ACMRO News October 2022

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Australian Catholic Migrant & Refugee Office

ACMRO News Oct 2022

International Catholic Migrant Commission

ACMRO celebrates the Canonisation of Saint Giovanni Battista Scalabrini

The ACMRO joins the Catholic Church in thanking and praising the Lord for the gift of the life, teachings, and virtues of Bishop Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, dubbed as the Father to the Migrants.

The ACMRO has long ties and a great relationship with the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles (Scalabrinians) through the office’s former National Director, Scalabrinian Father Maurizio Pettena.

In 1887 and 1895, respectively, Saint Scalabrini established the Congregation of the Missionaries of St. Charles and the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo. These congregations are present all over the world. One of these congregations' most important charisms is the pastoral ministry to migrants, refugees, and seafarers.

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World Day of Migrants and Refugees in Roxby Downs, SA

The Filipino community of Roxby Downs celebrated the World Day of Migrants and Refugees on Sunday, 25 September 2022. The community started with a Mass at St Barbara's Catholic Church followed by some photos in front of the ANZAC Memorial of Roxby Downs. The theme for this year's celebration is “Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees”. The focus was on young people as protagonists of change.

Food was abundant, showcasing Filipino and Colombian cuisine. Among the attendees were Australians, Filipinos, Polish, Colombians, South Africans and Venezuelans.

The Roxby Downs community comprises some 35 nationalities. It was a day of gratitude for many who settled in Australia and an opportunity to pray for those who are attempting to settle in Australia. It is also a day of being conscious of the plight of the refugees whose lives are affected by war and violence in their own country.

World Day of Migrants and Refugees in Sydney, NSW

Migrant and Refugee Sunday in Sydney this year was a colourful, spirit- filled and joyful experience. It was our first Mass since COVID-19 and St Mary's Cathedral was full of people. Bishop Terry Brady celebrated the Mass, along with Fr Roland Maurer (Episcopal Vicar for Immigration) and Fr Khalid Marogi (Director ACMRO) concelebrating.

The Samoan choir filled the Cathedral with music, along with the Ugandan choir drumming their way through the thanksgiving. The Fijian and Tongan communities led the offortory and Gospel processions bringing such a vivid display of their cultures.

The Scalabrinian community processed in with a photo of Saint Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, the founder of their community who was canonised on 9 October 2022.

With the theme of "Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees," we highlighted the commitment that we all have in building a future where no one is left behind. Our hope for the year ahead is that we can build a community in Sydney where we can look at one another with trust in our heart, seeking to find what unites us; not what separates us. "For I know the plans I have for you, plans for your welfare...plans to give you a future full of hope." Jer 29:11

Independence Day Celebration of Ugandan Community

The Ugandan community joined by Ms Dorothy Hyuha, the High Commissioner of Uganda to Australia, celebrated this year’s Independence Day on Saturday 8 October 2022 in Canberra with a mixture of urban, African and classical upbeat style. Pray was offered by the National Director of the Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, Fr Khalid Marogi.

African Diaspora Community Engagement has generated increasing public interest recently as a response to COVID-19 and new recovery processes towards trauma, depression, anxiety and loneliness that might be experienced by migrant communities living in diaspora.

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Funds for language classes and visa assessment dwarfed by extra spending on offshore processing

Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has welcomed the Albanese Government’s increased Budget investment in the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP), faster visa processing and support for temporary entrants from Ukraine but these allocations have been dwarfed by a $150 million increase in funding for the Government’s offshore processing regime.

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Submit your stories and photos from events and we will consider publishing in future newsletters at info@acmro.catholic.org.au