News
[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level2)]
Homeless are welcome: our community cannot ignore their plight
Chair of the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service, Bishop Tim Harris delivered the following address at the launch of the 2025 Social Justice Statement held in Canberra on Wednesday, 13 August.
It is so good for me to be with those of you gathered here in Canberra and with those of you watching online for the launch of this year’s Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Social Justice Statement, “Signs of Hope on the Edge: Serving People Living in Homelessness and Mental Ill-Health”.
When this Statement was being written, I had no idea that I would eventually become the new Chair of the Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service. You see, it is the Chair of the Commission who launches such a Statement. Now that I have this responsibility, I must say that the Statement has touched me deeply.
Firstly, in my Cathedral precinct in Townsville is a sculpture of the ‘Homeless Jesus’ by the well-known sculptor Timothy Schmalz. It’s a near life-size figure wrapped in a blanket and lying on a bench. The figure’s face and hands are obscured by the blanket, but his pierced feet indicate that it is a representation of Jesus.
So, the ‘Homeless Jesus’ lies in the Cathedral grounds as a powerful reminder that the homeless are welcome and that our community cannot ignore their plight. The confronting figure calls on the community to involve ourselves in the life of those doing it tough – not in a patronising way but in a way that seeks to lift up and restore a broken humanity – to give our fellow human beings the dignity they deserve.
The beginning of St Matthew’s gospel gives us a clear way forward as to how we might proceed. Let us focus briefly on it for a few moments. We read about the beheading of Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist. After John’s disciples had buried him, they told Jesus. Naturally, this would have been terrible news for Jesus. The evangelist tells us that Jesus, on hearing this news, retreated by boat to a solitary place; but many had heard of Jesus’ movements and came quickly to see him.
Jesus would have been forgiven for wanting some quiet time to deal with his grief, but, instead, he responded to the people’s need. He healed the sick and, when his disciples told him that it was getting late and people should be sent back so they could get food, Jesus, instead, told them to sit the large crowd down. He blessed the five loaves of bread and two fish his disciples had gathered for him and, miraculously, there was more than enough to feed the thousands who had come to see him.
Only after he had tended with compassion to the needs of the crowd did Jesus walk up a mountain side where he could privately grieve for his cousin and pray. The chapter ends with the story of Jesus walking on the water to meet his disciples who were on a boat on the lake.
He told Peter to come out of the boat to meet him on the water, which Peter did. However, Peter began to sink. Jesus reached out to peter to stop him from sinking and they got onto the boat together. Seeing Peter’s lack of faith, Jesus asked peter: “Why did you doubt?” Seeing the amazing thing that had happened, the disciples worshipped Jesus. The message is clear, isn’t it? When Jesus saw people who were sick, he tended to their needs. He put them first.
When he was told that people needed food, he made sure their needs were met with basket loads of food. He put them first. He put his own need to grieve the dreadful loss of his cousin to one side to reach out with compassion to the sick and hungry.
Jesus only tended to his own needs when he had helped the many needy people who had come to see him. The chapter ends with the dramatic account of the disciples seeing clear evidence that Jesus was the son of God. Peter’s faith had deserted him. He did not put his trust in Jesus and he began to sink. Jesus saved him from sinking and reminded him and the other disciples that, even in the midst of challenging and, sometimes, seemingly overwhelming situations, only good will come from believing in him and following in his ways.
So, it also is when we consider how we should respond to the plight of people living in homelessness and struggling with mental ill-health. We can pass by people living on the streets asking for help and say we have too many challenges and troubles of our own; or we can put our faith in Jesus and follow in his footsteps no matter how difficult and confronting that might seem.
Reaching out with compassion to homeless people who are dealing with depression or other mental illnesses, people who are hungry, people who are lonely and starved of affection – some how, some way, that’s what Jesus shows us is to love as God loves.
And if we put our faith in Jesus, He will be there to offer His hand so that we do not sink beneath the waves as we try to help people who are facing enormous difficulties. Only good will come if we follow Jesus and put our trust in him!
The statement being launched today provides us with the stories of a number of people living in homelessness and mental ill-health. They are stories of great hardship, desperation and loneliness. Some of these stories also give us some signs of hope in the midst of these troubles when good people reach out and offer a hand of friendship and practical support.
The statement also provides facts and figures about the rising rate of homelessness and mental ill-health, about some of the causes and also the difficulties specialist homelessness services face in helping homeless people. This is important information which helps us to understand the nature and extent of the struggle so many people face.
However, the key message of this statement is that people of faith and people of goodwill must try to notice what is happening in the lives of people living on the streets, to understand the hardship they face and find ways, big and small to make a difference in their lives.
Our call, as Christians, is to accompany people living in homelessness and mental ill-health and offer them hope that they can overcome the challenges they face. We honour Jesus when we serve them in this way, but they also help us to draw closer to Jesus who invites us to reach out to them with compassion and love, no matter how difficult it may seem.
I applaud those who are already working to support people living in homelessness and mental ill-health. Your work is admirable and inspiring. I also thank those who have had a hand in writing and publishing this statement. I hope it inspires many more to ‘step out of the boat’ and reach out to people living in homelessness and mental ill-health.
I encourage you all to not only read this statement, but to be inspired by it to take action to share with our homeless sisters and brothers the abundant love and hope God offers us all.
The statement can be found at socialjustice.catholic.org.au
The Synodal journey comes to Australia
Following the recommendations of the Plenary Council, the Church in Australia is carrying forward its pursuit of synodality with several local diocese planning a Diocesan Synod for 2026.
Preparations are well underway for several Diocesan Synods to be held throughout 2026. In the Archdiocese of Adelaide the synod will take place in two sessions during May and June 2026. In Cairns the synod process is ongoing from 2025-2026, with a “Final Plenary Assembly” scheduled for May 17, 2026. The Diocese of Townsville will follow, with their synod officially beginning on Friday, June 12, 2026.
The Diocese of Toowoomba has also called a synod to be held in the latter half of next year. However, it is the Archdiocese of Sydney that is first cab off the rank among this group, with their synod scheduled to be held in April 2026. Three longings arose from Sydney Catholics after many years of consultation, and these will be discussed at the Synod:
That our liturgies be more prayerful; occasions of real encounter with God and opportunities for faith development; sacramental programs be improved to initiate into prayerful sacramental celebrations.
That our parish and other Church communities be more Christ-centred; where people are called to ongoing conversion; where people are called to live their baptismal dignity, growing in holiness and service; welcoming communities, especially as regards families and the young.
That we be mission-oriented; we carry Christ’s presence beyond Church boundaries; we see ourselves as servants of all with a special place for the marginalized.
In the Archdiocese of Adelaide, the following five ‘Key Discernment Themes’ have been identified as catalyst for discernment at the synod:
‘Formation for Mission and Leadership’, ‘Mission of Catholic Education and Being Church Together’, ‘Structures and Planning for Communion, Mission and Participation’, ‘Becoming Missionary Disciples’, and ‘Communion in Grace: Sacrament to the World’.
In a Pastoral Letter to the Archdiocese in June this year, Archbishop Patrick O’Regan told the archdiocese that the synod “must not be an event, but a process, not an end but a beginning – a Pentecost moment for our local Church.”
‘Queensland Great’ turns 100
Well-known and respected Queensland Sister of Mercy, Sr Angela Mary Doyle recently celebrated her 100th Birthday with a week-long celebration, including a reception at Government House.
The luncheon was hosted by the Governor of Queensland, Dr Jeanette Young and was attended by former Governor-General, The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce. Special guests included Sr Angela Mary’s family who travelled from Dublin for the occasion.
Sr Angela Mary was honoured for her remarkable legacy as a hospital administrator, social justice advocate, and champion of healthcare and early support for those living with HIV/AIDS. In formal remarks, the Governor reflected on Sister Angela Mary’s enduring contribution to public life in Queensland since her arrival from Ireland in 1947.
Of particular note was her decades of service at the Mater Hospital including her advocacy for Queenslanders living with HIV/AIDS, her support for First Nations communities, and her more recent work helping to establish Catherine’s House – providing mental health services for new parents experiencing anxiety and depression.
The Governor also spoke of the deep respect and affection Sister Angela Mary inspires across the State and noted her many accolades including being named a Queensland Great, Queenslander of the Year, receiving the Order of Australia, a Centenary Medal and other honorary degrees. The Governor described Sr Angela Mary’s “enduring compassion and empathy for others” as perhaps the most important part of her legacy, and on behalf of all Queenslanders, thanked her for a lifetime of service and care, that began in the operating theatres of the Mater, before stepping into leadership in 1966.
Sr Angela Mary went on to be Mater’s Sister Administrator for 21 years, overseeing huge growth in Mater’s adult, children’s and mothers’ hospitals. One of her well-known contributions was to the care of homosexual men during the 1980’s AIDS crisis when former Premier Bjelke-Petersen directed a fear campaign on the virus. Refusing federal funding for medical care, he argued that “nobody must help these men because their illness is a direct punishment from God”. Sr Doyle remembered thinking, “I don’t know what God you know”. This funding Sr Doyle secretly accepted and funnelled through the Mater to the Queensland AIDS Council.
Then Federal Health Minister, Dr Neal Blewett later said the Sisters of Mercy were “the most altruistic of money launderers”. Under the cover of darkness, Sr Doyle met with many AIDS sufferers. Meeting with them in their homes and hearing what they needed, she would return to the convent to organise delivery of care. Sr Doyle stepped back from leadership positions in the 2000s but never stepped away from her beloved Mater, where she continues to play an active role with visits and championing causes. She said at 100 years, she was often asked about her secret to a long life.
“All I can think of is I’m always interested in somebody out there that I could help more than myself. There is nothing I desire more than my closeness to God; my closeness to God is everything to me. It’s everything.”
Reflecting on a 75-year journey of faith and unity
The Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Life and Ministry include from left to right: Bishop of Port Pirie Karol Kulczycki, BCELM Executive Secretary Clara Geoghegan, Archbishop of Canberra and Goulburn Christopher Prowse, Catholic Immigration Manager for the Archdiocese of Sydney Kylie Cullen, Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office national director Fr Khalid Marogi and Director of the National Centre for Evangelisation Malcolm Hart. (Image courtesy of Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.)
Immigration continues to be a topic of much discussion in Australia. In 1950, Catholic bishops issued On Immigration, a landmark pastoral letter urging the community to offer generosity to those seeking to make Australia their new home in the post-war era. 75 years on from the letter, Australia’s Catholic bishops are issuing the statement Under the Southern Cross: A Journey of Faith and Unity. The bishops are seeking to remind Australians of, to quote the statement, the “timeless call to hospitality and generosity”.
In 1950, Catholic bishops issued On Immigration, a landmark pastoral letter urging the community to offer generosity to those seeking to make Australia their new home.
Seventy-five years on, Australia’s Catholic bishops have issued Under the Southern Cross: A Journey of Faith and Unity. Amid an unprecedented influx of migrants from southern and Eastern Europe, On Immigration stated: “In the inscrutable ways of Divine Providence, Australia becomes today, a sanctuary, a shelter, a home for thousands of the homeless, stateless, persecuted peoples of the old world.”
The 1950 letter – read aloud in churches across the country – called on Australian Catholics to exercise their moral duty to extend kindness, practical assistance, and hospitality to new arrivals, especially those who had been displaced by war and persecution. In the 75th anniversary letter, the Bishops Commission for Evangelisation, Laity and Ministry says it is a timely opportunity to reflect on Australians’ attitudes towards immigrants.
“Their words remain just as applicable to us today,” the letter reads. “Once again, our nation serves as a sanctuary and refuge for thousands seeking a new life – whether fleeing hardships in their homelands or pursuing the opportunities, freedom, and prosperity that Australia offers, and we are called again to extend the hand of welcome to migrants ‘patience, kindliness, sympathy and practical help … in God’s name’.”
The letter notes that the lived experience of migrants – who represent about a third of Australians – has “not always been a positive one”. “Despite significant progress in fostering a multicultural society, prejudice persists among some of us who view others as being ‘different’ or ‘other’ within our nation.
“And in todays’ political climate, as conflicts from abroad spill into our own nation, we are witnessing growing tensions, division, and unrest, which are threatening the harmony of our communities.
“And yet the bishops’ message from 1950 continues to echo across the decades, reminding us once again of the eternal call to welcome Jesus in welcoming the stranger. ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me’.” (Matthew 25:40)
Commission chair Archbishop Christopher Prowse said Catholics are called to “welcome, support, and embrace” those arriving from other lands. “Migrants have made an enormous contribution to our nation,” Archbishop Prowse said. “All of us benefit from their diverse cultural traditions, stories, deep wisdom and experience they bring.
“Australia is a more welcoming, vibrant, and flourishing society because of their contribution.”
The statement can be found here: https://www.catholic.au/s/article/
75th-anniversary-pastoral-letter-on-immigration. Refugee and Migrant Sunday is September 28, 2025
[/s2If]
