E-News : ACMICA : 3/8/02 : Sydney

Greetings,

Our new-look newsletter is now in full HTML. We appreciate any feedback that you may have and please let us know if you are experiencing difficulties reading it. As a precaution for this edition, we have attached a Word document of the same.

We have noticed that the events section is growing! Feel free to email us if you would like to plug anything or if you'd like to share an article or news story of interest.

ACMICA news

> News from Manila - Asia-Pacific Platform for Solidarity and Development (APPSD): The APPSD is a recently founded 'platform' for Asia-Pacific wherein groups and activists, particularly from the Cardijn tradition, could meet and exchange ideas and grow as partners in solidarity, commitment and action. One of our committee member,

One of our committee member, Fr Peter Maher, recently attended a APPSD meeting in Manila and committed ACMICA in principle as a partner organisation. It is expected the ACMICA Committee will formally confirm the decision when it meets next.

• The APPSD has a newsletter out that briefly describes its vision, work and structure. You are encouraged to request a copy from Stefan Gigacz <s.gigacz@ccfd.asso.fr>.
• If you would like to get your organisation involved in the project, or for more information, contact APPSD: C/- Cardijn Center for Development, Asian Social Institute Bldg., 1518 L. Guinto St., Malate, Manila 1004 PHILIPPINES

> News from Geneva - More on the decisions of Lima Council Meeting: The two day Pax Romana-ICMICA International Council meeting (July 11 and 12) reviewed the present global situation of the Movement and made several policy decisions regarding the plan of action as well as internal issues. They include:

• The International Team and several from the African Federations, including ICMICA Group in South Africa, will represent Pax Romana ICMICA at the Global Forum (Aug. 19 to Sept. 1) and World Summit on Sustainable Development (Aug. 26 to Sept. 4) in Johannesburg, South Africa.
• World Social Forum III in Porto Alegre, Brazil (Jan. 23 to 28, 2003) will be given priority in terms of building coalitions in global civil society. www.worldsocialforum.org
• ICMICA Africa was reaffirmed as a continent requiring priority in terms of global support.
• The next Council meeting 2003 will take place in Africa.
• ACMICA – ICMICA Federation in Australia was congratulated on its revival.
• The candidature of Fr Etienne Trialille S.J. as ICMICA Africa Chaplain was confirmed. Congratulations.

General news

> Bishop hopes sex abuse crisis is catalyst for ‘serious change’, Catholic Weekly: Two areas of the Church that demand further work post-Vatican II are sex and power, says Bishop Geoffrey Robinson.

Bishop Robinson, auxiliary bishop of Sydney, told the Catalyst for Renewal forum Vatican II: Unfinished Business that he hoped the current sex abuse crisis would bring about serious change within the Church...

• To read the full article, click here: http://www.catholicweekly.com.au/02/jul/28/09.html
  
• For more information about Catalyst for Renewal, click here: http://www.catalyst-for-renewal.com.au

Events and notices

> August 6, 2002 (5.30-7.30pm): Defining a new Era: End of History, Clash of Civilisations, or What?
Centre for Independant Studies Forum (CIS)

This leading neoliberal thinktank is hosting a forum featuring Francis Fukuyama (author, The End of History and the Last Man). It aims to revisit Fukuyama's 'End of History' thesis and Samuel Huntington's 'Clash of Civilisations' thesis. CIS asks: "How have the events of September 11 affected these ideas? Has the clash of civilisations begun? Or is there more in common between these two ideas at the beginning of the 21st century?"

• Speakers: Francis Fukuyama, Daniel Pipes and Owen Harries
• Venue: Banco Court, Supreme Court of NSW
• Cost: $20 or $5 (fulltime student conc)
• For more information, registration, visit: http://www.cis.org.au. (For those in Melbourne, Fukuyama will be speaking there on 8 Aug but I don't think most of us can afford the $200 entry!)

> August 24-25, 2002: The Tampa: One Year On
Pax Christi Australia (NSW) & Buddhist Peace Fellowship Conference

The Tampa 'crisis' marked a definitive moment in Australia's history, when we as a nation moved from being seen as a compassionate country with a strong tradition of human rights to one characterized by xenophobia and fear of difference. The conference will explore the consequences of Tampa, in terms both of the individuals whose lives have been so cruelly disrupted by Australian government campaign of vilification and harsh treatment of asylum seekers and of its social and moral consequences for the entire Australian community.

• Venue: Tower Building, University of Technology Sydney, Broadway NSW
• Speakers: Dr Eileen Pittaway, Dr Tony Kevin, Neville Roach, Margaret Piper, Sr Susan Connolly, Venerable Tejadhammo, Dr Michael Dudley, Moira Rayner, Julian Burnside QC, A/Professor Donald Rothwell, Liz Biok, Mary Crock, Zachary Steel, Former detainees
• Cost: WeWeekend: $120.00 unwaged/student: $70.00 or Day: $60.00 unwaged/student: $35.00; All proceeds will go to assist asylum seekers, places are limited.
• For programme, registration and further information: Download the Tampa One brochure: http://www.acmica.org/enews/tampa.doc
• or contact Pax Christi 02 9818 8383 or 02 9550 3845 Buddhist Peace Fellowship 02 9560 3632

> October 4-6, 2002: Conversations Around Jesus Christ Our Friend (John 15: 14-17)
ARC (Australian Reforming Catholics) Inaugural Conference

• Venue: Abbotsleigh, Wahroonga, NSW
  
• Speakers:
  • Fr Tissa Balasuriya OMI (Keynote speaker) on Jesus, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
    
  • Opening address by Therese Vassaroti: Is the Church in crisis?
    
  • Sr Veronica Brady IBVM will speak on Gender and the Sensus Fidelium
    
  • Fr Brian Gore will talk about A Christian Response to September 11 and
    
  • Mark Yettica-Paulson's subject is Jesus, Our Cousin-Brother.
    
• There will be workshops, a Eucharistic Meal and an Ecumenical Service
• For more information/registration, call: Jim Taverne (02) 9449 2923 or jtaverne@ozemail.com.au

> Job Vacancy in ICMICA Geneva office International Secretariat in Geneva is looking for a full-time office manager. Job description is available upon request by email: miicmica@paxromana.int.ch