Media release
12 July 2010Religious leaders urge political leaders to act with compassion on refugeesCatholic Religious Australia (CRA), the peak body of leaders of Religious Institutes and Societies in this country, has expressed serious concern about the direction of both major parties in their proposed treatment of people who are asylum seekers and refugees.
Sister Anne Derwin RSJ, President of CRA and the Congregational Leader of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, said there was a desperate need for leadership from all sides of politics on this issue.
She said the membership of CRA, which comprises priests, nuns and brothers, were concerned that the scaremongering and tough rhetoric played on the fears of some in the Australian community and created false assumptions.
"We would hope that the leaders of our country would instead lead the country to a stance of compassion for those genuinely in need. We believe that the best side of Australia is not showing through in the current debate."
Sister Anne said Religious women and men in Australia have worked for many years with asylum seekers and refugees and know that the people they work with are not criminals.
"They are people fleeing treatment and conditions unimaginable to most Australians. They do not deserve to be punished in the ways that both major parties are proposing."
She said Religious leaders ask that the real facts regarding asylum seekers be stated clearly by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
"These facts are irrefutable. We know that 90 per cent of boat people are found to be genuine refugees — people in real fear for their lives, people who have no other way of escaping their countries (because there is no queue there, and their only option is torture and death).
"We also know that measured against 42 million forcibly displaced people worldwide, including 16 million refugees and asylum seekers, Australia's annual allocation of fewer than 14,000 places under the humanitarian program is small. The number of boat people is only a tiny fraction of this number.
Sister Anne concluded: "We urge leaders not to use asylum seekers as political footballs in the lead-up to the coming election, but to help relieve ill-founded anxieties, and demonstrate that we as a nation are really decent, compassionate and just."
For more information contact Therese Spruhan, CRA Communications Officer at media@catholicreligiousaustralia.com.au
Media Release
6 July 2010Sister of St Joseph is new leader of Catholic Religious Australia
In the year of the canonisation of Mary MacKillop, Catholic Religious Australia (CRA) has elected the current leader of her order as its new president.Sister Anne Derwin RSJ, Congregational Leader of the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart was elected president of the peak body for Religious Institutes and Societies in Australia at the group's national assembly in Hobart last week. Sister Anne takes over from Good Samaritan Sister Clare Condon SGS, who held the position for the past two years.At the assembly Sister Anne paid tribute to Sister Clare thanking her for her outstanding leadership of Catholic religious throughout Australia.Sister Clare said it was very appropriate that in the year of Australia's first canonisation that the new president of CRA was a Sister of St Joseph.Sister Anne said she was honoured to take on the role of president as a service to the Religious of Australia.
"I believe in us as Religious together in this country, and it is a privilege to be involved in our combined efforts to enhance God's mission, particularly here in Australia."
From March 2008 Sister Anne has been Leader of the Sisters of St Joseph, making her the 14th Leader since Mary MacKillop, the order's founding Leader. The Congregation currently has 850 Sisters in five Australian Provinces, a New Zealand Province, regions in Peru and Ireland and ministry in Brazil, East Timor and Scotland.
Sister Anne is Sydney born and bred, and educated by the Sisters of St Joseph. She has worked in secondary education, been NSW Provincial of the Sisters of St Joseph, managed retreat and conference centres and had the privilege of serving on the governing board of St John of God Health Care.
At the national assembly the 120 delegates also elected a new council for the next two years. The council includes a representative from each state, three members elected from the floor of the assembly, three co-opted members and an Anglican representative.
The 2010-2012 council is:
Br Alfred BongKong Leong ssf (Anglican representative), Br Vince Duggan cfc, Fr Nestor Candado ssp, Sr Anne Cunliffe rsc, Fr Steve Curtin sj, Sr Jill Dance ssj (TAS), Sr Anne Derwin rsj (president), Sr Marie Duffy rsm (NSW), Fr Graeme Duro sss, Sr Bernadette Edgecombe ssps (Qld), Sr Marie Fitzgerald rsm (WA), Sr Marion Gambin rsj (SA), Fr Tim Norton svd and Sr Bernadette Wallis mss (VIC).For more information contact Therese Spruhan, CRA Communications Officer at media@catholicreligiousaustralia.com.au
EVENTS. NEWS. MEDIA RELEASES. STATEMENTSCatholic Religious Australia wishes to use the media to proclaim the Good News through highlighting the Gospel-inspired work of thousands of Religious ministering in Australia and overseas.
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