The Catholic Church in Australia celebrates Social Justice Sunday on 24 September.
This year, the Australian Bishops’ Social Justice Statement is titled: ‘Everyone’s Business: Developing an inclusive and sustainable economy’.
The Statement calls for an economy that is founded on justice and offers dignity and inclusion to every person.
It is built around the Gospel for Social Justice Sunday, in which Jesus tells the parable of the workers in the vineyard, where all are active contributors and are recognised for their human dignity.
Australia has experienced a quarter of a century of continuous economic growth, but the benefits of this good fortune have not been distributed equally. In our workplaces, conditions and security of employment have been eroded, while those who are unemployed subsist on incomes well below poverty levels. Australia is experiencing a housing crisis. And our Indigenous brothers and sisters struggle with economic and social burdens that most Australians cannot imagine.
In the light of these challenges, the Statement calls us to build an economy founded on true solidarity with those who are most vulnerable. Such a society will reject an ‘ideology of the market’ that forgets the principles of justice and equity. Justice must be built into the very foundations of our community, and business can work for everybody’s benefit, not just for shareholders. The excluded and vulnerable must have a voice in decision-making. God is calling us to use his bounty wisely, for the good of all and of our planet.
To read the statement in full or access other related resources please visit the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council website: http://www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au/publications/social-justice-statements