Violence in Australia A Message of Peace - Australian Catholic ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Chairman’s messageOn behalf of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Ipresent the 2010 Social Justice Sunday Statement,Violence in Australia:A message of peace.Every day, it seems, we hear news of some act of gratuitousviolence: someone bashed in the street or some violentconfrontation on the roads. Indeed, this Statement begins with aconsideration of just such a confrontation.This is not the only kind of violence that should concern us. Manypeople are affected by violence in their own homes, and theirlives can be damaged for decades.Young people’s lives can beruined by campaigns of bullying and humiliation by their peers.And we see the culture of abuse that at times infects our politicsand our media.For Christians, Jesus Christ is the strongest example and source ofstrength in our long journey towards the peace of God. He wasthe victim of the worst that humanity could do. His response toviolence was not more violence but an act of transcendence thatset humanity on a new path forever.The mission and resurrectionof Jesus are both a message of hope to humanity and a call toconversion: to renounce the sources of violence and to look fornew and constructive ways of addressing the pain and anger wesee in our world.This Statement is issued at the conclusion of the United Nations’International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for theChildren of the World and the World Council of Churches’ Decadeto Overcome Violence. Key goals have been the promotion offundamental human rights, addressing wide varieties of violence –direct and structural – in homes, communities and in theinternational arenas, and learning from local and regional ways ofovercoming violence.In the Statement examples are given of men and women who aremaking their contribution to peace as individuals, in theircommunities, and in response to issues of national and globalimportance.There are countless others who work tirelessly, andoften without recognition, to bring peace where discord orviolence would otherwise prevail. As we celebrate Social JusticeSunday, let us remember that every effort we take to overcomeviolence is a response to Christ’s call to go into the world andbring a peace that the world alone cannot give.With every blessing,Christopher A Saunders DDBishop of BroomeChairman, Australian Catholic SocialJustice CouncilThe Australian Catholic Bishops Conference thanks those involved in the drafting of the 2010 Social Justice Sunday Statement, including AndrewHamilton SJ, members of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council and its Secretariat. Additional assistance gratefully received from Diane Craig,Phil Glendenning, Anne Lanyon and Sharron Matayalo.Editors: David Brennan and John FergusonTypesetting and page make-up: project x graphics. Printing: Lindwall and Ward© Australian Catholic Bishops Conference 2010. ISBN: 9781864203523 (Print) / 9781864203530 (Online).Cover images: Photolibrary.com. Additional photo credits: Fairfax Photos, Getty Images, AAP Images, CatholicCare NT,Columban Mission Institute Centre for Peace, Ecology & Justice.An electronic version of the Statement is available on the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference website at www.catholic.org.auand the ACSJC website at www.socialjustice.catholic.org.auAustralian Catholic Bishops ConferenceThe Australian Catholic Bishops Conference is the permanent assembly of thebishops of our nation and the body through which they act together incarrying out the Church’s mission at a national level.The ACBC website atwww.catholic.org.au gives a full list of Bishops Conference commissions as wellas statements and other items of news and interest.2 s o c i a l j u s t i c e s u n d ay s t a t e m e n t 2 0 1 0
Violence in AustraliaA Message of PeaceYou have heard that it was said,‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’…You have heard that it was said,‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you …(Matt 5:38, 43–44)On 25th October 2009 Gearoid Walsh, a youngIrish tourist visiting Sydney, became involved inan argument at a takeaway shop. He waspunched and fell, hitting his head on the ground. A weeklater he was dead.Gearoid’s story is tragic and, sadly, an increasingly commonexample of anger and frustration exploding into violence.We see how the community’s outrage at such events,often fanned by media reports, can give rise to calls forretribution and revenge.But the way in which his mother, Mrs Treasa Walsh,responded to the death of her son made this a remarkablestory. She felt for the man who struck Gearoid:‘I amheartbroken for him because we don’t blame him, wedon’t want him to serve time in prison.’ 1The story of Gearoid Walsh’s death affects us because itreminds us painfully of a destructive strand of violence inAustralian life. At the same time, the response of his familyto his death shows us that peacemaking is more powerfulthan violence.Mrs Walsh’s response reminds us how radical and centralare Jesus’ teachings about peacemaking in the Gospel. Herconcern for the man whose violent action led to her son’sdeath reminds us of Jesus’ radical invitation to love ourenemies, to do good to those who harm us, to turn theother cheek when we are struck (Matt 5:38–48).There isnothing weak or cowardly in acting in this way. It showstrue strength.AJ Photo/photolibrary.comOur Christian faith compels us to be peacemakers in theface of violence.We all respond to anger and violence atdifferent levels: at the personal level, in the family andcommunity, and in the wider society.The call to bepeacemakers can be challenging when other aspects of ourpopular culture encourage aggressive attitudes or thedesire to ‘get even’. However, there are often many simpleways in which we can manage anger, prevent violence andbuild peace at all levels of society.Discipleship of Jesus leads naturally to a desire to makepeace; and his power working in us makes that desire areality. Christians welcome aspects of our culture thatdiscourage violence.They treasure peace and are called tobe strong in their commitment not only to live peacefullybut to be creative makers of peace.Peace and peace-building go beyond simply the absence ofconflict.They are positive, constructive ways of living thatrequire constant nurturing, and that reflect the sacrednessthat is in the deepest part of our being – the sacrednessthat is the presence of the God of peace in our world.s o c i a l j u s t i c e s u n d ay s t a t e m e n t 2 0 1 03
Page 1: 2 0 1 0 S O C I A L J U S T I C E S
Page 5 and 6: a m e s s a g e o f p e a c eAndrew
Page 7 and 8: a m e s s a g e o f p e a c e2. Chr
Page 9 and 10: a m e s s a g e o f p e a c eWorldY
Page 11 and 12: a m e s s a g e o f p e a c eQuesti
Page 13 and 14: a m e s s a g e o f p e a c eQuesti
Page 15 and 16: The Diocese of Broome, Western Aust

Violence in Australia A Message of Peace - Australian Catholic ...

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?