RELIGIOUS heads from a cross-section of faiths in Queensland have urged the nation’s political leaders to ask themselves whether current policies on refugees and asylum seekers are compatible with the ethical and moral principles of their own faith.
The ecumenical group issued the challenge in a joint statement on refugees, signed at Brisbane’s Roma Street Forum on June 22, and coinciding with World Refugee Day.
The faiths represented were Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Baha’i, along with the spiritual organisations, Brahma Kumaris and Overseas Caodaist.
The Christian Churches represented included Catholic, Anglican and Uniting Church, as well as Queensland Churches Together and Salvation Army.
Assistant director of Brisbane archdiocese’s Centre for Multicultural Pastoral Care, Mary Gavin, represented Archbishop John Bathersby at the gathering.
In their plea to Australia’s political leaders, the religious heads said: ‘We implore them to employ compassion, welfare and humanitarianism in their considerations when they reflect on such grave matters as mandatory detention of asylum seekers or temporary protection visas’.
