We should never forget that at the heart of the immigration debate are people who are each created in God’s image, Townsville Bishop Tim Harris writes in a new pastoral letter. Source: The Catholic Leader.
Immigration is again the focus of intense public debate. Governments must weigh complex questions of population growth, housing, infrastructure and social cohesion and cultural unity.
These are important considerations, yet they should never cause us to forget the people at the heart of this discussion.
Each newcomer to our shores is a person created in God’s image and arrives with hopes for safety, dignity and the opportunity to contribute to a new life.
Seventy-five years ago, the Australian bishops issued a pastoral statement urging that “great generosity” and “true unselfishness” be the guiding lights for Catholics in welcoming new arrivals.
This year, the bishops marked that anniversary with a new pastoral letter, Under the Southern Cross: A Journey of Faith and Unity, which reflects on the enduring relevance of their 1950 statement.
As they write: “This timeless call to hospitality and generosity remains as vital today as it was seventy-five years ago. In Pope Leo’s words, this call today is for us to become a living witness to hope and to build a community that recognises migrants and refugees as brother and sister, part of a family in which they can express their talents and participate fully in their new community life.”
Migrants have played an integral role in enriching the Catholic Church in Australia.
Their faith, vibrancy, and joy have renewed parishes across the country, bringing fresh life through diverse devotions, traditions, and expressions of faith that continue to nurture our communities.
Alongside them, priests and religious from many nations have come to serve, offering pastoral care and spiritual leadership that sustain and grow the life of the Church.
Their presence is a sign that hospitality builds up both the Church and our nation.
By offering friendship, support and opportunities for all to contribute, we ensure that Australia continues to be known as a land of fairness, generosity and shared belonging, where unity and compassion walk hand in hand “beneath the Southern Cross”.
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Each newcomer to Australia is a person created in God’s image, Townsville Bishop Tim Harris urges (The Catholic Leader)
