Christ is Risen. May the joy of the Resurrection bring faith, hope, love, serenity and peace.

For most Christians, Easter Week is arguably the most important and well supported of the Christian annual traditions. To me Easter is and will always be the greatest story ever told. The magic of the passion and the resurrection has inspired many, even many agnostic friends of mine.

For as long as I can remember Easter, particularly Easter Sunday, has always been a special time for me spent with extended family, parents, aunts, uncles, sisters, nephews, and nieces. Whilst in my twenties and thirties, I recall the total acceptance of a few of my extended family who were not Christian, of the importance of Easter for me and my family.

Palm Sunday, the day in which Jesus entered Jerusalem to complete his mission to “bring good news to the poor and to set captives free”, through his suffering, death and resurrection, is an especially important day for the Society.

Justice for Refugees Palm Sunday rallies were held across several locations around the country to raise public awareness of the difficult situation for many refugees in Australia. The rallies call for an end to the cruel and harmful policies that have been in place for far too long.

All people seeking protection as refugees need to be treated fairly and with compassion. Thank you to all Australians who gathered in solidarity for those refugees seeking justice in our country.

My family and many others are fortunate to be in a position to enjoy the trimmings that Easter Sunday brings us as but let’s not forget to remind ourselves that there were many in our communities who did not.

The St Vincent de Paul Society will continue to support anyone who reaches out to us and provide hope to those in need.

Easter - a reminder of the Call to Inclusivity

By Sister Therese Haywood, Spiritual Adviser and a member of St Vincent de Paul Society National Council.

In his book Inclusivity A Gospel Mandate Diarmuid O’Murchu writes about compassion, which he describes as the essence of Jesus’ mission on earth. He describes compassion as so much more than a feeling.

Jesus showed us how to be compassionate, he invited the outsider in and challenged the status quo.

When St Vincent called for his followers - who were serving the galley convicts, considered to be the lowest of the low - to turn the medal and see by the light of faith, he was drawing on this same idea of compassion.

St Vincent was reminding us that all people have dignity and need to be included, no matter what. Jesus crossed many boundaries to include people, he touched lepers, spoke to women, ate with tax-collectors and sinners and broke many of society’s taboos in order to include people.

Our Vincentian tradition is founded in this call to inclusivity. Frederic Ozanam reminds us that we need faith and the grace of God to be able to achieve truly inclusive love of our neighbour.

If we do not know how to love God as they loved Him, that should be without doubt a reproach to us, but yet our weakness is able to find some shadow of excuse, for it seems to be necessary to see in order to love and we see God only with the eyes of Faith and our Faith is so weak!

It is this call to inclusivity which is at the heart of the St Vincent de Paul Society. Every day our members, volunteers and staff are reaching out to people in need and including them, letting them know that they are loved. May we continue to build a community which is inclusive of all people.

* This is a shortened version of Sister Therese Haywood's column in The Record.

Birthday of Blessed Frédéric Ozanam

Regarded as the key founder of the St Vincent de Paul Society, Frédéric Ozanam (23 April 1813 – 8 Sept 1853) was the fifth of 14 children, born in Milan and brought up in Lyon. He studied law and journalism and with his friends ran a lively discussion group known as a "Conference of History" that became a forum for student debate.

Their discussions were influenced by the social teachings of the Gospel and when a participant asked what the Church was doing for the poor of Paris, the group was prompted to take action, forming in 1833 the charitable Society of Saint Vincent de Paul.

Of particular inspiration was the work in the slums of Paris being done by the Congregation of Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, under the guidance of Sister Rosalie Rendu.

In 1844, Ozanam, an outstanding academic, assumed full professorship of foreign literature at the Sorbonne, continuing his writing and joining his colleagues in visiting the poorer districts of Paris to offer practical support. So began the Society’s tradition of home visitations.

Frédéric Ozanam is an exemplar of the lay apostle in family, social and intellectual life. The work he began with the Conferences of St. Vincent de Paul has continued to flourish and the Society serves people in need in 112 countries, a living monument to Frédéric Ozanam and his companions.

Blessed Frédéric Ozanam was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1997.

Faith-based charities support Voice to Parliament

St Vincent de Paul Society National Council CEO Toby o'Connor (2nd from right) joined representatives of other faith-based social services charities who met recently with political leaders, including Senator Patrick Dodson.

Australia’s six leading faith-based social services charities, including St Vincent de Paul Society, are urging support for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament to be embedded in the Constitution, as originally proposed in the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

In a co-signed open letter to Federal Parliament, The Salvation Army, Anglicare Australia, Baptist Care Australia, Catholic Social Services Australia, St Vincent de Paul Society and UnitingCare Australia urge the implementation of a Voice to Parliament in our Constitution which will give Indigenous communities a means to inform policy and legal decisions that impact their lives.

St Vincent de Paul Society National Council CEO Toby oConnor, said, ‘An Indigenous Voice to Parliament will give our First People a voice in matters that affect them. The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia stands in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people and is committed to walking with them to work towards recognition, reconciliation, and justice.’

READ MORE

Society welcomes Voice to Parliament wording

The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia has welcomed the release of the final wording for the referendum question on a First Nations Voice to Parliament and constitutional amendment.

National President Mark Gaetani said, ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are overrepresented in almost all of our services, reflecting the challenges they experience from historic and contemporary injustices…

‘It is time to listen and to put Indigenous voices at the heart of the Australian Government’s policies and programs that impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

‘Enshrining the Voice in the Constitution is so important because it will mean that the Australian people have accepted the generous invitation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart to walk with First Nations people to work towards recognition, reconciliation, and justice.’

READ MORE

Thousands rally for refugee justice

Attendees at the Palm Sunday rally included (marching, rear) John Feint, President of St Vincent de Paul Society's Canberra/Goulburn Council, and Warwick Fulton, National Deputy President, and (front, l-r) Francis Sullivan, chair of Concerned Catholics Canberra/Goulburn, his wife Susan, Father John Woods, and Tim McKenna, Vincentian Refugee Network.

Thousands of Australians rallied on Palm Sunday (2 April) in support of more humane – and internationally acceptable – treatment for asylum seekers and refugees, with many heartfelt words being expressed by members of church, union, human rights, political, university and other groups.

Protesters against the actions of Australian governments past and present braved heavy rain in Sydney, while the Melbourne rally offered an alternative to the Formula 1 race.

'My children witnessed self-immolation, instead of New Year fireworks...' - Zahra Hashemi Barat recalling her time in the Nauru detention centre.

Rallies were also held in Perth, Brisbane and Darwin, while In Canberra the independent Senator David Pocock spoke powerfully on the theme of ‘We can and must do better’ when it comes to providing sanctuary to people fleeing their own countries because of persecution or for fear of their lives.

Addressing a gathering in the national capital estimated at more than 2,000, including a contingent of around 40 Vincentians and supporters, Sen. Pocock was joined by Rev. Dr Katherine Rainger, the Senior Chaplain at Radford College, and Zahra Hashemi Barat.

Ms Barat is a refugee from Iran who survived five years in detention on Nauru where one of her children was born. The family was eventually brought to Australia on medical grounds. Her story of harsh treatment by Australian authorities is deeply distressing and she was not the only one in tears.

‘Justice for Refugees Palm Sunday rallies are an important opportunity to highlight community concerns about the Australian Government’s cruel and harmful refugee and asylum seeker policies,’ National President Mark Gaetani said.

‘The Society has a long history of assisting vulnerable people and believes that all people seeking protection as refugees need to be treated fairly and with compassion.

‘It was on this day that Jesus entered Jerusalem to complete his mission to bring good news to the poor and to set captives free, through his suffering, death and resurrection,’ Mr Gaetani said.

ACT Senator David Pocock addressing the Palm Sunday rally for refugee justice in Canberra.

READ ZAHRA HASHEMI BARAT'S SPEECH

Progress made on asylum seekers

The Society has welcomed the Australian Government’s announcement to end temporary protection for over 19,000 visa holders, enabling those on Temporary Protection Visas or Safe Haven Enterprise Visas to apply for a permanent Resolution of Status Visa.

‘While Resolution of Status visa holders will be able to apply to sponsor family members through the migration program, restrictions are still in place for applications through the Special Humanitarian Program,’ National President Mark Gaetani said.

‘And the pathway for those still involved in the unfair ‘fast track process’ remains uncertain. More action is needed for about 10,000 people under Australia’s care, who’ve been seeking our protection for a decade and who are still unable to do so in a fair and timely manner.'

The Society is calling on the Australian Government to:

Implement a fairer process for all affected by the unjust fast-track process and provide an adequate safety net for all asylum seekers
Resettle all people still subject to offshore processing and move people held offshore to Australia while they await resettlement
Make detention a last resort and improve the living conditions of those that must be detained for security reasons
Reform the family reunion process and expedite implementation of the increased humanitarian intake, with a minimum intake of 20,000 people in 2023-24.

Most of these actions will need action by the Australian Government in its 2023-24 Budget to be handed down on Tuesday 9 May.

People unable to attend Palm Sunday events are invited to support the call for Justice for Refugees by sending a letter, email or postcard to their local Member of Parliament or Senator.

POLICY ON PEOPLE SEEKING ASYLUM

Australia is failing homeless people

The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia has called on the Albanese Government to take urgent action to help Australians experiencing homelessness.

In late March the Australian Bureau of Statistics released figures showing the number of people experiencing homelessness each night increased 6,000 to nearly 123,000 between the 2016 and 2021 Censuses.

National President Mark Gaetani said, ‘We know from first-hand experience across local communities that today’s homelessness figures are even higher after years of COVID, the surging cost of living and Australia’s entrenched housing crisis have knocked many Australians to their knees.’

‘The Society has welcomed the Albanese Government’s commitment to develop a National Housing and Homelessness Plan and introduce the Housing Australia Future Fund

'But we also know these initiatives alone are not enough to address Australia’s growing homelessness crisis and will do nothing to help Australians without a safe place to call home tonight,’ Mr Gaetani said.

READ MORE

Society makes submission to tax roundtable

St Vincent de Paul Society National Council provided written input to the Expert Roundtable on Tax Reform convened on by the Independent Member for Wentworth Allegra Spender (31 March meeting pictured above).

In a letter to Ms Spender in advance of the roundtable, the Society said, ‘The disproportionate impact of poverty falls on women, children, First Nations peoples and people living with disability...

‘We can reduce persistent poverty in our country through tax reform. At present, the taxation system does little to alleviate the existing situation. Currently 86 per cent of JobSeeker recipients, 13 per cent of children and 34 per cent of single parents are living in poverty (after housing costs).’

The Society referenced its report A Fairer Tax and Welfare System for Australia, commissioned from the Australian National University (ANU), that outlines three options which will lift people out of poverty, are budget neutral and can be paid for by:

reducing the capital gains tax discount
restructuring the superannuation tax system
indexing income thresholds against income growth rather than implementing the stage 3 tax cuts

This ANU report is currently being updated and will be publicly launched in May 2023.

Coming soon: Vinnies CEO Sleepout 2023

The annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout is the Society’s main fundraiser. This year’s immensely popular events are being planned for the night of Thursday 22 June, one of the longest and coldest nights of the year (except in the NT!).

Hundreds of CEOs, business owners and community and government leaders from around the country will sleep outdoors to support the many Australians experiencing homelessness and people at risk of homelessness. 

Each CEO Sleepout participant commits to raising a minimum amount of funds to help us provide essential services to the people who need them. Full information about registration, venues and donations is now online.

VINNIES CEO SLEEPOUT

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Good Works - 13 April 2023