Australians faced a challenging question in the 2016 Census this year. The optional religion question always creates great party conversation and passionate declarations from religious bodies.
Like many of my friends and associate I ticked the Catholic box not quite realising how it would come back to haunt me within months. You see ticking the Catholic box aligns us with a political world view that pits us agaainst the powers of "Empire" endorsed by major parties who we vote for at elections in Australia.
In the calendar of this Jubilee Year of Mercy Pope Francis has named Sunday 6th November, 2016 as the day of Jubilee for Prisoners.
Like many of my friends and associate I ticked the Catholic box not quite realising how it would come back to haunt me within months. You see ticking the Catholic box aligns us with a political world view that pits us agaainst the powers of "Empire" endorsed by major parties who we vote for at elections in Australia.
In the calendar of this Jubilee Year of Mercy Pope Francis has named Sunday 6th November, 2016 as the day of Jubilee for Prisoners.
The Australian Catholic Bishops have written to prisoners informing them of this special day of blessings for them and reminding them that throughout our lives we all experience the ‘ups and downs’ of life. We can all stumble and fall but with help we can all commence again.
We would like you to be aware of this special occasion within the Catholic church, but as is the spirit of Pope Francis, this day is one of recognition of all those who are in prison.
We invite all parishioners to join in prayer for all prisoners that they come to know their God’s love, mercy and forgiveness.
May all of us remember the victims of crime and also those victims who became offenders.
We remember also all those who are entrusted with the care of those who are incarcerated, especially our prison Chaplains.
2011-2012: Building Bridges, Not Walls
Prisons and the justice system
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Responsibility, Rehabilitation, And Restoration: A Catholic Perspective On Crime And Criminal Justice
A Statement of the Catholic Bishops of the United States
Issued by USCCB, November 15, 2000. Copyright © 2000, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc. All rights reserved.
"We are still a long way from the time when our conscience can be certain of having done everything possible to prevent crime and to control it effectively so that it no longer does harm and, at the same time, to offer to those who commit crimes a way of redeeming themselves and making a positive return to society. If all those in some way involved in the problem tried to . . . develop this line of thought, perhaps humanity as a whole could take a great step forward in creating a more serene and peaceful society."
Pope John Paul II, July 9, 2000
"We are still a long way from the time when our conscience can be certain of having done everything possible to prevent crime and to control it effectively so that it no longer does harm and, at the same time, to offer to those who commit crimes a way of redeeming themselves and making a positive return to society. If all those in some way involved in the problem tried to . . . develop this line of thought, perhaps humanity as a whole could take a great step forward in creating a more serene and peaceful society."
Pope John Paul II, July 9, 2000
Nor does this important day feature in the news at St Mary's Catholic Parish South Brisbane. This is quite significant as this is the parish from which Catholic Prison Ministry was founded in 1985.
No jubilee for prisoners in the Archdiocese of Brisbane it seems!!!!
#jubileeforprisoners
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