Justice & Peace Office Annual Report 2022

ANNUAL REPORT

2022 Justice and PeaceOffice

Acknowledgement of Country

The Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney acknowledges and pays respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples as the First Nation Peoples of Australia, on whose ancestral homelands we live, serve, learn, worship and work; the homelands of Eora, Guringai, Dharawal, and Dharug peoples. We acknowledge this land was never ceded and it remains a contested place. We wait to live in right relationship with the country and her First Peoples.

We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the histories, languages, cultures and spirituality of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. We respect their continuing connections to Country and Sea over thousands of generations, as the world’s oldest living cultures. We seek to learn and embrace their care and love of country.

Report from Promoter of Justice and Peace

Fr Peter Smith

The last 12 months have been a challenging time for all Australians. The scourge of Covid-19 and its many variants have impacted not just our health, but our work, relationships and of course the economy.

Added to this, the devastating floods that have impacted parts of NSW, the shortage of workers in many sectors and the ongoing environmental degradation; little wonder that mental health is such a challenge for many. Those most impacted, as always, are the poor and the vulnerable who frequently are the victims of systemic injustice.

There are also many signs of hope. The second session of the fifth Plenary Council of the Australian Catholic Church ratified decrees in support of Reconciliation with our First Nations Peoples, witnessed to the equality of men and women, chose repentance and seeks healing for abuse within the Church and commits to promote an Integral Ecology and Conversion for the sake of our Common Home. These are issues already gaining traction within civil society along with a renewed concern for Refugees and People Seeking Asylum, homelessness, fair wages and a host of other issues plaguing our society.

During the year Australians elected a new government and in the process showed strong support for Independents; especially the so called “Teals”. Commentators repeatedly reported that this indicated a disaffection with the major parties. The real strength of the pursuit for justice continues to be in the not-for-profit sector and the inspiring members of parishes throughout the Archdiocese and beyond, who quietly and tirelessly are helping to build a more just and equitable society.

In the following pages you will read how the Justice and Peace Office has continued our mission to “promote awareness, understanding and action in relation to justice, peace, ecology and development as guided by Catholic Social Teaching”. We continue to research, educate and advocate in light of the Gospel, the example of Jesus and the tradition of the Church. I am grateful for the enthusiasm, creativity and hard work of the JPO Staff and the support of Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP and Chancery staff along with our many supporters and affiliates.

Let us together continue to recognize and work for the dignity of every human person as created in the image and likeness of God.

About the Justice & Peace Office

"

Action on behalf of justice and participation in the transformation of the world appear to us as a constitutive dimension of the preaching of the Gospel, or, in other words, of the Church’s mission for the redemption of the human race and its liberation from every oppressive situation… " Synod of Bishops, Justice in the World

The Justice and Peace Office is an agency of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney which promotes justice, peace, ecology and development through advocacy and activities based on the social teachings of the Catholic Church.

Of course, like most workplaces, families, and communities, the Justice and Peace Office is really a group of people trying to discern the direction of the Spirit and supporting each other to move meaningfully and effectively in that direction.

Over the last three years, the Covid-19 pandemic has demanded we negotiate care for each other and for creation in ways we could not have imagined. It meant hours on zoom with meetings beginning with, “Can you hear me?” Answer. “No you’re on mute” and getting frozen images at the most inopportune moment.

It meant finding food and computers for those doing it really tough. It meant standing in solidarity with Western Sydney as the State sought to divide the city into the securitised and the un-securitised. It meant recognising as Pope Francis suggests in his beautiful book, Let us Dream, that we are in a threshold moment where change is possible.

We believe our role is to be alive to the Spirit, the moment in which we live and alive to the possibilities of creating a more humane, compassionate, and inclusive world. This demands we advocate for those without voice or political power, that we imagine how we can do things better, and that we work in coalition with people and communities of good will to build the common good.

The 4 A's Why Action, Advocacy, Assembly and

Affirmation frame our work

During a brainstorm in the middle of the first COVID lockdown we took some time out to reflect and brainstorm about our mission and charism. Four things kept coming up, which we now know as “the 4 As.” Action, Advocacy, Affirmation, Assembly. We realised our work centred on at least one of these descriptors, if not all of them.

ACTION

Where we try to follow Jesus’ example of getting our hands dirty in the pursuit of the common good and social justice outcomes across society. Our inspiration often comes from those great Catholic campaigners who fought over the centuries for better outcomes in their communities. This approach works out in practice as “Show, Don’t Tell.”

ADVOCACY

Catholic Social Teaching is full of examples where fighting for the underprivileged requires someone to raise the concerns of those denied a voice at the table of the powerful. We try to create communications that speak truth to power about what needs fixing in our world, according to the “cries of the poor”and the church’s teachings about social justice.

AFFIRMING THE FAITH

Living our faith in action also affirms it, by getting active on the challenges confronting us all we give witness to what and why we believe in the teachings of Jesus. It is a living experience to feel how our shared beliefs in justice bring alive the spirit among us.

ASSEMBLY

Wherever two or three are gathered, we have been taught, “there am I ” The greatest gift of this work for all is to be part of people of faith getting into the room (face-to-face or virtual) and singing up the spirit we share in these joint ventures for good That assembly is a privilege we honour, by remembering each other’s important role in our shared life together That’s why we put so much care and energy into building coalitions of care in the work we undertake

A Reconciliation Action Plan for Sydney

In June 2021 Fr. Peter Smith met with Archbishop Anthony and Dr Miriam-Rose Ungunmerr Baumann AM. Miriam-Rose is an Aboriginal elder from Nauiyu and a renowned artist, activist, writer, and public speaker. Her Catholic faith drives much of her work.

She spoke to us of her passion for reconciliation with First Nations people and her desire for Dadirii: deep listening between our cultures. In that spirit of Dadirri, the Archbishop committed himself and the Archdiocese to go on the journey of reconciliation and requested that I establish a working group and terms of reference for how we proceed.

It was clear from the start that Makarrata, facing the facts of wrong and coming together again in peace, would be integral to the process. After consultation with Lisa Buxton from the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry and Indigenous leaders, it was decided to embark on a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) for the Archdiocese of Sydney. Briefly, a RAP is a strategic document with practical plans for action. It sets out how an organisation is committing to contribute to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

There have been extensive meetings, consultations, and work by various agencies and especially with Sydney Catholic Schools who have assisted with financial and in kind support; Jackie Mishriki has been invaluable. Additionally, we have worked with Reconciliation Australia and have now lodged a first draft of the first stage in the process; a “Reflect” RAP.

More information is available at https://www.reconciliation.org.au/

As the process of developing our Archdiocese’s road to reconciliation, the RAP will impact every Parish, School and agency within the Archdiocese. It is a journey that is not about documents and procedures but a genuine conversion of heart that imbeds recognition and reconciliation into all that we do as Church. Whilst the Justice and Peace Office has taken the lead on initiating and leading this project, it has been with a great deal of collaboration which engenders the spirit of reconciliation and inculcates Catholic Social Teaching’s principle of solidarity that reminds us we are called to unite humanity; especially those marginalised in our society.

Working with the Sydney Alliance

Over the last two years we have been an active part of the Sydney Alliance in a number of critical campaigns. As the city was divided by politics with Western Sydney locked down and militarised - as the eastern suburbs enjoyed a very light touch by the State - our team were part of the

Sydney Alliance Rapid Response Team which worked for justice in our divided city during this year’s lockdown.

We joined with communities across Western Sydney to speak out that division has no place in our city, pandemic or no pandemic. We worked tirelessly to ensure the little ones whose families had come seeking protection had childcare available to them.

Working with the whole team of People Seeking Asylum from the Sydney Alliance we were able to get 20 children who are seeking asylum into fee-free early childhood education and care (ECEC) through our work with the Sydney Alliance. This brings the total number of children who have benefited from this program to 36.

Then as the city continued to experience two climates, and two different climate crises, we joined with the Sydney Alliance and Sweltering Cities to imagine a different approach to building communities in a climate-impacted future. We continue to play a strategic role within the Alliance as we all learn the joy and struggle of building alliances for the common good.

Finally, apart from working with coalitions of organisations and individuals concerned with specific issues, the Sydney Alliance has continued to provide fantastic training opportunities for members of parishes and social justice groups across the Archdiocese.

With a state election campaign in the wings, we know the Alliance and all who are a part of it will have plenty to do, to advocate for, and to imagine how a different state could be possible for all of us.

https://www.sydneyalliance.org.au

Parish Engagement

The Justice and Peace Office is continually helping to form and engage with Parish Social Justice Groups across the Archdiocese. So many wonderful people in our pews each Sunday (or not) are taking action to build a better, more just world Since the 5th March 1854 the wonderful St Vincent de Paul Society has been meeting the needs of the poor in

Australia through the generosity of parishes. However, whilst necessary, charity is not enough.

The challenge is to bring justice and the ensuing systemic change that may one day make Vinnies redundant. Parish Social Justice Groups are working for such change. The number of groups within the diocese continues to grow and augurs well for the future. Increasingly schools too are forming groups and young people are so inspiring in their passion for social change. Who said children are our future; clearly they are our present!

Over the coming year the JPO will be getting more engaged in this vital work. We have so much to learn from each other and it is clear that parishes and communities across the Sydney Archdiocese are feeling the need to become more involved in social justice issues in relation to refugees, climate change, and homelessness.

It is really inspirational to be involved with so many strategic, generous and active people in our parishes. But of course there is always room for more people to get involved.

So next time you are a witness to a wrong that needs addressing, next time you feel like throwing your shoe at the TV as you watch people and organisations grabbing for more and excluding the many, call us. We are more than keen to speak to anyone who wants to become active in these vital areas of all our lives.

Reform in Mental Health, Aged Care & Disability Support

The Australian Catholic Bishops Commission’s Social Justice Statement for 2020-21 was focused on Mental Health. It led to serious conversations about the need for reform across the health and human services sector. Along with Mental Health, there were also strong calls for reform in the Aged Care and Disability sector.

Cynics rightly point out the cycle of politicians announcing royal commissions and then forgetting about the issue. The pattern is too often that they are quietly forgotten wherever the government wants to ignore them.

But something that may change that result was the federal election result and the powerful voice of a community that wants accountable action from our elected representatives.

Being the “squeaky wheel” is something we are all able to do together, which helps everyone get past the growing sense of disempowerment that besets us all, in the world of transglobal business and messages such as “just go to the website, it’s all there for you" (NOT).

So, for parishes and their associated schools and community groups, there is ample opportunity to experience what we at the JPO call “the 4As:” Advocacy, Action, Affirming the Faith, and Assembly (p. 5). We encourage everyone to get on board with working for local reforms in these three critical aspects of the Common Good:

While also directly helping your family and friends living with challenges, which affect at least 25% of us at different times in life. We want to see the system providing more person-centred and community-building support, not just focusing on the clinical/medical model. While this is well intentioned it inevitably looks for pathology as its raison d’être, rather than building up people’s social and emotional wellbeing. Involving the local community in people’s journey of recovery is a task readymade for parish groups to get practically involved with.

The JPO has embarked on a long, slow and patient journey since the ACBC SJ Statement on Mental Health, and we are also reaching out to our Interfaith sisters and brothers to widen the net across our whole community. Addressing alcohol and other drugs, addictive behaviours like on-line gaming & gambling, social media and sexting will be part of the focus.

We invite you all to join in the Advocacy and Action needed locally on these matters in the coming years, and we’re here to help you to develop action plans relevant to your local contexts.

Coming together to lobby locally for improved Community Mental Health programs is a great way to support each other in seeking to hold the system to account.

Working to support clergy in their local community pastoral care

Clergy are faced with every variety of challenge as part of their daily lives, quite aside from the core demands of providing liturgy and pastoral care to their congregations. During the past couple of years of COVID and nonstop environmental challenges (fires, floods, storms, and heatwaves to name a few) these pressures have magnified in a major way.

Following the ACBC’s 2020-21 Social Justice Statement on Mental Health, the Justice and Peace Office began outreach to clergy, to offer support for their pastoral care work. This is for those occasions when clergy are confronted by people suffering from major traumas, mental health challenges, and/or addictive behaviours. Mental ill health can cloud people’s sense of themselves, their faith, and where they are meant to be going in life.

We can all benefit from taking advice about how to find support in new contexts. So in conjunction with Archbishop Anthony Fisher’s Ten Point Plan for Clergy Wellbeing, the Justice and Peace Office offers help in this field overlapping with our work supporting Aged and Disability Care reform.

Clergy will also hopefully be receiving ongoing support in their relationships with their local First People, as the Archdiocese’s Reconciliation Action Plan rolls out over the coming years. By experiencing local immersion into the Spirit of Place and having a chance to share their own cultures of origin in what Aboriginal people call “both ways learning” everyone is enriched and included in the community.

The local relationship to place is a central component of the Laudato Si' message from Pope Francis, in caring for our earth as a common home for all of us. This was the message of the ACBC’s 2021-22 Social Justice Statement. Understanding the stewardship of First People for their traditional country is a foundational way to begin relating to new places. The Justice and Peace Office offers support for clergy who may be wondering how best to enter this space and begin enacting the spirit of Laudato Si'.

Bringing our Dioceses Together in Partnerships for Development

ach year when the Australian Catholic Bishops Commission releases their Social Justice Report, we have tried to bring our dioceses from within the Sydney basin together to focus on how we all approach the promotion of the Common Good and Catholic Social Teaching. The 2020-21 Social Justice Statement focused on Mental Health, and the following 2021-22

Social Justice Statement focused on giving practical expression to Pope Francis’ recommended environmental sustainability reforms outlined in Laudato Si'.

While COVID prevented face-to-face gatherings in the 2020-21 period, in 2022 we were able to celebrate together at an evening hosted by Our Lady of Lourdes in Seven Hills to focus on the Laudato Si' statement. This event on 20 July 2022 brought Sydney, Broken Bay, and Parramatta Dioceses together for a warm night of shared conversation, generous feasting, and inspiring presentations.

Each diocese has taken a slightly different approach to realising social justice outcomes in the environmental sustainability agenda, and they complement each other well. The Justice and Peace Office of the Sydney Archdiocese has been lobbying for energy policy changes and implementation of renewable energy agreements for public housing, as well as divestment from investing in fossil fuel companies.

Parramatta and Broken Bay have multiple groups focusing on different ways to engage with environmental improvements at the local level, and setting up programs that can reach out to communities and schools. Sharing project designs, community engagement approaches, parish social justice commitments, and communication strategies, help our dioceses find common ground in working towards the Common Good and Care for our Earth.

One common challenging experience across the Greater Sydney Basin enveloping all our dioceses is the rising temperature taking a major toll on all ages and stages, but particularly those living in less advantaged suburbs without adequate green spaces or access to cool zones. Sweltering Cities is a movement we all support, to focus the minds of policy makers and politicians on the increasing need for conscious improvement to the way local streetscapes and land developments are managed. Parishes and schools are part of this frontline experience of climate change affecting everyone’s daily lives, so the Pope’s message comes right into our homes as we watch the temperature rising.

Asylum Seekers & Refugees Are Us

Migrants and refugees are not pawns on the chessboard of humanity. They are children, women and men who leave or who are forced to leave their homes for various reasons, who share a legitimate desire for knowing and having, but above all for being more.

Pope Francis

In 2020 we were part of a large group of organisations and individuals who launched Catholics for Refugees.

This is a movement of people who are committed to the social justice teachings of the Catholic Church and who know it is time to change the way we treat refugees and people seeking asylum. Almost everything about Australia’s treatment of refugees and asylum seeker families runs contrary to the Gospel, Catholic social teaching and our own hearts. That’s why so many Catholics decided it was time we got together and took action to change the way we treat the world’s most vulnerable people.

Over the last two years we have had the privilege of working alongside people with the lived experience of seeking asylum in Australia, with the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS), House of Welcome, Sister Brigid Arthur from the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project, and of course our dear friends the Josephite Sisters from the Josephite Justice Network.

We were proud to be a part of the 150 Days of Action. The Holy Father, Pope Francis, declared 2021 to be the year of St. Joseph, who was himself a refugee. To honour and acknowledge that special time in the year of St. Joseph and his role as the Patron of Refugees, a coalition, led by the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Justice and Peace Office of the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, came together to initiate 150 days of action across Australia, to engage with people of good will, and advocate to change our country’s attitude and policies towards those seeking protection in Australia. As part of the campaign and in the name of St. Joseph the Refugee, we exhorted the Federal Government to:

01

To provide income support and a financial safety net for all people seeking asylum in Australia

To end temporary protection visas and create a clear pathway to permanent residency 02

03

Over the last two years we have lobbied with Ministers, both State and Federal, for more humane treatment of asylum seekers, particularly during Covid lock downs. We stood in solidarity with the Action for Afghanistan demands. During this time there were wins that made a difference to families and little ones. One of those was being part of the team that managed to get 20 children who are seeking asylum into fee-free early childhood education and care (ECEC) through our work with the Sydney Alliance. This brings the total number of children who have benefited from this program to 36.

The Archbishop's Appeal for Afghanistan

FFinally as the horror of the fall of Afghanistan was revealed we were proud to initiate with the patronage of Sydney Catholic Archbishop, Anthony Fisher OP, the Archbishop’s Afghan Refugee Appeal. The appeal raised desperately needed funds and committed the Archdiocese resources of education, health and welfare to Afghan

families and individuals fleeing their homeland in the wake of the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

In launching the appeal, the Archbishop also recognised that those who make it to Australia will need all the support they can get, so has committed the resources of our Catholic schools, health and welfare agencies to support our Afghan friends when they arrive.

At the launch the Archbishop said, “We are grateful the Morrison government has described its initial commitment to take 3000 friends and allies from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as a floor and not a ceiling. We pray that all those who need to flee to safety do make it out of the country before all avenues are closed and do find a safe haven.”

“W h ll t h d th l t f k th it ti i Af h i t d

Voting for the Common Good

s the federal election approached we knew we needed to make the common good part of the national debate. So we followed the tradition established by the Sisters of St Joseph many years ago and together with the JPO and the Joeys we developed a tool kit called Vote for the Common Good.

As we argued at the launch of these documents; this election was like no other. As Australians and as Christians, we are challenged to reflect on the values and issues we want our country to consider as we face this particular period in our history. Voting is a very personal choice, nevertheless we come to it as a community that tries to hold true to catholic social teaching (CST). So, before the chaos, controversy and drama of the federal election campaign obscured the path ahead, we offered parishes, schools and community groups nationally a possible source of reflection.

We wrote a short document on the urgency and imperative of CST. Secondly we included a number of briefing documents on issues that have real relevance to both CST and the state of our nation. Finally we called on everyone to think about, talk about, pray about, and finally to vote on our values in the federal election.

It will be for others and perhaps history to decide whether we had any success in our endeavour politically. But whatever the test of time produces, we know we need our values, our call for justice and equity to be heard around the nation constantly, not only during election campaigns. Let’s walk this path together and remember we are all always called to community, to solidarity with the powerless, and to love.

To access the Election Kit and Promo Video, please scan the QR codes or click the links down below.

PromoVideo

A Night of Lamentation

No one should die alone on the cold streets of Sydney, but for too many that is their end. It is their tragedy and ours as a community that so many in our city are homeless and that each year people die on our streets; alone, unloved and unmourned.

Annually we are now trying to redress this by holding a prayer and lamentation evening for those who have died during the previous year. Appropriately we hold this event on July 21 which is the winter solstice and shortest night of the year. This is a worldwide movement in which Sydney is now a part.

In conjunction with the Catholic Cemeteries Trust, PAYCE Foundation and the many agencies supporting the homeless, more than 200 people gathered in the forecourt of St Mary’s Cathedral to brave the cold, pray and remember. The names of those we know of who have died were read out in a sad roll call of deprivation and neglect. It is a shameful part of our city’s story that amidst so much affluence, we still cannot either house the homeless or prevent it occurring.

However there is hope. The city of Sydney street count for 2022 shows 225 sleeping rough, a 17% reduction since February 2021 and a massive 48% reduction since the 2017 count. This has in no small way been due to the efforts of the End Street Sleeping Collaboration. This is a joint commitment between the Institute of Global Homelessness, City of Sydney, NSW Government and the sector’s leading non-government organisations who have committed to halve again the number of rough sleepers by 2025. The Archdiocese of Sydney and the Justice and Peace Office have been a driving force behind the establishment of this cooperative.

The night of lamentation also contained much hope. The exuberance of the Sydney Street Choir and Wayside Chapel’s Honey Bees reminded us that being connected to a community not only raises the spirits but helps save lives by supporting each other.

Communications & Experimentation

Like most organisations and communities in the 21st century, we have been trying different communication pathways in an attempt to find what works best for you and for us. As many would know, for the last few years we have been producing a monthly newsletter, Act Justly, and more recently as Covid isolation cut us off from each other, we began sending out a weekly email round-up of what’s on in the social justice space.

In recent months we have discontinued the weekly what's-on round-up. With isolation coming to an end and life beginning to return to a semblance of our previous lives - calling it a return to normal seems too ambitious - we realised there was little call for a weekly update.

To find out where the truth may lie we have allocated time to reflect and research other alternate ways of communicating, particularly ways of communicating that meet folks where they are. An examination like that begins with two simple questions; what are we trying to communicate and why?

The “what” is straight forward. We want to communicate the centrality of social justice in our church. For many this may have been seen as an added bonus to the call of the Gospel, but we think it is like the entry ticket to a life spent in relationship with community.

The “why” is answered because we believe that most of us are called to stand together and advocate for those who lack the power and the privilege of being able to do so for themselves. That advocacy is always within coalitions of concern and love and building. All of that begins with communication.

To that end, in March 2022, the Justice and Peace Office launched a podcast called “Speaking of Social Justice”.

Each week or so, our host Julie Macken welcomes a new guest to critically discuss the many social justice issues we face today through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching (CST). It’s an organic, informal affair, nevertheless Speaking of Social Justice’ aims to give its audience a greater insight into the economic, social, political, cultural, and spiritual underpinnings of domestic and international affairs.

The Justice and Peace Office (JPO) welcomes you to join this ongoing journey of learning, self-examination, and consciousness raising in order to become a strong ally in the social justice movement. We are not experts in communication but we are very keen to become better at with you.

Internship and Mentoring Program

The Justice and Peace Office Internships and Mentors Program began in June 2022, with the aim of involving young people in active work for social justice outcomes, giving practical expression to Catholic Social Teaching and promoting the Common Good.

By bringing young people into this work we aim to spread this passion for social justice into parishes. Of course the first thing we noticed was that the presence of the interns enlivened our own practice. We have been amazed at the skills, wisdom and passion for justice that many young people possess, and we hope to build on this by word of mouth and quiet networking over the coming year.

At the same time our growing number of mentors also expands the range of skills and experiences available to share with younger people and ourselves on the JPO team. The longer term goal is to encourage more young people in local parishes to get involved in social justice campaigns in their own areas, and these interns are going to be a large part of that inspirational force.

Thanks to the enormous skill of Joelle Sassine, our Internship Project Coordinator, we have found many new areas for development across the whole JPO office program, and we are very grateful to the Sisters of St Joseph for lending Joelle to us, when she also works for the Josephite Justice Network, on top of her uni studies.

The years to promote a shar rounded in Catholic Social Teaching (CST). Over the course of this eight-week program, our participants are given the opportunity to engage in a living expression of CST by advocating for the dignity of Sydney’s marginalised groups.

Our mentees have been invited to learn from individuals with a rich lived experience on how to effectively channel their passion – and oftentimes anger with the structural issues affecting them – into dynamic social justice projects and movements.

We seek to provide a unique opportunity to motivate and assure young people that advocating for social justice is worthwhile and that engaging in such collaborative and just-driven projects will ultimately benefit them as well. Discovering the weight of your voice within the political advocacy space, particularly as young adults, has the power to inform vocations and long-term career trajectories. Thus, being exposed to the value of providing justice, at such a critical point in time, can be a life altering moment.

In the JPO program participants were given agency to choose a particular area of focus within the realm of social justice and encouraged to take initiative on a project. A self-discovered sense of purpose and imagining was key to their passion. Being spectators of this program has been very rewarding. Seeing them flourish and discover their untapped charism was an absolute joy.

Thank you

to everyone who made this work possible.

We are acutely aware that all the Justice and Peace Office does is either create or direct people of enormous generosity to the coalface where the real work begins.

We have been blessed to work with some of the most generous people in Sydney. The joy of getting together - invariably over coffee and cake - to develop ways of being of service, of imagining a different country, a different way of seeing sometimes chronic problems, is simply wonderful.

That is often the untold story of social justice. The great people you get to work with, the fabulous people we meet along the way; and finally, the way God continues to sing out to all of us. Sing out to stop and recognise that we really are each other’s keeper, we really are made for love and community and for that we are all responsible.