The Edmund Rice Centre applauds the joint signing of a Statement of Solidarity by Pacific Elders' Voice Chair and former President of Kiribati His Excellency Anote Tong together with Saibai Boigu Elders and community leaders for the Torres Strait. 

The Pacific Elders' Voice is a group of former Presidents, Prime Ministers and high-level officials from across the Pacific.

The Statement of Solidarity is the result of a week-long visit by His Excellency Anote Tong to Saibai and Boigu islands in the Torres Strait, which occurred following an invitation extended to the Pacific Elders' Voice by Saibai and Boigu Traditional Owners.

Fifth Sunday of Easter

There is a story of a small boy who left his house with Twinkies and juice boxes after telling his mother that he is going to find God. He sits on a bench at a local park next to a homeless woman and offers her a Twinkie and some juice.  After eating, talking and enjoying each other they both leave.  When his mother asks, ‘Did you find God?’ he responds, ‘Yes, and God is a woman!’ When the woman joins her friends, she says, ‘I met God in the park today – and God is a little boy!’ Both, the boy and the woman, manifested God where they were, and the way they related to each other. ‘Where I am you also may be’ and ‘Whoever believes in me will do the work that I do.’

Today’s readings express resurrection hope and invite us to participate with God in co-creating courageous and generous communities. We are called to accept the joyful and messy work of belonging to communities and connect, according to the heart of Jesus, imaginatively and relationally with tenderness, forgiveness, strength and protection rather than with patriarchal such as aggression, domination, control, and condemnation. Psalm 23 offers words of comfort and courage in times of uncertainty, sorrow and loss. The Psalm and Gospel remind us that we never walk alone amid the uncertainties of our future and the changes in our lives and our world. There is a way forward when feeling helpless, concerned, powerless and fearful.