News
Bishop Anthony Randazzo, president of the Federation of Catholic Bishops Conference of Oceania, has announced the creation of a network to support thousands of migrant workers, refugees and their families across the Pacific.
Source: Broken Bay News | CathNews
22 October 2024
The Migrant and Refugee Oceania Network will serve as a unifying voice offering much-needed pastoral and practical support for the region’s unique challenges.
Bishop Randazzo made the announcement in Rome, where he is attending the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican.
“This is what a Synodal Church looks like where words are supported by actions that foster and generate real human relationships, a region not on the periphery but a region in which we live and work together in solidarity, making sure no one is forgotten,” Bishop Randazzo said.
The bishop announced details of the network at a dinner in Rome on Saturday with leaders from the four episcopal conferences of Oceania – the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, the Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands and the Episcopal Conference of the Pacific.
Oceania covers a vast area of the Pacific with approximately 41 million people with international migrants making up almost 22 per cent of the population, over a million of those originating in Oceania staying within the region.
The network will identify urgent problems and build programs to respond to and protect the needs of people displaced within and across Oceania.
This will occur through advocacy and raising the voice of the region at international levels, cooperation through the four episcopal conferences sharing information, skills, resources and practices, and connecting the smaller Pacific Island countries and dioceses through the International Catholic Migration Commission and the Dicastery for Integral Human Development at the Holy See.
“The hopes of Oceania are as vast and diverse as the region itself. From the smallest, most remote islands to bustling cities, the voices of the people of God are united in their longing for a Church that listens, heals, and walks alongside them in their journey of faith. We have brought our voice to this Second Assembly of the Synod,” Bishop Randazzo said.
“It is unhelpful when the dominant voice from the north forgets the vulnerable people and region from Oceania.
“Maybe we need to change the paradigm where from Oceania; it is Europe or North America that is on the edge.
“This is how we can lead by example, calling others back to the Christian faith, not because we are dominant or powerful, but because we are walking with our brothers and sisters in Christ.”
FULL STORY: New Network to support Oceania migrant workers, refugees and families announced at Synod gathering (Broken Bay News)
07 October 2024
The ACMRO joins the whole Church in praising the Lord for receiving the wonderful news from the Holy Father on Sunday, 6th October, in naming 21 new cardinals to be created at the next consistory in Rome on 8th December.
The office is delighted to learn that Bishop Mykola Bychok CSsR, the Eparchial Bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saints Peter and Paul of Melbourne in Australia and Father Fabio Baggio CS, the Undersecretary of the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD) are among the cardinals-designate. Bishop Mykola and Father Fabio are both valued collaborators in the office's mandate and ministry concerning migrant and refugee issues.
We send them our warmest congratulations on their imminent elevation to the College of Cardinals, and we continue to accompany them with our thoughts and prayers.
ACBC Media Release: Bishop Mykola nominated for cardinal| DPIHD website: Fr Fabio's Short Bio | Vatican News: Pope Francis announces Consistory for creation of 21 new Cardinals
29 September 2024
Included in the ACMRO’s WDMR resources web page is a newly composed song whose lyrics took inspiration from Pope Francis’ message highlighting the “fundamental reality of the Exodus, of every exodus, is that God precedes and accompanies his people and all his children in every time and place.” From wandering and slavery, God called his people to be pilgrims on their way to his promised home for them.
The song also emphasises that Christ continues to provide the bread of his real body and the wine of his real blood to his people to nourish them in the pilgrimage and journey to our true home: heaven, where his love reigns.
The song was co-composed by Don Gomez (lyrics) and Nilo Nucup (music). The song's digital arrangement was by Paul Cortez of the Limang Siglo team headed by Fernando Contreras, Jr., and performed by Year 4 student Dominiq Gomez from Canberra. Special thanks to Ryan Macalandag for the audio and video recording and editing.
Imprimatur: Archbishop Christopher Prowse, Nihil Obstat: Fr Trenton van Reesch of the Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn.
To download the lyrics and musical sheet, please click here. To request a copy of the instrumental, please email info@acmro.catholic.org.au
Visit: 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024 Online Resources.
29 September 2024
In this video, Rayla Barcelona, the Deputy Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, reflects on the message of Pope Francis for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024: “God walks with His people.”
Visit: 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024 Online Resources.
29 September 2024
In this video, Trudy Dantis, the Director of the National Centre For Pastoral Research of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, reflects on the message of Pope Francis for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024: “God walks with His people.”
Visit: 110th World Day of Migrants and Refugees 2024 Online Resources.
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office has published online resources to help Catholic communities, parishes and schools mark the World Day of Migrants and Refugees on 29 September.
