Address by Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay at the launch of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Social Justice Statement 2016–2017

A Place at the Table Social justice in an ageing society

Rydges Sydney Central, Surry Hills, Sydney, 6 September 2016 as part of the Australasian Catholic Press Association conference – ‘Channels of Mercy’

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On behalf of Australia’s Catholic Bishops, I would like to thank Fr Kevin McGovern, Sr Patty Fawkner and Aunty Elsie Heiss for their contribution to the launch of this Statement. I would also like to thank the Australasian Catholic Press Association for kindly hosting this launch.

Old age is something that comes to most, even if it comes in different ways. More of us are living longer, and, as we have heard today, more of us are attaining old age in good health, still with energy and with much to contribute to society. This ageing of our population is one of the great success stories of human development. And yet, as so often happens, there is another side to this success.

People of this generation, who find themselves growing older than their parents and grandparents did, are confronting a society that is becoming more individualistic, more and more ruled by economic considerations. At its worst, this individualism is a force that is tearing at the fabric of family and community. In a society that places economics above everything else, we hear politicians are not asking “How can we help each other?”, but rather “Who can be made to pay?” All too often, the answer to that question seems to be those who are least powerful.

That is why in this Statement Australia’s Bishops have asked us to consider those who are most vulnerable among the people who are ageing:

 older workers trapped in long term unemployment  those without adequate savings entering retirement in poverty  particularly vulnerable groups such as our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander brothers and sisters who have suffered ill health and economic deprivation and who may not share in the benefits of an ageing society.

1 Address: Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, 6 Sept 2016 In these cases and many others, we see people who are cut adrift at a time when they are most in need. They are the victims of what Pope Francis famously calls a “throw-away” culture. Here is what he has to say in his Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia:

We treat affective relationships the way we treat material objects and the environment: everything is disposable; everyone uses and throws away, takes and breaks, exploits and squeezes to the last drop. Then, goodbye. Narcissism makes people incapable of looking beyond themselves, beyond their own desires and needs. (Amoris Laetitia #39)

The Holy Father goes on to speak about “the perfect families proposed by deceptive consumerist propaganda”. In those families, he says, “no one grows old, there is no sickness, sorrow or death”. That propaganda, he says, “presents a fantasy”. (#135)

In a society that has become individualistic, those who are cut adrift face a life of loneliness and isolation, with all the pain and dangers that implies. Loneliness, as the Statement says, can carry with it enormous risks for health, both physical and mental.

This consumerist culture is one that can actively devalue people, and creates a danger that we will forget the preciousness of life as a gift from God, shared by young and old alike.

If we are looking for hope and affirmation, one of the most rewarding places to find them is in the natural affinity that is so often seen between the youngest and the oldest in our communities – most especially the love that grandchildren and grandparents so often show each other.

That love is not just a warm glow – it is a precious bond that is one of the “signs of the times” we are so often urged to seek. It is there that we see one example of the solidarity between generations that is one of the main themes of this Statement.

Indeed, it is important to remember that while this Statement is about justice in an ageing society, it is not simply about old people. This Statement’s emphasis is the solidarity between generations that includes every member of our society. It calls all of us to be active in building communities of mercy and love.

That phrase reminds us that the theme of this conference, where we are privileged to be launching this document today, is Channels of Mercy. Let me thank and congratulate the Australasian Catholic Press Association for their inspirational theme, remembering too that many members here have recently returned from the 2016 World Youth Day in Poland.

The Catholic media plays a vital role in making the message of the Church accessible to the Catholic community and to the wider society. This is a special ministry and one that is a blessing to all of us in the Church.

2 Address: Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, 6 Sept 2016 Dear friends,

The Church offers many wonderful examples of people and Saints who were apostles of mercy and love. A shining example is Mother Teresa of Calcutta whose canonisation was celebrated in Rome this past Sunday. Mother Teresa was truly a channel of mercy and one of the most renowned personalities of the 20th century. A woman of few words but great actions, Mother Teresa is a perfect example of humility in service and of love in action. May she inspire us in our work at the service of our brothers and sisters.

Finally, let me commend this Statement to you and say how much I hope that, now and over the coming twelve months, you will help affirm the message of this Statement. It is a message of unity and real love, as well as a call to reach out to those most marginalised and in need, ensuring that the older people get their place at the table. In doing so, we hear the call of the Gospel and the message of God’s love for all of us.

3 Address: Bishop Antoine-Charbel Tarabay, 6 Sept 2016