On Wednesday 17th September at The Crypt of St Mary’s Cathedral, in Sydney (Australia) took place the media release of the Australian Catholic Bishops’ 2014–2015 Social Justice Statement. This year is focused on sports.
The Australian Football coach and player Kevin Sheedy and the journalist and commentator Geraldine Doogue, presented the document titled A Crown for Australia: Striving for the best in our sporting nation. The Statement highlights the vital role that sport plays in the health of individuals, the life of communities and the inclusion of all in Australian society.
In the presentation letter of the statement, Bishop Christopher Saunders, Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, said, “Sport also holds a mirror up to our society. It reflects the best in us as individuals and as a nation –but it can also reflect the worst in us. We are becoming too familiar with violence and abuse of drugs and alcohol, both on the field and off it, on the part of players and of spectators. Instances of illegal betting and corruption across different codes pose a real threat to the integrity of sport and its capacity to build community. Discrimination and exclusion undermine a key attribute of sport to build bridges across social divides and show a special concern for people who are marginalized.”
For the National Social Justice Sunday which is celebrated on 28th September 2014, the Australian Catholic Bishops want to emphasize the transformative power of sport and call on all levels of society to treasure and safeguard sport from those forces that undermine its integrity.
Although the statement is focused on the Australian society, we found the document very interesting not only because of the importance of giving a word of hope to the athletes and encourage them to fight for a crown that lasts forever but also for the issues addressed in the document.
You can download the statement clicking here:
