Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Sydney (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Bishops Conference of Australia congratulated the new government led by the Labour leader Kevin Rudd, winner in elections on 24 November.
Gathered in Sydney for a plenary assembly the Bishops took the opportunity to ask the government to keep its promises, not to disappoint the electorate and to work for the common good of Australia.
Archbishop Philip Wilson, president of the Bishops' Conference said: “At this moment of historic change for the nation we may stop and reflect what this change means to us. We, as many other citizens, hope the new government will pursue policies to integrate economic prosperity with social justice and serious attention for the life and dignity of all Australians”.
The Bishops asked the government to adopt policies “to safeguard and protect the most vulnerable of citizens including our Aboriginal brothers and sisters, refugees and asylum seekers, the disabled, the sick, the marginalised, the unemployed”. “Gathered in plenary assembly we pray for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his colleagues that in government they may be guided by wisdom, justice and moral integrity”.
The Australian Bishops gave much attention to the pre-electoral period, recalling that the first concern of electorate and those elected must be the common good” (see Fides 23/11/2007), highlighting the importance of commitment to issues of bio-ethics and defence of human life vita (see Fides 22/11/2007), urging the government to contribute towards reaching the Millennium Goals (see Fides 6/11/2007). (PA) (Agenzia Fides 27/11/2007 righe 27 parole 279)
