Some of the 'Stolen generation' who flew to Canberra - Ernie Sarah, Keith Kitchener, Phyllis Bin Bakar, Daisy Howard and Ruby Rose along with Tania and Mark Bin Bakar
Pope Benedict XVI says there is still much to be achieved on the path to racial reconciliation between Aboriginal people and the rest of Australia.
He has made the comment in a message read to a gathering of Aboriginal Catholics in the Northern Territory town of Alice Springs.
The gathering last night marked two decades since Pope John Paul II visited Alice Springs to recognise Indigenous Australians and their role in the Catholic church.
In the message, Pope Benedict also tells young people not to be lured into the misuse of alcohol and drugs.
The chair of the national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council, Melissa Brickell, says over 1,500 people gathered to hear the message.
Christian
Brothers Oceania - Shaping Our Future
(Jan 2006)
360 Christian Brothers from the
region will assemble in Brisbane for a week-long conference that is likely
to set in motion moves to merge the four Australian provinces, as occurred
last year in North America. More importantly, it will set new priorities
for works in which the Brothers are directly engaged. Chair of the Shaping
Our Future Project, Br Kevin Ryan, said in a
media release:
'The Christian Brothers are refocusing their educational mission on the
social needs of the community and social justice advocacy which includes
work with street kids, school truants and children of needy families.'
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Traditional religious
education classes no longer work and are failing to attract children to the
church, says Christian Research Association senior research officer Rev
Philip Hughes.
The Australian reports that while generations of Australian school
children have been "captive congregations", modern pupils are bucking
against receiving church teaching.
Instead, Generation Y - the children born after 1979 - are revealing a
streak of independence, according to a major study of their attitudes to
spirituality, to be released mid-year.
The Australian's religiion writer Jill Rowbotham suggests the finding
will have churches and church-affiliated schools rethinking their approach
to religious education, if they have not already done so.
"To their credit, they are already exploring a variety of new ways of
engaging students about religion," says the church-funded Christian Research
Association's senior research officer, Reverend Philip Hughes (pictured).
The three-year study was not designed to examine religious education, but Dr
Hughes concedes "it does have implications for how religious education is
done: you cannot 'hand on' your faith".
The study included 350 face-to-face interviews, 1200 telephone interviews
and a schools-based component in which 2500 students were surveyed across 20
schools, most of which were church-affiliated. "There is a strong sense
among the young that they will make their own choices about faith, they
think it is their responsibility to do so," Dr Hughes said.
SOURCE
Self is the new Bible for young (The Australian 20/1/06)
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Increase in Indigenous parliamentarians in NT
Calls for a sniffing-free zone
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June
13th 2005: More students head to private schools
More than one third of Australian children will be educated in private schools
by 2010, according to a new study by the Independent Schools Council of
Australia.
The Council predicted in five years the independent sector's share of school
enrolments would be about 16.6%, compared with the current figure of 13.9%.
Enrolments in Australia's Catholic schools are expected to grow slightly to
18.5% - making a combined private school share of 35.1%.
The projected gains for private schools mean state schools would see their
enrolments slide three points to about 64.9%.
The executive director of the independent schools council, Bill Daniels, said
the analysis showed the health of the independent schools sector. "It's
responding to parental demand. There's plenty of evidence that a lot of
parents are willing to pay the price, and the price is fees."
The analysis was published in the latest edition of Independence, the
national journal for independent school heads.
It was based on enrolment trends between 1996 and 2003, combined with
Australian Bureau of Statistics estimates on population growth.
June 6th 2005 Prime Minister on Reconciliation and Noel Pearson's response
A Nation united
9th Jan2005
AUSTRALIA'S commercial TV networks set aside their differences to raise more
than $15 million for tsunami victims.
The three networks combined for the Australia Unites – Reach Out to Asia
concert at the Sydney Opera House and telethon at Melbourne's Telstra Dome.
Thousands gathered in Sydney to see performers such as Kasey Chambers, Daniel Johns, Killing Heidi and Noiseworks. Millions more watched the broadcast.
Telstra Dome hosted a star-studded parade of identities from television, sport and entertainment.
The tally room at the Dome – hosted by Channel 10's Rove McManus, Channel 9's Eddie McGuire and Channel 7's Andrew O'Keefe – resembled the Logie Awards, but without the sequined frocks.
McManus joked: "Finally, Eddie McGuire on all three major networks."
Those donating their time to the appeal included Sigrid Thornton, Bert Newton, Daryl Somers, Andrew Denton, Lisa McCune, Anthony Callea, Rob Mills and Gina Riley in character as Kim Day from World Vision head Tim Costello said people across the world hailed Australia as setting the benchmark for tsunami aid.
"For perhaps the first time in our history, Australia actually is so far out in front, it's magnificent," he said.
Children raided piggybanks, families held fundraising barbecues and partygoers emptied wallets.
A drought-stricken farmer donated $1,000 and a child, 2, donated her savings of $500.
