reconciliation work in Australia and internationally.
‘Those who were here first and those who were here last’. The place of Indigenous Peoples, Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Contemporary Australia.
Further info.-9895 5800.

Posted on

COULD YOU CARE FOR A CHILD WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Centacare Catholic Family Services is looking for adoptive or long-term foster care parents who feel prepared to take on the additional challenges of a child with special needs.

Centacare’s Adoptions and Permanent Care program manager Kathleen West says, ‘We are particularly seeking adoptive or long term foster care parents for a beautiful little two year old girl called Anne who has severe disabilities. We are hoping to find a family who can provide full time care for Anne for life. We need a family who is patient and resilient, able to manage Anne’s ongoing medical requirements and prepared to work with support and therapeutic services. Most importantly, we need someone who can accept Anne’s disabilities, limitations and unknown future, and love her for who she is’.

If you would like more information on providing Anne or another child, including those with special needs, with a loving home environment, please contact Centacare Catholic Family Services between 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday on 9689 3888.

Posted on

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN THE CITY SERIES

This series is presented by St Francis Conference Melbourne at St Francis Pastoral Centre, cnr Lonsdale & Elizabeth Streets, Melbourne on Wed 28 April 12 noon to 1.00pm.
Guest Speaker: Phil Glendenning, Director Edmund Rice Centre, involved in human rights, peace and reconciliation work in Australia and internationally. ‘Those who were here first and those who were here last’. The place of Indigenous Peoples, Refugees and Asylum Seekers in Contemporary Australia.
Further info.-9895 5800.