Two Australian Jesuits with wide experience of refugee issues will be principal speakers at a free seminar in Brisbane on next Friday, March 22, at the Holy Spirit Church, Harriet Street, Auchenflower (7.30pm – 9.30pm).
Fr Mark Raper SJ, Director of UNIYA, the Jesuit Social Justice Centre in Sydney, and Fr Frank Brennan SJ, Associate Director of UNIYA, will speak to the topic – Australia’s Refugee Policy – Facts, Needs, Limits.
A panel of local speakers will include Rashida Joseph (Romero Centre), Mandy McNulty (South Brisbane Legal Service), a refugee mother and a refugee accompanied youth, both with temporary protection visas.
Fr Mark Raper has returned to Australia after more than 20 years with the Jesuit Refugee Service, working in Bangkok for ten years as regional director, and for the past 10 years as International Director in Rome. The service is represented in more than 60 countries worldwide.
Fr Frank Brennan, well known for his work in human rights, is back in Australia after spending the past 15 months in East Timor working with a group drafting a new constitution for East Timor. Since returning to Australia, he has been a regular visitor to the Woomera detention centre.
The Brisbane seminar is one of a national series of Lenten Seminars presented by UNIYA and Eureka Street, the monthly magazine produced by Jesuit Publications.
Released by Catholic Communications Office Brisbane