News Round-up – Tuesday 10 Oct 2023

Bishops offer guidance ahead of Voice referendum this weekend
Australia’s Catholic bishops say the issues surrounding the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice ‘are not just political’, but are also ‘moral and ethical’, in a statement ahead of this weekend’s referendum. In Towards the Referendum, the bishops encourage all Australians to educate themselves, including by reading the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the bishops’ annual Social Justice Statement. They also invite people to listen to others’ hopes and fears. 
As with statements the bishops made earlier this year, there is no advice on whether people should vote Yes or No on the referendum. The bishops instead call for people to consider and seek to understand the country’s past, present and future. In particular, they urge people to see the need to rectify the suffering that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have suffered and the disadvantage many experience to this day. See more on the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference media blog.
Find a Prayer for Listening to the Uluru Statement from the Heart here.

 
Pope calls for more action on climate
On the feast day of St Francis of Assisi, 4 October 2023, Pope Francis released an addendum to his 2015 Papal Encyclical Laudato Si’, called Laudate Deum. This new Apostolic Exhortation is a message to all people of goodwill on the climate crisis.
Laudate Deum translates to ‘Praise God’ and is split into six chapters. It considers the global climate crisis, the issues around technology and economics, the weakness of international politics, the progress and failures of climate conferences, looks to the climate conference COP28 in Dubai and discusses spiritual motivations.

Read more of Alice Carwardine’s breakdown of the document on the Catholic Teacher blog.

 
2025 Australian Catholic Education Conference to be held in Cairns 
The National Catholic Education Commission (NCEC) has announced that the Diocese of Cairns will host the next Australian Catholic Education Conference at the Cairns Convention Centre from 20-22 August 2025.
Executive director Jacinta Collins said Catholic Education Diocese of Cairns would partner with the NCEC to deliver the conference for 1500 delegates. 
‘The conference will focus on the strategic vision and mission of Catholic education in Australia with a broad range of speakers, presentations and workshops in Catholic identity and mission, learning and teaching, leadership and governance, parent engagement and more'.
It will consider the theme, ‘hope, anchored in faith’ and branding features the artwork of local First Nations artist Susan Reys, and reflects the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in far north Queensland. 
 
Celebrating Children’s Week
Children’s Week is happening across Australia from 21 to 29 October 2023. It’s an opportunity to recognise that all children have the right to relax, play, and participate in activities they enjoy. eSafety is offering some resources to help bring play to online safety: 
Read – Online safety picture book and song.   
Do – Story puzzles with Swoosh and Glide.  
Play – Activities to introduce basic online safety concepts.  
Find more resources for educators here.  
 
What’s On
Catholic Earthcare online screening and talk – Rachel’s Farm: Regenerative farmer David Marsh will take part in an online discussion after the film is shown.
View the film trailer here. 26 October, 6pm AEDT (5pm QLD, 3pm WA, 5.30pm SA, 4.30pm NT). Register here.  
 
Companions On The Way – This Online Ignatian Series is designed as a small group faith sharing experience that would suit anyone who is seeking to learn more about Ignatian Spirituality.
When: Fortnightly for five Tuesdays: 17 October, 31 October, 14 November, 28 November, 12 December
Time: 7.30-9pm AEDT
Where: Online via Zoom
Cost: $150 
Find out more.