Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
16 Aug 2012
Many Australian families are struggling weighed down by economic pressures, spiralling electricity bills, escalating rents and mortgages, and job insecurity. But when times are tough, Australia's Catholic bishops urge us to remember that families not only offer a beacon of hope and strength but are the fundamental rock on which faith and society are based.
As part of the Year of Grace, the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council (ACSJC) is shining the spotlight on families, particularly those families battling hardship and economic uncertainty. Some are families dealing with illness. Others are single parent families. Many are Indigenous families, others are refugees newly arrived in Australia and in need of support and assistance to begin a new life. Still others are among Australia's 105,000 homeless or are families grappling with the stress of chronic debilitating illness or family members with special needs.
Beginning on Social Justice Sunday on September 30, and continuing throughout the next 12 months, Australian Catholics will be encouraged to celebrate and embrace the gift of family. They will also be reminded of the importance for all of us as Christians of offering help, friendship and compassion to families going through difficult times and need of a helping hand.
"In this Year of Grace we have the opportunity to be reminded that family is at the heart of the Church and the basis on which our society is built," says Archbishop Denis Hart, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC). "But in our prosperous nation there are many families who find themselves on the margins. Particularly concerning is the hardship experienced by such families is now being further exacerbated by the global financial crisis and the problems in Europe."
Prior to next month's launch of the ACSJC's Social Justice Statement for 2012-2013, entitled "The Gift of Family in Difficult Times: The social and economic challenges facing families today," Archbishop Hart spoke of the impact financial worries are having on many families as well as the strains of today's 24/7 world where people are increasingly having to work night shifts as well as weekends. Reduced family time as well as ongoing difficulties like making ends meet financially places enormous strains on the bonds of marriage and family and not only threaten the stability of individual families but the stability of society as a whole.
The ACSJC's statement to be released in full in four weeks' time highlights the difficulties facing families and how the radical restructuring of workplaces are affecting family life.
According to the Chairman of the ACSJC, Bishop Christopher Saunders, Australia's rate of casual and irregular work is among the highest in the industrialised world. Up to 25% of all Australian workers are now in casual employment with one quarter of these required to work weekends.
Australian workers' hours, whether casual or permanent, are among the longest in the developed world with about 2 billion hours of unpaid overtime worked each year, he says and points out that since 1985 average weekly hours have increased by almost three hours for men and over two hours for women.
In addition to the longer hours, inability for many to obtain the security of full time employment and the number of shifts they need to make ends meet, families are facing financial pressures that have seen houses prices rise by 147% over the past decade with 700,000 Australian households now paying more than 30% of their weekly income on rent or mortgage repayments.
The ACSJC pin points the most vulnerable groups as Indigenous families, asylum seeker children and families held in detention with limited or no access to education or normal community life, families and single parents struggling to survive on a Newstart Allowance which is below the poverty line and has not been increased in more than 15 years, the homeless and families caring for members with severe disabilities.
"The greatest model for family life - Jesus' own family - knew poverty, the refugee experience, a life of hard work and finally injustice and bereavement," the ACSJC points out. "Yet their example shows us the true nature of the gift of family."
Jesus and His family should be our inspiration and example, the ACSJC says, urging us to set aside time for worship so we can look beyond the social and economic structures that "dehumanise and compartmentalise us" to cherish and find nourishment and fulfilment in family life.
The entire statement by the ACSJC will be released by the Australian Catholic Bishops Council in the weeks before Social Justice Sunday on 30 September and along with prayer cards, a powerpoint presentation and a "ten steps" leaflet will be available for download at www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
16 Aug 2012
Time with families all important but work-life balance being eroded
As part of the Year of Grace, the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council (ACSJC) is shining the spotlight on families, particularly those families battling hardship and economic uncertainty. Some are families dealing with illness. Others are single parent families. Many are Indigenous families, others are refugees newly arrived in Australia and in need of support and assistance to begin a new life. Still others are among Australia's 105,000 homeless or are families grappling with the stress of chronic debilitating illness or family members with special needs.
Beginning on Social Justice Sunday on September 30, and continuing throughout the next 12 months, Australian Catholics will be encouraged to celebrate and embrace the gift of family. They will also be reminded of the importance for all of us as Christians of offering help, friendship and compassion to families going through difficult times and need of a helping hand.
Archbishop Denis Hart describes families as the basis of our community of faith and the foundation of society
Prior to next month's launch of the ACSJC's Social Justice Statement for 2012-2013, entitled "The Gift of Family in Difficult Times: The social and economic challenges facing families today," Archbishop Hart spoke of the impact financial worries are having on many families as well as the strains of today's 24/7 world where people are increasingly having to work night shifts as well as weekends. Reduced family time as well as ongoing difficulties like making ends meet financially places enormous strains on the bonds of marriage and family and not only threaten the stability of individual families but the stability of society as a whole.
The ACSJC's statement to be released in full in four weeks' time highlights the difficulties facing families and how the radical restructuring of workplaces are affecting family life.
According to the Chairman of the ACSJC, Bishop Christopher Saunders, Australia's rate of casual and irregular work is among the highest in the industrialised world. Up to 25% of all Australian workers are now in casual employment with one quarter of these required to work weekends.
Economic hardship has resulted in families losing their homes
In addition to the longer hours, inability for many to obtain the security of full time employment and the number of shifts they need to make ends meet, families are facing financial pressures that have seen houses prices rise by 147% over the past decade with 700,000 Australian households now paying more than 30% of their weekly income on rent or mortgage repayments.
The ACSJC pin points the most vulnerable groups as Indigenous families, asylum seeker children and families held in detention with limited or no access to education or normal community life, families and single parents struggling to survive on a Newstart Allowance which is below the poverty line and has not been increased in more than 15 years, the homeless and families caring for members with severe disabilities.
"The greatest model for family life - Jesus' own family - knew poverty, the refugee experience, a life of hard work and finally injustice and bereavement," the ACSJC points out. "Yet their example shows us the true nature of the gift of family."
Jesus and His family should be our inspiration and example, the ACSJC says, urging us to set aside time for worship so we can look beyond the social and economic structures that "dehumanise and compartmentalise us" to cherish and find nourishment and fulfilment in family life.
The entire statement by the ACSJC will be released by the Australian Catholic Bishops Council in the weeks before Social Justice Sunday on 30 September and along with prayer cards, a powerpoint presentation and a "ten steps" leaflet will be available for download at www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
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