Thursday 8 September, 2005
Celebrating Cultural Diversity
Social Justice Week 11-17 September 2005
“We are members of one human family, each created in the image of God….When diverse groups work together for the common
good, they enrich society through their respect for one another’s uniqueness and shared human dignity.”
New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference, 2005
Social Justice Week is celebrated in the Catholic Church in the second week of September each year. It is an opportunity
for Catholics throughout New Zealand to consider Catholic social teaching on a specific issue, and to find ways to
celebrate it in our parishes, Catholic schools and communities.
Social Justice Week in 2005 focuses on Celebrating Cultural Diversity. This topic was chosen in 2004 because of concern
about increased racial tensions in New Zealand.
Caritas Director, Mike Smith says it invites Catholics to consider and discuss issues such as how new migrants are
treated; the place of the Treaty of Waitangi; interfaith dialogue and the persistent inequalities between ethnic groups
in our society.
“We want to get people talking about these issues, to open paths of dialogue which we hope will foster greater
tolerance, understanding and respect between people who may not otherwise sit down and talk together.”
Caritas is looking forward to seeing these important issues considered and debated in parish communities the week before
the election. We believe that the experience of the Catholic Church working in cross cultural situations brings insights
and considerable experience of living with cultural diversity as a universal Church.
The Caritas social justice series booklet, In the presence of all peoples, considers some experiences and issues around
cultural diversity in the light of Catholic social teaching. We hope that this year’s theme will be an opportunity for
parishes and schools to celebrate the cultural diversity of our Church community.
ENDS