Help end the war in Gaza
The Israeli Defense Forces are preparing for a ground invasion of Rafah, an area in the south of Gaza which 1.4 million Palestinians currently inhabit, many of them having fled from the north of Gaza to what they thought would be a "safe zone". According to the United Nations, a quarter of the population in Rafah is currently facing starvation. The consequences of a ground invasion would be catastrophic. We feel that we cannot watch this situation passively and need to lend our voice and your voice to speak up and do what we can to prevent further bloodshed. For this reason we urge you to sign our Call to Action and share it with your friends, family and networks.
Click HERE to send an email to your local MP either in your own words or the template email provided on the linked page to advocate for strong diplomatic action by the Australian Government to help end the war in Gaza.
February 18, 2024
Reflections from Fr Claude
Second Sunday of Lent
In today’s transfiguration stories we are taken to high places - places of dreams and visions. In revelations there is testing where our sight is restrained, and horizons limited. In Genesis, Abraham was adhering to the ancient Mesopotamian cultural requirement where firstborn sons and flock were sacrificed, but there was a moment of revelation in discovering that God rejects child/human sacrifice. Abraham listened to the God of life, peace and nonviolence, who not wanting death but life, said ‘stop.’ We see here the declaration that the God of life never requires human sacrifice.
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February 18, 2024
National Apology Day
On this day sixteen years ago then Prime Minister Hon. Kevin Rudd delivered a national apology to the stolen generations. This moment was historic and profoundly touching not only for members of the stolen generations but for all Australians as the nation publicly acknowledged our hidden and painful past.
Since then, however, progress has been painfully slow and today comes with mixed emotions for many First Nations men and women across this land. The defeat of The Voice Referendum and, more recently, the release of a report highlighting the slow progress of Closing the Gap policies, should weigh heavily on all Australians. Disadvantage and lack of progress against the basic measures of the Closing The Gap strategy is not only a failure of policy but a stain on our record as a nation. We stand in solidarity with our First Nations brothers and sisters on this important day and hope that we can learn from our past to build a better future.
February 14, 2024