Talk to us

CathNews, the most frequently visited Catholic website in Australia, is your daily news service featuring Catholics and Catholicism from home and around the world, Mass on Demand and on line, prayer, meditation, reflections, opinion, and reviews. And, what's more - it's free!

This year’s Socktober campaign will raise funds for Timor-Leste (Catholic Mission)

As the sports stars of the FIFA Women’s World Cup kick their goals, the launch of Socktober 2023 will have students across Australia kicking their own – and for a good cause. Source: Catholic Mission.

The schools-based community engagement initiative of Catholic Mission, launched yesterday, seeks to show students and their families the injustice of global poverty, especially for young children, through the unifying power of the world game.

“All eyes have been on the Matildas, but Socktober is a reminder for students and their families that there are children around the world who love this game just as much as us, but that is sometimes where the equality ends,” said Matt Poynting, the campaign lead. 

This year’s campaign, which reaches its peak during World Mission Month in October, spotlights the issues of health, wellbeing, and education in the community of Venilale, Timor-Leste, a country still dealing with poverty, health crises, and trauma from their struggle for independence.  

“Through discovering the personal stories of young people in need, and what is being done to support them, our students here can better understand the importance of mission in places such as Venilale and the critical role they play in supporting it, even as young people themselves,” Mr Poynting said.

Last year’s Socktober campaign achieved incredible success, raising over $612,000 for vital projects in Ethiopia and various parts of the globe. This year, Catholic Mission is rallying students and educators to go one better for the people of Timor-Leste. 

One of the highlights of Socktober 2023 is the availability of Catholic Mission’s school resources. These engaging educational resources are thoughtfully curated to provide students with an in-depth understanding of global social justice issues, while also igniting their passion for contributing to positive change in the world.

To find out more about Socktober 2023 and how to get involved, visit socktober.org.au.

FULL STORY

Socktober 2023 Uniting Catholic Schools in Australia to Score Big for Social Justice in Timor Leste (Catholic Mission)