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Island Priest
They came from far and wide to celebrate with the remarkable Monsignor Sean O’Shea - Page 6
UNDA supports indigenous education programme RAISING awareness about a programme known as the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience was a priority for University of Notre Dame Australia Aboriginal student Peter Dawson during a recent visit to the Broome campus. Mr Dawson spoke to lecturers and students in Broome about improving Year 12 graduation rates for Indigenous students through the programme. AIME is an Indigenous organisation partnering university student volunteers in one-on-one mentoring relationships with indigenous high school students from Years 7 to 12. It treats indigenous culture as an asset. “My role model throughout high school was my older brother and seeing the doors that he opened with a university degree from Notre Dame inspired me to seek the same level of education,” Mr Dawson said. “University students can help demystify the tertiary experience for indigenous people. The director of Nulungu Centre for Indigenous Studies at UNDA’s Broome campus, Professor Lyn Henderson-Yates, emphasised that strategies which provided indigenous students with increased support were vital. “Mentoring indigenous students is one such strategy that can play a significant role in assisting students to make the transition between secondary school and university,” she said.
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Why I didn’t go to Confession An American Bishop writes frankly about why he decided to stay away - Page 8
As the Bishop said to the actor ...
Home: Archbishop Barry Hickey places his arm around the shoulders of Bishop John Brady, played by actor Noel O’Neill, in St Mary’s Cathedral on 2 August. For a few moments Mr O’Neill was Bishop Brady, reflecting on the tremendous difficulties of establishing a diocese in one of the most remote corners of the world. Stories, photos - Pages 9-12 Special liftout GRAHAM HALL, PHOTOGRAPHER
Welfare of humans outweighs policy: Migrant Office The agency representing the Bishops on migrant and refugee issues has spoken out strongly on the ‘Malaysian solution’
THE welfare of all migrants is paramount and outweighs any policy which punishes 800 asylum seekers who in desperation turn to people smugglers for help, said Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office Director Fr Maurizio Pettenà. Following the announcement of the Australian
Government’s deal with Malaysia, ACMRO called on all political parties to strive for a more humanised approach to dealing with clandestine migration. “We are very concerned that vulnerable people, including children, families and others in distress will be further paralysed by this deal at a time when they most need Australia’s help” said Fr Pettenà. “The Malaysian solution reflects a domestic political notion that Australia is under threat from boat arrivals. “In fact, these small numbers of boat arrivals are insignificant in comparison to our total migration programme which according to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), included almost 170,000 permanent and
over 3.4 million visitor visas in 2009-10,” said Fr Pettenà “Host to over 92,000 refugees, Malaysia has a much greater challenge than Australia in order to fully utilise the benefits that refugees can bring to destination countries. Australia could provide a much better life for these 800 people than they can expect in Malaysia,” he said. A recent DIAC report (A Significant Contribution) concludes that refugees are an investment in Australia’s long-term prosperity due to their drive to succeed and young demographic profile; much needed if Australia is to maintain current standards of living in the face of an ageing population. “Australia is excellent at delivering resettlement services and has
the capacity to play a much larger role in the Asia-Pacific region. However, a genuine sharing of the responsibility for refugees should not involve trading lives in order to address people smuggling” said Fr Pettenà. “Blessed John Baptist Scalabrini [the Italian Bishop who largely created the modern Church response to refugees] in 1890 said that migration in almost all cases is not a pleasure but a necessity that cannot be avoided. History shows that clandestine migration such as unauthorised boat arrivals are not stopped by domestic policies or by changing political parties. “Voters with this expectation will be disappointed. Clandestine migration to Australia occurs because of what is happening in
Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Sri Lanka”, said Fr Pettenà. “Those in need are still there, waiting in growing desperation. “Any damage done to the people smuggler business model may result in even more drastic measures and exploitation, as asylum seekers find alternative means to get to Australia,” he said. He said that ACMRO welcomed the news that recent boat people arriving between the announcement and the official signing of the deal would have their refugee assessments carried out in Australia “as all asylum seekers arriving here should be”. “The government must pursue the welfare of migrants for their sake and for the sake of all Australia,” said Fr Pettenà.
Catholic clarity for complex times - The Record Bookshop - Page 20