Rallies were held in centres around Australia on Palm Sunday, 13 April 2025, to urge fairer treatment of refugees and asylum seekers by the Australian Government.

‘Policies of past and present Federal Governments have undermined the rights, safety and wellbeing of people seeking asylum in this country,” says Bishop Vincent Long, representing the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, one of 10 national peak organisations of the Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum (CAPSA).

CAPSA brings together Catholic peak organisations in health and education, as well as the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference and organisations such as Jesuit Social Services, St Vincent de Paul Society Australia and Jesuit Refugee Service (Australia) who work directly with refugees and people seeking asylum.

‘The wellbeing of thousands of people continues to be affected. Seeking refuge for fear of one’s safety is a tragedy, not a crime,’ Bishop Long said.

‘Legally and morally, Australia has an obligation to welcome asylum seekers, to humanely assess their circumstances and to provide the necessary support.’

CAPSA convenor Julie Edwards, CEO of Jesuit Social Services, said, ‘In this year’s Lenten message on the theme ‘Let us journey together in hope’, Pope Francis asked us to ‘compare our daily life with that of migrants or foreigners, to learn how to sympathise with their experiences and in this way discover what God is asking of us’.’

CAPSA is urging the Federal Government to end the uncertainty for people seeking asylum by providing fair and timely pathways to permanent residence in Australia.

Bishop Long added, ‘We know more than 7,000 people seeking asylum, who’ve been living in our community for 13 years, are still suffering because of a ‘fast track process’ declared unfair by the Human Rights Commission.

‘These people, who Australia should be protecting, are now at risk of deportation to the dangerous countries they have fled, despite making valuable contributions to Australian society and in many cases having deep roots in our community and children born here.’ R