Our stories

Building a just society means elevating everyone by supporting all people to reach their full potential. Every success story is crucial because none of us can flourish, until we all do.

Cheque book solution on asylum is unconstitutional
- 27 April 2016
Jesuit Social Services’ National Director of Human Rights and Social Justice, Frank Brennan SJ, has written a powerful comment piece that explores the legalities of Australia’s offshore processing system of people seeking asylum. The piece follows yesterday’s ruling by Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court that Australia’s use of Manus Island to indefinitely detain people seeking…
International Migrants Day (December 18)
- 18 December 2015
International Migrants Day usually comes as a placid reminder of the contributions that immigrants make to our national life. It merges easily into the Christmas celebrations with their emphasis on universal good will and peace. This year, however, the celebration of migrants has a touch of defiance. In Europe political parties that oppose immigration have…
Time to end the Pacific Solution
- 5 October 2015
Fr Frank Brennan SJ AO, Jesuit Social Services board member, has called on Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to close Australia’s offshore detention facilities. Addressing the Melaleuca Refugee Centre in Darwin on 29 September, Brennan said there is no longer an excuse for “maintaining the chamber of horrors” that is the Pacific solution at Nauru and…
PM's refugee intake announcement
- 10 September 2015
[written by Andy Hamilton SJ for Eureka Street] The Prime Minister’s announcement that Australia will accept 12,000 refugees from Syria, in addition to the capped intake, deserves an unqualified welcome. It is a generous decision and a welcome demonstration of leadership. For those of us who are concerned with people who seek protection from persecution…
For those who've come across the sea
- 9 September 2015
The 2015 Social Justice Statement of the Australian Bishops, For those who’ve come across the seas, is a must read. It tackles a difficult topic – over seventy per cent of Australians approve of the harsh measures taken to repel people who seek protection from us, and both parties support these measures. It comes at…
Big hearts needed for Refugee and Migrant Sunday
- 28 August 2015
Refugee and Migrant Sunday is a celebration of the contribution and dignity of people who arrive as refugees and migrants. It is celebrated by the Churches together on or around the last Sunday of August each year. Refugee Sunday is a day for big hearts. It takes a big heart to keep looking at the…
Refugee Week ambassadors
- 16 June 2015
Former refugees and child soldiers turned successful Artful Dodgers Studios participants The Flybz have been named national ambassadors of Refugee Week, which runs until Saturday. Refugee Week is Australia’s peak annual activity to raise awareness about the issues affecting refugees and celebrate the positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society. Fablice, who forms The…
Refugee Week
- 15 June 2015
Refugee week is a time for looking at big pictures and little pictures. This year the big picture is bleak. The number of people who flee across land borders to escape war and persecution has grown, especially in the Middle East and in Africa. They are often escaping from religious persecution, but their flight takes…
Launch of Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum (CAPSA)
- 15 June 2015
The Catholic Alliance for People Seeking Asylum (CAPSA) has been officially launched at the start of World Refugee Week, which runs from June 14 to 20. Backed by leading Catholic peak organisations and convened by Jesuit Social Services, CAPSA aims to change hearts and minds across Australia in support of the abolition of harsh asylum…
Here and now
- 1 May 2015
Participants who attend the English Language Support program for asylum seekers in Sunshine and the Language for Life English classes in St Albans, attended an art workshop run by artist Trudy Cook on Monday 27th April at the our Artful Dodgers Studio. Participants helped to produce a collective artwork that will be displayed at the…