Take Action with Catholics for Refugees
In addition to joining or starting a Catholics for Refugees group, below outlines other actions you can take today.
Take action through collaborative advocacy for change
This is an exciting new area of action – we are in the early days of developing and imagining what this work might involve.
The first step taken in this collaborative advocacy for change work was a joint letter asking the Prime Minister of Australia to recognise the extraordinary need and health risk being experienced by asylum seekers and temporary visa holders in our community. This was jointly signed by over 60 organisations, Bishops, Religious orders and service providers. Read the letter here.
Our next step is to host a meeting with all those interested in being involved in this aspect of the work. Some questions to be addressed at this meeting will include;
- How can we ensure the voice of Catholic social teaching is heard in the corridors of power?
- How can we more effectively use the relational, financial and institutional resources of the Church to better advocate for refugees and asylum seekers?
- Where and what are, the blockages that prevent effective and compassionate action?
If this is of interest to you, your organisation, parish, community group or family, please contact [email protected]
Take action by participating in the development of an Oceanic response
This is perhaps the hardest aspect of our work because the history of trying to find a regional solution is one now mired in partisan politics and international dynamics.
There is a need to begin this work carefully and in a fully consultative fashion which is why we would like to make contact with people who are willing and able to begin thinking through what a new approach might look like.
We know many have already laboured for a long time trying to create a sustainable, legal and humane solution, and there is opportunity to leverage learnings and knowledge already gained.
The first step towards developing an Oceanic response is to all gather around a table and begin this work together. If that is of interest you, your organisation, parish, community group or university, please contact us via [email protected]