I offer you a warm welcome on the occasion of this Plenary Council of the International Catholic Migration Commission. I thank your President, Cardinal Njue, who has a good sense of humour, for his greeting and his brief overview of your work.
On Sunday, 14 January 2018 Pope Francis presided at mass at St Peter's Basilica, for the celebration of World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Below are excerpts of his homily. The Catholic Church in Australia celebrates Migrant and Refugee Sunday on the last Sunday in August. This year it will be celebrated on 26 August 2018.
The safety and wellbeing of over 600 asylum seekers on Manus Island are at risk following the closure of the regional processing centre. These men, most of whom are proven refugees were held in mandatory and indefinite detention under an agreement between the Australian and PNG Governments. Now after more than 4 years, this agreement has not worked.
What does everyone generally ask as they try to understand who are the Rohingya’s? With this in mind, Salesian Cardinal Charles Bo of Yangon (Myanmar), which His Eminence has provided to ZENIT on Oct. 4, 2017, responded to various such questions to help people better understand.
On 27 September 2017 Pope Francis launched Caritas’ Share the Journey Campaign during the Wednesday General Audience in St Peter’s Square.
On 21-27 August 2017, the Catholic Church in Australia celebrated the contribution migrants have made in our communities. This week-long celebration culminated with Migrant and Refugee Sunday, on 27 August.
“Mr Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, yesterday made the statement that, ‘Australia’s policy of offshore processing in Papua New Guinea and Nauru…has caused extensive, avoidable suffering for far too long.’”
Dear Friends,
With two weeks to the ACMRO National Conference, I would like to write to you for your continued assistance in promoting this important event in the life of the Catholic Church in Australia.
Pope Francis has delivered his traditional message from the central loggia of St Peter’s Basilica.
We are pleased to announce that the registration for the ACMRO’s Fifth National Conference on Pastoral Care of Migrants and Refugees is now officially open!
Address by Pope Francis
Migration, in its various forms, is not a new phenomenon in humanity’s history. It has left its mark on every age, encouraging encounter between peoples and the birth of new civilizations. In its essence, to migrate is the expression of that inherent desire for the happiness proper to every human being, a happiness that is to be sought and pursued...
In the lead up to the 103rd World Day for Migrants and Refugees in Italy on 15 January 2017, the Migrant and Refugee Section of the Dicastery for the Promotion of Integral Human Development launched its first media campaign to raise awareness about the issues surrounding the refugee crisis engulfing Europe over the last few years.
Pope Francis, on his return trip to Rome from Sweden was asked the following question regarding Sweden and the current European migration crisis.
After the Angelus on 23 October 2016, Pope Francis expressed his solidarity with the people of Iraq and in particular those in Mosul. He prayed for those in the city of Mosul in particular as '...hearts are shocked by the heinous acts of violence that for too long are being committed against innocent citizens...'.
On 28 August 2016, the Catholic Church in Australia commemorated the 102nd World Day of Migrants and Refugees.
On 25 August 2016, as part of the commemorations for Migrant and Refugee Sunday 2016,
On 23 June 2016, the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office published this year’s issue of the Migrant and Refugee Kit.
On the 28th of May 2016, Pope Francis has held meeting with hundreds of children at the Vatican.
The decision of the Papua New Guinea Supreme Court that the detention of asylum seekers on Manus Island is illegal is a welcome sign of hope for those currently in detention on Manus Island, Fr Maurizio Pettenà, Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, said today.
Pope Francis, since the very beginning of his papacy, has had the ability to focus the attention of the Church and of the world on the human beings who live on the margins of society.
Australian Catholic Bishops Delegate for Refugees regarding the High Court's decision on offshore processing.
Fr Maurizio Pettena CS - National Director ACMRO
Dear Friends,
I would like to take this opportunity to express my hope that you all had a blessed Christmas and New Year.
"In Pursuit of Solutions"
On 23-24 November the ACMRO was invited to attend the UNHCR Annual NGO Consultation. The theme for the meetings was 'In Pursuit of Solutions'.
14-15 October 2015
Directors and Episcopal Vicars for Migration from Diocesan and Archdiocesan Catholic Immigration Offices gathered in Canberra on 14-15 October for the second of its annual meetings.
The title of the 2015-2016 Social Justice Statement has been taken from the second verse of the National Anthem. In this Social Justice Statement, Australia’s Bishops ask us to re-examine our responses to refugees and asylum seekers.
By Fr Maurizio Pettena cs
ACMRO National Director
In the current debate on how to stop boat arrivals, the question to consider is how should Australia respond?
At the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference plenary meetings earlier this month, Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen was elected Bishop Delegate to the ACMRO. Bishop Long is an Auxiliary Bishop in the Archdiocese of Melbourne.
The Moss review - a report relating to recent allegations of conditions and circumstances at the regional processing centre in Nauru was released last week Friday. Some of the findings in the review highlight incidents of rape, indecent assault and sexual harassment.
IOM has announced that at the request of three of its Member States - Cambodia, Nauru and Australia – it will develop a program aimed at facilitating the relocation and integration of refugees from Nauru to Cambodia.
On the 14 March 2014 the Australian Human Rights Commission held its first public hearing to receive evidence about the conditions faced by children in immigration detention.
The Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office launched a pamphlet yesterday on what the Catholic Church teaches about the pastoral care and rights of asylum seekers and migrants.
Ten years ago, the Australian Human Rights Commission produced its report, ‘A Last Resort? National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention’.
On Friday 14th February, the University of Notre Dame will host a one-day symposium of lectures and public discussion on the mental health issues that asylum seekers and their families face in relocating to Australia.
