The annual Palm Sunday rally in Melbourne saw a cheerful, and sizeable, crowd gather on March 29 to show support for refugees. Source: Melbourne Catholic.
The rally is a long standing tradition on Palm Sunday, which commemorates Jesus entering Jerusalem ahead of his crucifixion and is a day of reflection on peace and social justice.
This year’s theme was “We are stronger together”, a call for Australia to remain a welcoming place for all, and especially for those who come to Australia to find safety.
The rally brought together Catholic schools, parishes and social services, along with other denominations, faiths and community groups. Their concern was for refugees and asylum-seekers doing it tough, particularly those still on bridging visas many years after arriving.
One attendee was 85-year-old Eve Scarfe, a resident in a Mercy Health aged care facility, who spent 30 years in Central and South America working with people displaced by the many military dictatorships and violent coups that defined the region late last century. Refugee issues remain one of the most important facing Australia, she believes.
“That’s the one area where I’ve got experience, because I’ve worked with displaced people, and I’ve seen all the situations that cause people to become refugees,” Ms Scarfe said at the start of the rally. “By being with them, I realised some of the things they wanted, and security or safety is one of those.”
She says she is particularly concerned with the plight of West Papuans, many of whom are resisting Indonesia’s claims to the territory, the western half of New Guinea island. “They’re our closest refugees,” she said, lamenting that few know about the situation on Australia’s doorstep.
The parish of Sacred Heart and St Columba, St Kilda and Elwood had a strong presence at the rally, including parish priest Fr John Petrulis, the Archdiocese’s Episcopal Vicar for Justice and Social Services.
Parishioner and Good Shepherd Sisters province leader Caroline Price FSCH said it is important that asylum-seekers were treated with respect and compassion.
“We need to be very aware that people on supporting visas have been waiting years, and it’s very unfair. They should be dealt with promptly,” she said.
FULL STORY
Palm Sunday rally focuses on justice for refugees (Melbourne Catholic)
