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Welcome to the website for the Social Justice Commission for the Catholic Diocese of Toowoomba.
Our Commission was established 2002 as a key direction in the Diocesan Pastoral Plan – “embracing action for Social Justice”. Five aspects to our work are: spirituality, education, leadership, solidarity and research. In partnership with those affected by injustice the Commission works to analyse issues and reflectively advocate for action. The Commission is grounded in Catholic Social Teaching. Our current priorities are: justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, caring for the environment and support and advocacy for refugees. We work to promote human rights and our actions are informed by the dignity of the human person.
As you enter Pat Marsh’s house in North Toowoomba the first thing you notice is a devotion to cricket. Almost every room has some media focused on what happens as each ball is bowled on the distant island state of Tasmania. And as you take a seat in Pat’s lounge room the groaning cabinets full of trophies and walls adorned with photographs and posters again tell you that cricket has always been big in this house. But something is a little different. The faces in many of the photographs and posters are not white as you might expect – they are black – and not West Indian either – they are images of Aboriginal cricketers.
To read more click on the article below.
There's nothing I would rather be/Than to be an Aborigine.
Moments after I left the cinema, I caught myself singing it. For the next hour the melody continued to bob about in my brain. Not a malicious infection, like an insidious pop song might be, but infectious nonetheless. I'm sure anyone who heard me whistling it would unknowingly have picked up the tune. The song, like the film it appears in, tends to remain with you. In most cases the association will be a fond one. To read the rest of Tim Kroenert's review from Eureka Street click here
Bran Nue Day is still screening in your local area.
In the early hours of last Thursday morning I found myself sifting through pages on the new Federal government’s My School website. Like most internet research it wasn’t a designed encounter – but I later discovered I was one of the lucky ones before the whole thing crashed. I quickly checked on my own children’s school results and after satisfying myself that by continuing to enroll them in 2010 I would not endanger their future prospects I scrolled on.
This is the first of two articles on the My School website. To read more click on the article below
Citizens and voters who are concerned not just for their own children's educational welfare, but about education as an instrument of social justice, should be prompted to ask: What is being done about the fact that the richest NCIS are getting richer, in part at taxpayer expense? What is being done to help improve the NAPLAN performance of below-average schools, and to help narrow the statistical differences? In this article Tony Kevin questions whether the My School website will do anything to address disadvantage in the field of education. To read more click here
Both the Apple iPad and the MySchool website will enhance our wellbeing if we use them responsibly and overcome the urge to deify or demonise. Each is a means to an end, and holds particular promise. In this article Michael Mullins cautions against a knee jerk reaction in response to the My School website. To read more click here
A PLACE AT THE TABLE – the latest edition of the newsletter for the Diocesan Social Justice Commission is now available from your parish. The Summer newsletter has a youth focus with articles by and about young people. A copy is available here
Local Aboriginal artist Robert Wharton has been working hard on his upcoming album. Click here to have a sneak preview of some music that speaks of beauty, shared pain, history and love.
"Pope Benedict is no sceptic about climate change. In numerous speeches and writings, he has been warning of the need to protect the earth from environmental damage so that it will offer a lasting home for all the generations to come." To read Bruce Duncan's article about Pope Benedict's recent World Day of Peace Message click here To read the World Day of Peace Message click here A statement by Archbishop Wilson on the World Day of Peace can be read below.
On Monday morning Mark Copland spoke with ABC Radio Southern Queensland's Belinda Sanders about the issue of asylum seekers. To hear the interview click here
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“The foundation of all the great religions were built upon us being custodians and caring for the earth. Australia and other developed countries need to address their historical responsibility for climate change by committing to strong pollution reduction targets and significant financing to assist poorer countries sustainable development and preparation for the unavoidable impacts of climate change.”
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Art Inside
In recent times a great initiative has sprung up through the Toowoomba Community Justice Group and the Darling Downs Correctional Centre. Local Aboriginal artists work with Aboriginal inmates to produce art while they are serving their sentence. This has greatly helped the inmates integrate into the wider community upon release and also improved self esteem. We all know about the disproportionate number of Indigenous prisoners in Queensland. As part of this project you can help by supplying much needed art materials. If you are interested and able to supply canvases and acrylic paint please get in touch with the Commission on the contact page of this website
Social Justice Sunday Statement
In this year’s annual statement, “And you will be my witnesses: young people and justice” the Bishops of Australia have pledged their support for young people's commitment to social justice, reasserting last year's World Youth Day central theme of witnessing through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Statement points out, young people are among the strongest fighters in the cause of justice, but at the same time, they can be among the most vulnerable to injustice. Free statements are available from your parish or from St Paul’s Bookstore, Ruthven St, Toowoomba. To download the statement click here
Write to Asylum Seekers on Christmas Island. There are over 600 people being held in Immigration Detention on Christmas Island. A very real way of providing support for people in this situation is writing a letter. If you wish to do this get in touch with our Commission office
As you take your next step remember the first people who walked this land
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