SVD - Celebrating 100 Years

24 T he First Peoples of the land in Australia have a history of discrimination, poverty, social exclusion, erosion of cultural identity and continual denial of rights as a group. Like many other indigenous peoples of the earth, they are embroiled in a daily struggle for survival in mainstream Australia. Today, the fight towards constitutional recognition, self-determination, land rights and fair access to the nation’s wealth continues. There can be no doubt that the challenges facing indigenous Australians cannot be met, or at least not as effectively by governments and civil society, without the active participation of indigenous peoples and churches. The establishment of a new society is possible with an open mind and heart toward peace and reconciliation. There’s always a temptation to look away from the harsh reality facing one of the most disadvantaged peoples of the world. The Divine Word Missionaries decided to make a response, and for the past 19 years have incarnated themselves in the lived experience and cultural realities of Aboriginal peoples. Taking the Reign of God as our horizon, we accepted invitations to work with the Arrernte indigenous community in Central Australia, the Bwgcol-man people on Palm Island, Townsville, and the Darumbal and Gangalu peoples of Rockhampton. Our mission is to invite the First Peoples of the land to become, through and through, Aboriginal Christians. In the words of Saint John Paul II in Alice Springs, 1986: “The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ speaks all languages. It esteems and embraces all cultures. It supports them in everything human and, when necessary, it purifies them. Always and everywhere the Gospel uplifts and enriches cultures with the revealed message of a loving and merciful God”. Aboriginal Apostolate Top left: Fr Jim Knight - reconciliation in the outback. A modern stained glass window created from a painting by well-known artist and Catholic Eastern Arrernte elder Kathleen Kemarre Wallace, marking the anniversary of the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish, Alice Springs, and the 50th Anniversary of the church building. It was an attempt by the SVDs and local church to celebrate the contribution of the Aboriginal elders in the life and mission of the church . In July 2017, “Angkentye Mwerre” Eastern and Central Arrernte Shorter Bible was launched in Alice Springs. The 25 year- old project is the result of a long-term collaboration between Catholic indigenous elders in Alice Springs and Santa Teresa community, SVDs and linguists from the Lutheran community and Australian Society for Indigenous Languages (AuSIL).