OCEANIA/AUSTRALIA - “We ask only for justice”: 2008Caritas Lenten Campaign

Monday, 4 February 2008

Sydney (Agenzia Fides) -Caritas Australia's 2008 Lenten Campaign “We ask only for justice”, calls Catholics to reflect and make justice a priority in their life, working to help the poor, the excluded and those who suffer abuse or discrimination. Caritas, presents its “Project Misericordia”, in the light of Catholic Social Teaching, “justice ensures that in every community human dignity is respected”. The purpose of justice is to promote respect for this dignity and, if this happens, human life is lifted above a purely materialistic vision. “To build a world of justice-Caritas says - each one must give priority attention to the poor and the vulnerable”. Justice in fact “calls us to be close to those in difficulty, putting aside our indifference and reaching out to others”. This includes efforts to promote economic and social structures which allow everyone a fair share of resources.
Caritas says the concept of justice can be applied to relations between persons in a given society and also in relations with people in far away countries, through missionary impulse of communion and sharing for peoples in need of food, water, healthcare. The message cites the Gospel of St John “that all may have fullness of life” (Jn 10,10) and notes that relation man-nature must also follow criteria of justice and sustainability. “To be just we must pursue justice with passion. We must raise our voices and say: All we want is Justice ”, says the message of Caritas, urging the faithful to act in word and deed. Archbishop Adrian Doyle of Hobart, President of Caritas Australia, recalled that the Lenten campaign in is harmony with the UN Millennium Goals, one of which is to eradicate poverty from the planet by 2015. Each week in Lent “Project Misericordia” Caritas Australia will present parishes, movements, schools and Catholic associations a different true story of injustice somewhere in the world regarding for example, Indigenous Australians or living conditions in the Philippines, Indonesia, Kenya, Brazil and Fiji Islands, prompting the faithful to reflect and to participate in programmes of solidarity. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 4/2/2008 righe 26 parole 269)


Share: