The Edmund Rice Centre wishes a warm welcome and congratulations to the Hon Senator Malarndirri McCarthy - Northern Territory stepping in as the new Minister for Indigenous Australians. We also extend a sincere thank you to the Hon Linda Burney for her work in the role.

Nineteenth Sunday of the Year

In John’s Gospel, Jesus confronts his listeners with the stark truth of why he has come, and what is needed to benefit from what he offers them. Today, Jesus is speaking about a personal God, a God among them, a God who can be touched and moved by the sight of people in distress. He claimed that he was the human face of God – God’s mercy and goodness. The ‘I am’ refers to God. Who does ‘this son of Joseph’ think he is?  People were not open to his identifying with this God and being sent by God. His, ‘I am the bread that came down from Heaven’ angered them. This had implications for them and for us. Can we be touched and moved by people in distress? His teaching by and large fell on deaf ears because what he was saying seemed too good to be true.

New strategies are needed to help youth at risk

From the evidence gathered over the last 20-30 years, professionals have seen the need for new strategies to help youth at risk: early intervention, provision of wrap- around services and the provision of alternative models of programs/ schooling. Those places that have committed to adopting these strategies have seen long-term reduction in youth crime. The cycle of crime can be broken. With the right interventions, young people can embark on different pathways that do not involve crime. Not only does the young person benefit, but so does the whole community. There are no “quick fixes” to youth crime. Societies and governments will need to have a long-term commitment to effective, evidence-based solutions.

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