God’s gift of creation was intended for the use of all and yet the
basic needs of millions of people in our world go unmet. Even in a rich
country like Australia many people live in poverty.
“Goods of production – material or immaterial – such
as land, factories, practical or artistic skills, oblige their possessors
to employ them in ways that will benefit the greatest number. Thos who
hold goods for use and consumption should use them with moderation, reserving
the better part for guests, for the sick and the poor”.
Catechism of the Catholic Church, n 2405
Catholic Social Teaching
Bishop Speaks on Migrant Workers
In a Pastoral Letter issued for the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, Bishop Christopher Saunders, Chair of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council highlighted the dignity and rights of migrant workers in Australia. [More..]
What Makes our Services Catholic?
Bishop Kevin Manning of Parramatta challenged participants in a recent Catholic employment relations conference to consider what is distinctive about the motivation and methods of Catholic social services.
Bishops Call for Global Citizenship The Australian Bishops’ Social Justice Sunday Statement for 2007, Who is my Neighbour? was launched by Dr Michael Fullilove. An edited version of his launch speech appears here. The full text of the Bishops’ Statement appears here.
Diocesan
Development Funds & Fair Employment: Who’s Counting? Speech to the Catholic Development Funds of Australia and New Zealand Managers’ Conference
2007 by Bishop Kevin Manning of Parramatta.
The Minimum Wage in an Age of Prosperity In this Pastoral Letter for the
Feast of St Joseph the Worker, Bishop Christopher Saunders, Chair of the Australian
Catholic Social Justice Council explains the church’s commitment to
a just minimum wage.
A
Plea to End World Hunger In this Angelus address on 12 November 2006, Pope Benedict calls for a
conversion of the model of global development to end the scandal of hunger.
Pastoral
Letter Slams Overwork Bishop Christopher Saunders, Chair of the Australian Catholic Social Justice
Council, issued a hard hitting pastoral letter on the culture of overwork
in Australia to mark 1 May 2007, the Feast of St Joseph the Worker.
Is
There a Catholic Position on Industrial Relations? In
an address to the Bursars of religious institutes in New South Wales
on 16 April 2007 Bishop Kevin Manning of Parramatta said "Of course
there is a Catholic position on industrial relations! That some Catholics
may not know it, or do not agree with it, cannot obliterate the fact
that we have a position clearly enunciated since Leo XIII in Rerum
Novarum."
Pope’s
Message for World Water Day In a message for World Water
Day 2007 Benedict XVI said "Water, a common good of the human family,
constitutes an essential element for life; the management
of this precious resource must enable all to have access to it, especially
those who live in conditions of poverty, and must guarantee the liveability
of the planet for both the present and future generations."
Vatican Address to International Labour Conference
The Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations called for Decent Work to be adopted as a development paradigm. He expressed concerns about an emerging tendency towards more individualistic relations between employers and employees in a globalizing context.
Stories & Reflections
Reflection on the WYD Cross What is the connection between the World Youth Day Cross, work for justice, and Catholic Social Teaching? This reflection by Sandie Cornish was prepared for a social justice event titled Lift Up the Cross: Making Poverty History at Home and Abroad which was held by the North Harbour parish on Sydney’s Northern Beaches to welcome the World Youth Day Cross and Icon.
Globalization – Key Challenges Globalization: Key Challenges is a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the key challenges raised by globalization identified by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Social Justice Sunday Statement for 2007, the National Council of Churches in Australia Social Justice Sunday Statement, and the International Jesuit Task Force on Globalization and Marginalization.
Prayer & Liturgy
Praying the Micah Challenge
Prayer
Sheets on Indigenous Poverty & the MDGs
Tools for Action
Make Indigenous
Poverty History Campaign The National Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Ecumenical Council has initiated this campaign and keeps
the site up to date with information and resources for action. Through this
site
Indigenous Christians invite the whole community into solidarity action.
Making Poverty History Caritas Australia has prepared this PowerPoint presentation
providing an introduction to the Millennium Development Goals.
Catholics Urged to Consider Workplace Relations Before Election The Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations has produced an excellent booklet explaining Catholic Social Teaching on work issues, the positions adopted by the Australian Bishops on current policy debates, and providing four meeting plans to help parish groups to work through the material.
Background Information
Dropping
Off the Edge This research by Professor Tony Vinson was commissioned
by Jesuit Social Services and Catholic Social Service Australia maps
the distribution of social disadvantage throughout Australia.
Training for Work is More Effective Than Working for the Dole In this research
paper Tim Martyn of Jesuit Social Services compares Australia’s ‘mutual
obligation’ policy with policies in the USA, UK and Demark. Does training
to improve skills have more effect on employment prospects than promoting
individual responsibility?
Mutual Trust: an alternative to Mutual Obligation in Overseas Aid Uniya researcher
Minh Nguyen explores the question, is ‘conditionality’ – or
aid with strings attached – a problem or a solution for poor countries?
Catholic Social Services Says Pay Decision Lets Battlers Down
The Australian Fair Pay Commission's decision on pay rises for Australia’s low paid works will do little to alleviate the financial hardship experienced by the lowest paid according to Frank Quinlan, Executive Director of Catholic Social Services Australia.
Organisations
Jesuit Social Services
Jesuit Mission
Caritas Australia
Micah Challenge
St Vincent de Paul Society
