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Pope Francis & the
Abbott government
Bruce Duncan
Pope Francis has repeatedly called for increased social and economic equity in the world, and reiterated very strongly the critique of neoliberal economics. Now he is about to issue an encyclical – the highest form of Church teaching – on the need to reduce carbon emissions and global warming. What will our pollies make of this, especially Catholics in the Coalition government?
SPC Forum on new encyclical
SPC will be organising a special public forum on the new encyclical due in mid-June, details to be advised.
Blessed Oscar Romero
Regarded by some even within his Church as a dangerous agitator, Archbishop Oscar Romero has been recognised formally as a holy and prophetic figure who was murdered because of his stand denouncing the cruel and violent oppression in El Salvador. Rowan Ireland highlights his significance in authorising direct engagement in struggles for human rights and social justice.
Budget 2015: even more unfair
Bruce Duncan
To try to rescue its political fortunes from the backlash against its 2014 budget, the Coalition government has reversed its debt-crisis rhetoric, and tried to sugar-coat many of its harsh cuts for people on low incomes, while failing to tackle the excessive tax benefits going to people on high incomes.
The importance of values
in government
Former senior public servant, John Menadue, explores how values are the foundation of good governance, allowing clarification about broad principles which can then be shaped into policies to be concretised in specific programs. He gives an assessment of current efforts to ensure fairness and equity, freedom, citizenship, stewardship of resources, and ethical responsibility in government. Read further on Menadue’s perceptive policy analysis.
John Menadue was head of the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet from 1974 to 1976, and worked for Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam and Malcolm Fraser. He was Australian Ambassador to Japan from 1976 to 1980. Back in Australia, he became Head of the Department of Immigration & Ethnic Affairs, and from December 1983 was appointed Head of the Department of Trade.
What to change in the Constitution
In his recent book, No Small Change: The Road to Recognition for Indigenous Australia, Frank Brennan considers how best to amend the Australian Constitution by “inserting a factual acknowledgement of Aboriginal history, culture, languages, and land rights, deleting the racially discriminatory Section 25, and amending Section 51(26), to allow the Commonwealth Parliament to make laws with respect to the distinctive Aboriginal matters listed in the acknowledgement”. But he does not think a constitutional ban on racial discrimination is workable.
Celebrating the contribution of Vicki Clark to Indigenous issues
The Aboriginal Catholic Ministry is celebrating 25 years of dedicated service, leadership, and achievements by Vicki Clark, as she moves out of the Ministry to her new home in northern Victoria.
Friday 19 June 2015 6:30 for 7pm
L’Unica Reception & Convention Centre 476 Brunswick Road (corner Gibson avenue) Parkville. Ample parking is available onsite.
Booking essential before 11 June. Please advise dietary requirements.
$75 per person (tables of 10)
Enquiries Lilian 03 9480 3849, lilian.hobson@cam.org.au.
Environmental
sustainability & justice
Sr Carol Zinn SSJ
John Wallis Memorial Lecture
10 June 2015 7:30-9:30pm
The Madeleine Centre
Genazzano FCJ College
301 Cotham Road Kew
$20 full price, $10 concession/student. Tickets available at the door, or book online, or through Liz McAloon at johnwallisfoundation@gmail.com, 03 9873 5520.
A former NGO representative to the United Nations for eight years, Sr Carol Zinn is a leading US advocate for social justice and sustainability. In this role, she was a representative for 15,000 sisters and thousands of associates in 57 countries. She is President of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious in the United States, and of the General Council of the Sisters of St Joseph in Philadelphia.
Details of Carol’s talks in Tasmania and South Australia.
