Summer 09Final - Toowoomba Social Justice Commission

A PLACE AT
THE TABLE
The Newsletter of
the Social Justice
Commission
Catholic Diocese
of Toowoomba
PO Box 1262
Toowoomba,
Qld 4350
And You Will Be My Witnesses - Young People and Justice
people, especially as it was in evidence
during World Youth Day last year. In
particular they remind us that young
people are especially alert to issues of
justice and equity, as they apply to
themselves, and their peers around the
world, and as they impinge upon their
future.
(07) 46130895
Summer 2009
St Saviour’s Students ‘Stand Up’ against Global Poverty
IN THIS ISSUE
Young People
and Justice p. 1
A Journey at St
Saviour’s College
p. 3
Social Justice
Awards p. 4
Commission
Matters p. 5
Tiwi Island
Immersion p. 6
Parliament of
World Religions
p. 7
New Website p. 8
In the Book of Numbers we hear Moses
say: “I wish the Lord would give his
Spirit to all the people so everyone could
be a prophet”. (Numbers 11:29) In their
statement issued for this year’s Social
Justice Sunday, the Bishops of Australia
remind us that young people are amongst
that “everyone” who can be prophetic. If
we are to take seriously the message
from the Bishops, this means that we are
prepared to acknowledge that young
people in our society and in our Church
community have a voice which speaks to
us of hope, of faith, of justice, a voice of
challenge, through which we also hear
the Word of God.
Each year the Australian Catholic
Bishops’ Conference issues a statement
to mark Social Justice Sunday, the last
weekend in September. This year the
Bishops chose to focus their annual
statement on Young People and Justice.
They recall for us the energy,
enthusiasm and commitment of young
But the Bishops also remind us of our
responsibility towards the young in our
society. They are so often the most
vulnerable to exclusion, disempowerment
and unjust structures. Too often, the
young are amongst the voiceless, the
powerless in our midst.
There is an ancient piece of tribal
wisdom which says “It takes a whole
village to raise a child”. Perhaps we have
forgotten something of this today.
Responsibility for our young people is
shared in society, and especially in our
Church, we who consider ourselves as
community. We don’t see so many young
people in our churches these days. I
think we would all agree that the age
profile of the Catholic Church across
Australia is quickly becoming greyer!
Where are our young people? It is easy
to say that they don’t care any more,
that they are too materialistic to come
to church, too lazy, too disinterested.
But perhaps we have to ask what we, as
Church, are offering to them. How does
the Church speak with young people?
How do we enter into dialogue with
them? How do we listen to them, and the
(Continued on page 2)
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A PLACE AT THE TABLE
insights they have to offer from their perspective
of and experience in the world? How do we allow
their voice to be heard within our community?
Sometimes we can underestimate the goodness and
insights of young people, because we judge them
according to their appearance, their fashion
statements, their ways of behaving; in essence,
because they are different from us, and at times,
we don’t understand where they are coming from!
God is able to work in diverse and boundless ways,
and it is not for them to limit God’s wisdom and
power. It is true that at times, some young people
make choices which are not life-giving for
themselves or for others around them. It is just as
true that people of other age-groups make similar
choices!
One of the essential challenges of both the Gospels
and the Hebrew Scriptures is to “Choose Life”. This
sounds great – of course we would choose life.
However, in reality, those life choices are not
always simple, and very often have a cost
associated with them. So many young people are
generously offering their time and their talent to
ventures which they believe will provide a more
life-giving social environment for others.
Think of the young people who are involved in
environmental activities and activism these days.
The fate of the environment in 50 years time is of
grave concern for them – as it should be for all of
us. Think of the number of young people who spend
time between when they finish school and begin
tertiary studies volunteering in foreign places,
caring for children, or involved in community
development organisations. Think of the number of
young Indigenous women and men, who are making
invaluable contributions to local and national culture
through their work in government and not-for-
Summer 2009
profit organisations, even locally in Toowoomba and
regional centres.
Another piece of tribal wisdom comes to my mind,
and that is the challenge of making decisions with
the seventh generation in mind. The decisions we
make today, both personally and as communities,
will have an impact well beyond our own lifetimes.
That is both a sobering and an exciting concept.
This year’s Social Justice Sunday statement from
the Australian bishops reminds us somehow of this
wisdom. The fact that the Bishops have chosen to
focus on young people, and their struggle to build a
just world, reminds us that we all have a
responsibility to and for the young people in our
midst, as well as for generations yet to come.
One of the basic principles of Social Justice is that
of Solidarity, meaning that we are all really
responsible for each other. Let’s take that
responsibility seriously in our faith communities, by
committing ourselves anew to the transformation
of our world into a more just place for the young
people of the future. Let’s also make the effort to
engage these young people in our conversations, and
to really listen to their voices, their wisdom, and
their dreams as they strive for justice. We have
much to learn from their energy, enthusiasm and
idealism. Each one of us shares our life in some way
with young people. Let’s be sure to encourage them
as they seek ways to channel their gifts, both
within our parish communities, and further afield.
In the end, this will be a life-giving choice for
everyone.
Adapted from reflection shared by Sr Sue Flood osu at Social Justice
Sunday masses at St Patrick’s Cathedral, 26/27 Sept 2009)
Welcome to our Christmas edition of A Place at the Table. This issue picks up the theme of the annual social
justice statement and focuses on youth. There are articles about and by young people. There is much to be
inspired by. In this issue Abuk Lam shares her incredible journey from scribbling in the sand in a refugee
camp to life in Australia. Some extraordinary young women from St Ursula’s College share how they have
been touched by a visit to the Tiwi Islands. This experience has moved them into action—challenging the unjust aspects of the Northern Territory Intervention. Sue Flood shares a reflection on her time at the recent Parliament of World Religions in Melbourne. And we honour the great work being achieved by the Oakey Reconciliation Group. This year we have tried to regularly update our website. So you don’t need to wait for A
Place at the Table to be informed, inspired and engaged in the world around you. The website address is
www.tsjc.org Please send an email to justice@twb.catholic.org.au for regular updates. Until next time...
Summer 2009
A PLACE AT THE TABLE
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My Journey at St Saviour’s College
on, hold down a part time job.
Abuk
Lam
completed Year
12 at St Saviour’s College
this year. This
is a version of a
presentation
she gave to the
St
Saviour’s
College
community in November of 2009.
Good morning staff, students and parents. I am
thankful for this opportunity to stand here today
and share my journey with you at St Saviour’s as a
young Sudanese woman. My life is about a journey –
from Sudan to Kenya and then to Toowoomba, Australia. My journey at St Saviour’s has only been
five years but it feels like a life time of change.
Come back with me to Africa to the Refugee camp.
I was attending a school very different to this one.
We had our lessons under the trees as there were
no proper classrooms – no desks, chairs, books or
pens. We used the ground as our slate and our finger was our pencil. We attended the school five
days a week, from 8am to midday and one class
would have over fifty students – education was not
compulsory. The majority of students who used to
attend the school were boys. Girls were persuaded
to stay at home helping their mothers with the
house work, and had very few rights. I grew up
with my brothers and I used to do all the house
work for them, cook their meals and I then tried
really hard to be able to attend school. Life was
always a struggle without opportunity.
th
I came to Australia on 28 October 2004 with my
two older brothers and I became the chief cook
and bottle washer in our household. My future, besides attending school, was to maintain a household, do the cooking, cleaning, shopping and later
The biggest memory I have was my first day at St
Saviour’s College which was on 27th January 2005. I
couldn’t wait to start school. I was so excited yet
nervous about my first school in Australia. I couldn’t
speak any English at all so my ability to communicate
worried me greatly. I spent all day in the Japanese
classroom which was my first class of the day…lunch
included. I was unaware that I needed to change
rooms; I couldn’t read my diary or timetable so I
was feeling completely lost. Students walked in and
out all day and by the second last period of the day,
that’s when my first friend Talia Gold found me and
took me to the learning support room. It took me
quite a while to use to the system but with the support of the St Saviour’s community I soon adapted.
My journey in education has been challenging. I
spent many periods in learning support establishing
a foundation for future years. I was not only learning English but many facets of education that I had
never experienced before. Learning was fun but
certainly difficult and confronting and at all times I
felt the need to always do my best. I knew that
education was a privilege and I loved being here. I
also enjoyed being surrounded by people that were
so helpful – students and teachers. I have learnt
that you are never fully dressed without a smile on
your face.
In Grade 9 I met a couple, Peter and Lorelle who
became so involved in my life. I regarded them as
my Australian parents. They supported me in every
thing I did. They assisted with my school work and
took me away on weekends and holidays. I remember
for my Grade 10 maths assignment Peter helped me
to design a house. They always came to Grandparents Day and other school functions. I am forever
grateful that they came into my life.
Towards the end of grade 10 I was given a leadership position as a peer support person and I was
very excited to take up the roll with the support of
the staff and students. The position went will with a
lot of learning of new skills from Grade 8 students.
(continued pg 5)
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Summer 2009
Oakey Reconciliation Group Receives Annual
Social Justice Award
Group in 2009. This group has achieved enormous
things in its young life. Oakey has close to a ten
percent Aboriginal population. More then half of
this population is under the age of 18. On most
social indicators there remains a large gap between
Aboriginal residents of Oakey and the rest of
Australia. Without receiving any funding a full
NAIDOC week programme was held in Oakey.
David and Jennifer promoted the message ‘It’s OK
to be Aboriginal in Oakey’. This group has also
advocated to get much needed health services in
the town and has again without funding
commissioned a strengths and needs analysis.
In 1966 one of the Church’s most powerful
documents of recent times, Gaudium et Spes, was
published. The documents begins, 'The joys and
the hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the people of
this age, especially those who are poor or in any
way afflicted are the griefs and anxieties of the
followers of Christ.' Following this Pope Paul VI
established the Pontifical Commission for Justice
and Peace. Each Bishop throughout the world was
also asked to commission people in their Diocese to
work for justice and peace.
In 2002 Bishop Morris formally established a
Social Justice Commission for our Diocese. Each
year this Commission recognises outstanding work
in the area of social justice.
In past years
recipients have been involved in campaigning for
affordable housing, education, youth, refugees, the
environment and the legal rights of those with a
disability.
This year it is with great pleasure that our
Commission recognises the work of David
Totenhofer and Jennifer Wharton.
David and
Jennifer established the Oakey Reconciliation
David is employed as an economic and community
development officer with Toowoomba Regional
Council. His work with the reconciliation group is
much more than a job. He has given selflessly of
his time and helped to ensure that local Aboriginal
people gain a sense of belonging and have a place at
the table. Jennifer has an inspirational passion for
her people and her culture.
She has high
expectations and is looking for opportunities rather
then excuses. She has shown great courage in
taking on a leadership role. The music that she has
promoted with her brother Robert and singer
songwriter Josh Arnold has been the sound track
for a positive change in the Oakey community.
Past Recipients of Social Justice /
Human Rights Award include:
Mike and Nancy Murphy (Refugee Support), Nicola
McDougall (Media)
Donna Crawford (Indigenous Education)
Mark Cook-Long / Shelter Toowoomba Branch
(Affordable Housing)
Jeff Nolan (Environment), Alfred Orcher (Indigenous
Youth Advocacy), Rebecca Vonhoff (Media)
Dan Toombs (Disability Legal Advocacy), Nathan
Elvery (Environment)
Summer 2009
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(From pg. 3)
In grade 11 another leadership position as Xavier
House Vice Captain was given to me. During this
time I learnt organisation and to be a voice for the
House. I also learnt that some students were willing
to give anything a go but some provided challenges.
Unfortunately, in the beginning of my grade 12
term, my Australian Dad, Peter, passed away. His
loss affected me deeply and I felt like quitting
school. This could have been an easy solution but
through support of my friends and teachers, I persevered.
Students and staff, I walked into this College with
nothing and am about to walk out with a gained confidence in the English language, education, friendship and family. Seeds flourish if they are watered
often and during my last five years, I have been
watered by the community of this college with love.
I am walking out of here as a woman with a positive
future outlook, with opportunity and so grateful for
the St Saviour’s college experience and I thank
you. God bless.
Abuk Lam
Commission Matters
2009 has been a year of firsts for our Commission.
It has been the first year that we have had a team
with a Social Justice Educator, Executive Officer
and Administrative support. It has been our first
year with a functioning living and breathing website
(check out www.tsjc.org if you haven’t already). It
has been the first year of walking with the Bishop’s
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Reference
Group. This year saw the first social justice immersion trip with St Ursula’s College. We have recently had news from Southern Sudan that the
first well of five has been dug—providing one thousand people with drinking water in the village of
Bundir. A number of parish groups have re-formed
or begun new social justice groups in 2009. These
are all great signs of hope.
As this newsletter goes to print it is also a time of
great challenge. Locally we wrestle with the issue
of food security, the environment and mining. At a
global level our world community looks to meet the
challenge of climate change and as Christians our
5
perspective is slanted towards the world’s most impoverished nations. Island nations such as Tuvalu
and Kiribati are facing great uncertainty due to
global warming. AS Pope Benedict recently reminded the world’s leaders,
'We are called to exercise responsible stewardship
of creation, to use resources in such a way that
every individual and community can live with dignity,
and to develop 'that covenant between human beings and the environment, which should mirror the
creative love of God.' (Message for 2008 World Day of Peace)
It is with some sadness that we farewell Sr Sue
Flood osu. Sue has played a vital role with the Commission over the past two years.
Her prayerful
and thoughtful approach to matters of justice have
been a gift to parishes and schools alike. Sue’s humour and passion and great skills as a communicator
will be greatly missed in the office. Sue has played
a major role in bringing us closer to delivering
fresh water to a number of villages in Southern Sudan (no small feat!).
Sue has taken a year’s leave and will take up a position as Acting Assistant Director (Faith Education
and Curriculum) with the Catholic Education Office.
We thank her for her time with us and wish her
God’s richest blessings in her new role for 2010.
Our Commission hopes to continue work in the area
of social justice education into the next year.
Thank you to all parish groups, community groups
and schools who have worked with us for social justice this year. As we look to next year we urge you
to join us. Two major initiatives will be the development of a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and
Catholic Earthcare’s ASSISI programme.
May
deep peace be yours this Christmas.
The signing of the Diocesan RAP Statement of Commitment
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Summer 2009
Tiwi Islands Immersion
Opens the Eyes and
Hearts of Young People
One of the highlights of 2009 for me was a trip to
the Tiwi Islands with a group of sixteen St Ursula’s
College students. I think it is fair to say that a
few of our group were a little bit nervous as we sat
in a boat waiting to land on Bathurst Island in September. Although I had been there before I too
was nervous. I live in a household of boys and was
about to spend five days with 18 young women. The
immersion trip was truly memorable. The students
were all warm and welcoming and I will always
treasure memories of badly sung 1980s songs in the
back of a very dusty and hot vehicle!
The framework that we used for our visit was a
short essay by Albert Nolan OP. The essay, titled
“Spiritual Growth and the Option for the Poor”,
sets out four stages of growth in the area of social
justice.
These are:
Compassion, Structural
Change, Humility and Solidarity.
As a group we
experienced all of these stages in the short time
we spent on the islands.
As part of a visit to a local women’s safe house we
were confronted by some of the discriminatory aspects to the Northern Territory Intervention. The
students spoke with women working at the safe
house who keenly felt the humiliation of quarantining of welfare payments through a “Basics Card”.
This “Basics Card” meant that mothers and grandmothers were unable to properly support their children and grand children at boarding schools as well
as attend events in nearby Darwin.
Upon returning to Toowoomba a number of students
started a postcard campaign requesting that the
Federal Government remove the discriminatory aspects of the Intervention. Two students, Micaela
Cash and Moira Nolan wrote an open letter to Prime
Minister Rudd—describing their journey to the Tiwi
Islands and the need for change.
Here is an excerpt from the letter…..
The women that we spoke to at the Safe House in
(Molley Glassey with young Tiwi friends from Nguiu)
Nguiu told us they feel as if they are treated like
children. They feel as if all responsibility has been
stripped from them, just because they are indigenous. We were angered to find that this was introduced by lifting the Anti-discrimination legislation
which was re-introduced once the Basics Card was
up and running. We felt ashamed and embarrassed
that our government would restrict the rights of
our fellow Australians. Despite the apology to the
Stolen Generation, as the future of this country,
we fear that the Aboriginal people are treated as
second class citizens.
This experience had such a dramatic impact on our
lives and we feel it is our duty to make a change.
Listening to their stories is something that will remain with us forever, as it changed our perception
of the Indigenous culture and our oneness with
them. Throughout our trip we discovered a people
who had very little but a genuine love of life, a
great sense of community and were accepting of
everyone. This experience changed our lives, and we
want to now help change lives for the better.
Below are some reflections on the week from the
participants. It is hoped that there will be another
Immersion trip in 2010. To read the open letter to
the Prime Minister or find out more about the trip
go to www.tsjc.org/reconciliation
The trip was the best experience of my life. It
opened my eyes to another culture and it was a journey of self discovery. My week on Tiwi was the best
week of my life and something I will never forget.
It was eye opening, it really got you thinking about
the basic respect humans deserve. The best week of
my life, so much fun and heart touching.
Summer2009
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7
Click on www.tsjc.org !!
Our new website is up and running.
While still being constructed there are
already lots of news items, events and
social justice resources to be found
there. Our priority areas of Justice
and Reconciliation for Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Caring
for Creation and Advocacy and Support for Refugees and Migrants are
well represented on this site.
We have been regularly updating the
site—so if you wish to be notified
when new stuff appears send an
email to justice@twb.catholic.org.au
The Parliament of the World‘s
Religions
At the beginning of December, I had the opportunity to attend the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Melbourne. This was an international event,
attended by people from across the globe, and
from at least thirty faith traditions and religious
pathways.
Very often gatherings such as this one are cynically
described as ‘talk-fests’, implying that the only
thing that results from them is many more words,
with little action by or transformation of the participants. To a degree, the ‘talk-fest’ label might be
applied to this gathering, too. Perhaps, with around
5,000 participants and 650 workshops over 6 days,
that was the only realistic expectation. Amongst
the plethora of speakers and workshop presenters
people such as Catholic theologian Hans Kung; and
Sr Joan Chittister, added to the richness of the
conversations. Panels consisting of representatives
from Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Sikhism, Christianity, and some with no particular religious background addressed issues which are of concern to
everyone.
I suspect that, like me, most of the participants
left the event encouraged about the future, with a
little more hope and the glimmer of new insights.
For me, this was the result not of any one
workshop or any single speaker, but rather the outcome of being in the midst of so many good people
all longing for and committed to working towards
the same thing – a world in which we can work together, not in spite of, but rather because of our
differences.
The differences were very obvious – in dress, in
nationality and language, in religious practices, even
in the detail of our beliefs. However, the common
focus was also clear. People are striving to find
ways to live with compassion, to make clear their
commitment to nurturing an ecological and economic
climate in which all people can thrive. As we engage
with each other, we don’t have to dissolve our differences, but rather commit ourselves to find ways
to better understand each other, to respect our
varied perspectives, to explore the common
threads in our diverse pathways, and even to celebrate the feasts which are important to each
other, and the truths that they encapsulate.
I came away from the week more convinced that
difference need not be threatening, but is, in fact,
enriching, and that Interfaith Dialogue is not only
possible but essential as we walk in the company of
our neighbours in a globalised world.
Sr Sue Flood osu.
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Summer 2009
Dates to Remember
The Work of Christmas
December 18th: International Migrants
Day
December 21st: Native Title Bill passed
by the Senate 1993
December 25th: Birth of Jesus
December 27th: Holy Family Feast
January 1st: Mary, Mother of God
World Day of Peace
January 3rd: Epiphany of Jesus
______________________________________
Robert Wharton - "DREAMING"
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry
To release the prisoners,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.
By Howard Thurman
_______________________________________
As a listener you can feel his pain and joy and you
are taken deep into his world of muddy rivers, endless highways and starlit nights.
This is it!!
Finally after months of dreaming, planning, songwriting and finally recording, Robert Wharton’s debut Album "Dreaming" is about to go to press.
I had the pleasure and honour to be involved with
Robert on this Album as a Co-Writer, Singer, Producer, Mentor and Friend and I am extremely excited about the journey this Album as well as
Robert and his music are about to undertake.
Roberts spirit pours out in each of the 12 tracks on
"Dreaming".
As with any great music there are other forces at
work in Roberts songs and his spirituality is evident
throughout as well as his intense connection to nature, culture and the welfare of his people, which
represents his incredible pride as an Aboriginal man.
Robert’s road has not been an easy one to say the
least, but beyond his life struggles and behind his
personal demons is a pure heart, a romantic and a
talented singer/songwriter who I am proud to call
my collaborator, friend and brother.
(Josh Arnold)
To purchase a copy of Robert Wharton's album
"Dreaming" contact Jennifer at:
jgwharton@hotmail.com