Let’s Call a Spade a Spade
February 7, 2025
Truth serves peace – World Day of Social Justice (20 February)
The current Social Justice Statement issued by the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference is entitled Truth and Peace: A Gospel Word in a Violent World. It is a fine addition to the grand array of social justice statements that the bishops have issued in this country since 1940. It is indeed encouraging that the annual Social Justice Statement is the only Statement given to the nation by the bishops on a regular yearly basis.
The issues dealt with in the Statement are many and varied, and they are all relevant to the state of the world at present. At 16 pages in large print with illustrations, the document is not beyond any of us to read. It is a fine basis for prayer and reflection over months. The issues it deals with, while not exhaustive, are deeply concerning to anyone claiming allegiance to Jesus Christ.
8 February – Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking
February 5, 2025
On the feast day of St Josephine Bakhita (8 February), the patron saint of victims of modern slavery and human trafficking, is the International Day of Prayer and Awareness Against Human Trafficking.
This day was designated by Pope Francis in 2015 “following a request from Talitha Kum, the worldwide Network of Consecrated Life Against Human Trafficking.” (ACRATH) You can learn more about Talitha Kum (which includes 762 religious congregations in 97 countries) here.
ACRATH (Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans) shares more information about this day and St Josephine Bakhita here.
ACRATH representative, Annette Arnold rsj, shares resources below and ways to join in this Day of Prayer and Awareness.
The Treaty of Waitangi – A sacred covenant
The Treaty of Waitangi is a ‘living document’, the basis for an ‘agreed understanding’ between Aotearoa New Zealand’s chiefs of hapū and iwi, and the Crown. It was intended to provide direction for future growth and development. An official day of holiday and celebration is observed annually on 6 February.
Waitangi Day: The Treaty Is a Partnership
Each year on 6 February in Aotearoa New Zealand, we celebrate Waitangi Day commemorating the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840 between Māori rangatira (chiefs) and the Crown.
Admittedly, New Zealand has a history of ignoring Te Tiriti, but in the last 50 years particularly our governments and many institutions have worked with Māori to redress the injustices of the past — the injustices of colonisation. But last year, the Treaty was threatened by a minor political party in our coalition government. Without any discussion with Māori iwi (tribes), the party brought a Bill to parliament which will negate the Te Tiriti and enshrine ‘the Crown’ as the only reference for government decisions. We need to stop it.
What is a Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church?
February 4, 2025
For many, the understanding of a Jubilee Year is not always clear, so I thought to highlight some key points about what a Jubilee Year is and what it means for the Catholic faithful.
A Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church occurs every 25 years. It represents a year of celebration, renewal, and special graces for all the faithful. People are invited to come back into right relationship with God, with one another, and with all creation.
World Day of Consecrated Life
February 2, 2025
If I’ve learned one thing through the experiences I’ve been privileged to share in life, it is the Teilhard insistence that every life is consecrated and sacred. His words have been echoed by Pope Francis who reminds us that all of life “is a gift from God! It is always sacred and inviolable”.
What does it mean when we speak of the World Day of Consecrated Life? For me, it’s an opportunity to acknowledge the sacredness of the whole of life and to give thanks for the hugely diverse ways each of us is consecrated. It is also the opportunity to reflect specifically on our consecration as Josephites, at this time in our story.
As I reflect on our life as Josephites, I give thanks for our story and the many ways our Sisters have lived this life embedded in the call to mission, expressed through our particular lens on living the gospel – the call to those pushed to the edge and living on the margins, especially children and women.
Word of God Sunday Reflection
February 1, 2025
In Australia this year, Word of God Sunday is on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord (2 February).
Word of God Sunday invites us to pay special attention to the Word of God that we hear in that Sunday’s Liturgy of the Word. When Pope Francis established this Sunday as a way of highlighting the Scriptures, he wanted us to realise that the Scriptures come out of the lives of people living their faith in God through history. So, Pope Francis says “Biblical faith is based on the living word, not a book”.
Consecrated Life in Action and Inspiration
January 31, 2025
In the lead up to World Day of Consecrated Life on 2 February, I find myself reflecting deeply on the profound impact the Sisters of Saint Joseph have had on me, not just as mentors, but models of radical, compassionate discipleship. Working alongside these incredible women in the Josephite Justice Network has been a life-changing experience, one that has taught me to live my own expression of baptism with renewed purpose and commitment.
The Sisters of Saint Joseph, with their unwavering dedication to serving those on the margins, have shown me what it means to live out the Gospel with action, especially in times when the world seems overwhelmed by injustice. The Josephite Charism – rooted in the belief that we are all called to be instruments of peace, unity and reconciliation – has deeply inspired my own journey of faith. Being a Josephite isn’t just a set of ideals; it is a living, breathing call to engage with the world’s struggles, to recognise Christ in the face of the marginalised, and to take bold, compassionate steps toward justice.