The Catholic bishops of Australia have urged a renewed focus on ways to build a more cohesive society, according to the annual message that the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference has published since 1940 for Social Justice Sunday, which this year falls on August 30. The new document, titled Living the Gospel in Times of Social Division, will be launched in Brisbane on August 7.
In the preface, the President of the Conference, Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, writes: “This statement invites us to see our current social climate as an opportunity to bear witness to the Gospel. We offer Jesus and the hope born of his death and resurrection. When we choose forgiveness over enmity, hospitality over isolation, and solidarity over slander, we help create the conditions for a more peaceful society to flourish.”
The text addresses recent events in Australia, such as the attack at Bondi Beach in December 2025, as well as the alarming rise of Islamophobia and other forms of racism. It also proposes a series of actions to foster social cohesion, which, according to the document, can only be achieved by practicing a “culture of encounter.”
“Love draws us out of ourselves and leads us into a culture of encounter with others,” the message states. “It involves reaching out to those whose life experiences are very different from our own. It means deep solidarity with them, seeing their situation with the heart and not only with the eyes, listening attentively and not just hearing, not passing by, but stopping to engage with them with great compassion, not pity.”
Context and relevance
Bishop Tim Harris, president of the Bishops’ Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service, underscored the Church’s key role in building a culture of listening and inclusion. “Our starting point is the conviction that every person has been created in the image and likeness of God and possesses an inherent dignity that can never be diminished by race, religion, culture, language, or origin,” he said.
“The Church serves society best when it creates spaces where people can meet as neighbors, not as strangers. Australia has been enriched by successive generations of migrants, refugees, and First Peoples, whose stories are part of our national identity. However, social cohesion cannot be taken for granted; it must be renewed through acts of solidarity, hospitality, and mutual understanding,” he added.
Bishop Harris stressed the importance of listening: “Truly listening does not require agreeing on everything, but it does require recognizing the dignity of those with whom we disagree. The Church can and must be a sign of unity: a community where every person feels at home and all are encouraged to use their gifts to build a more just, peaceful, and cohesive Australia.”
The document and related resources will be available on the Bishops’ Conference website, and the launch will be livestreamed online.
Original source: bathurst.catholic.org.au (published on August 7, 2026)
