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PERTH, WA: January 26, 1995
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T hankS Pope says:
When next you hear the strains of your
Recognize that your love of freedom version of Pope John Paul thing which every human heart longs for NlJ'sEDITED inner peace, that peace which comes from and justice will come to nothing if you do National Anthem and sing the words "our farewell speech in Australia: knowing that one is loved by God, and not strengthen respect for the sacredness land abounds in Nature's gifts of beauty
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As I say goodbye to your fair land, I heartily thank everyone for the hospitality which has been extended to me at each moment of this short stay. With your warmth, cordiality and enthusiasm, you have confirmed my belief that the people of Australia remain the greatest of the gifts in which you nations abounds. Among the vivid memories I will take away with me is that of a great and holy woman. God took this daughter of your land and made her a sign of spiritual greatness, a model of personal holiness and of service to the common good, to be contemplated and admired by all peoples, not only in Australia but throughout the world. Mother Mary's life speaks eloquently because it was firmly anchored in some-
from the desire to respond to his love. This is the simple yet profound lesson of Blessed Mary MacKillop. She knew that God loved her and she did not doubt: freely and unassumingly she responded to this love with confidence and courage. In facing every obstacle, in turning no one away, in the compassion and understanding she showed towards all, she was able to inspire this same inner peace and strength in others. To all Australians I make this appeal: do not hesitate to tap your spiritual resources in order to renew your families and the whole society. Use your rich multi-cultural diversity to foster ever greater mutual esteem and enrichment among yourselves.
of life and the human dignity of every person, created in God's image and likeness (cf Gen. 1:26-27). Meeting so many of you over these past two days I have been forcefully reminded of the greatness of your country and the abundance of your blessings. Your advantages and resources put you in a position of responsibility in Oceania and the Pacific Region, and towards the vast and quickly developing continent of Asia. With God's help, you must continue to work with others to advance the cause of peace. foster integral human development and relieve, as far as possible, the oppression of poverty, hunger and disease. Dear People of Australia: I say farewell with great confidence in your future.
...for the memories AT POPE John Paul 11 said (edited version) on arrival in Sydney: From my previous visit in 1986 I remember the vastness of the land, its majestic features and natural beauty, your modern cities, the rich variety of your people and the impressive signs of their energy and enterprise. From the original inhabitants to the most recent immigrants. in the young and the old, among parents with families, I was privileged to discover the most precious of your national treasures: the Australian people themselves, with all their creativity and determination. The abundant fruits which this heritage can produce when illuminated by a deep faith in God are evident in the example of an outstanding Asutralian women: Mother Mary MacKillop. Mary MacKillop embodied all that is best in your nation and in its people: genuine openness to others, hospitality to strangers, generosity to the needy, justice to those unfairly treated, perseverance in the face of adversity, kindness and support to the suffering. I pray that her example will inspire many Australians to take new pride in their Christian heritage to work for a better society for all. This they will do by acting with courage and commitment wherever there is poverty or injustice, wherever innocent life is threatened or human dignity degraded. In the years ssince my last vist much has changed in the world, and much has chanaged in Australia. One the international level, the fall of totalitarianism based on idealogy, and the lessening of political and military tensions between blocs, are undoubtedly the most striking events.
Says PM Keating:
Th
rich and rare", give hearfelt thanks to God for his many blessings. Thanks him for the freedom you enjoy, freedom to choose what is good and right. Thank him for your families, for your children who are the sure pronmise of a better tomorrow. Treat the poor and needy among you with real concern and practical solidarity. Think of Mother Mary MacKillp and learn from her to be a gift of love and compassion for one another, for all Australians, and the world. May God protect your beloved country! Advance, Australia Fair!
(See Pages 2, 3, 6 & 7)
Yet, the benefits which would be expected from such enormous transformations have not always been forthcoming, and new sources of tension and conflict have appeared. Like many other developed countries, Australia too has faced economic and social challenges, to which it is responding. But many people, especially the poor and disadvantaged, still need society's help. There exists a cultural and spiritual crisis which leaves many, especially young people, confused regarding the meaning of their lives and the values which would give sense and direction to their efforts. At the very heart of modern culture there is a growing sense of the need for moral and spiritual renewal: the need for a new attitude, one in which people will have more importance than things and human dignity will take precedence over material gain. Dear Australian friends, your own Mary MacKillop offers a key to such renewal. She was a woman of courage who placed the spiritual and material well-being of others ahead of any personal ambition or convenience. The honour which the Church will give to Mother Mary MacKillop by declaring her among the Blessed is in a sense an honour given to Australia and its people. It is also an invitation, an invitation to the whole of society to show genuine love and concern for all who are weighed down by life's burdens. I dare to say that your response will greatly determine the knd of society you will pass on to future generations in this land of promise.
Many thanks for coming over here
E PRIME MINISTER, Mr Keating, anked thr pope for coming so far and said the contribution of women, such as Mother MacKillop and others, had not always been properly acknowledged in this country.
"The labour and love, the courage and perseverence and not least the moral strength that women brought to the frontier of Australia - and now bring to the modern Australian community - have
been fundamental defining forces in Australia's development," he said. "In honouring this great Australian woman you have honoured all Australian women and all Australians." Mr Keating said the nation was trying to formulate both a culturally diverse and cohesive society through formulation of "inclusive" policies. "We recognise that we will not create a more cohesive and stronger Australia
without creating a fairer and more just Australia," he said. "When we talk of inclusion, therefore, we mean that the poor and disadvantaged must not be left without care. We mean the basic comforts and opportunities to lead fulfilling lives must be extended to them. "We do not say we have done enough, but these are our priorities and we know very well what you mean, Your Holiness, when you say that our response to such
human needs now will largely determine the kind of society we pass on. "We know there is no greater challenge facing us than the challenge of our youth. There have been developments in the modern world which have the potential to greatly improve the lives of people. And these same developments have the potential to impoverish them. We know technological progress, like the wealth that will flow from our economic growth, will never be enough."