In 2014 we celebrate the 100th World Migrant and Refugee Day. The Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office has prepared a kit to help communities and individuals to celebrate Migrant & Refugee Sunday. The theme is The Holy Family in Exile, and it contains Pope Francis’ Message for the day, a pastoral letter from...
The Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office has responded to reports of Tamil asylum seekers being intercepted at sea and handed over to the Sri Lankan navy by reminding the Australian Government of its duty to respect the principle of non-refoulement. Read more below .
20 June is World Refugee Day. To help you to celebrate achievements, and to plan for more effective action, here are links to a selection of quotes for reflection from the CST Quotes section of our website. Bishop Gerard Hanna 27 May 2014 Policy is putting lives at risk. Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, 8...
Bishop Gerard Hanna, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Delegate for Migrant and Refugees, has called for a thorough review of Australia’s refugee and asylum seeker policies. The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office believes that an independent report into events leading to the brutal death of Reza Barati in immigration detention on Manus Island reveals...
The National Council of Priests of Australia have backed the Bishops’ 8 May 2014 statement on Australia’s asylum and refugee policies. They say: Like our Bishops, many of us have seen the faces and heard the stories of these people and cannot hide our shame at the way some are being treated. Here is...
The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference has issued a statement pleading with those in Government and the whole Australian community to have respect for the rights of asylum seekers. They denounce current policies as ‘institutionalised cruelty’, ask for an examination of conscience concerning racism and for an end to the dehumanisation of people in need....
Bishop Gerard Hanna has criticised the Australian government’s efforts to resettle in Cambodia those asylum seekers found to be refugees after having been intercepted at sea by Australia and sent to have their claims assessed in Nauru. “If the Australian Government is serious about expanding resettlement opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region, negotiations should commence...