SYDNEY, March 18, 2007 (catholicweekly.com.au): John O’Neill, NSW/ACT state president of the St Vincent de Paul Society, writes for The Catholic Weekly (March 18) this week – The question which should be agitating the world today is neither one of the forms of government nor of persons; it is a social question. It is the struggle between those who have too much and poverty, which is shaking the ground under our feet. John O’Neill continues to quote the words of Frederic…
“Our duties as Christians is to throw ourselves between those two camps, in order to accomplish through charity which justice cannot do.� (Blessed Frederic Ozanam) This social question was clearly one of considerable importance to Blessed Frederic Ozanam, the founder of the St Vincent de Paul Society.
Although Frederic’s statement was a response to the poverty he witnessed around him in 19th century Paris, unfortunately it remains applicable to our contemporary world. A similar level of injustice continues to shake “the ground under our feet.”
A recent report by Prof Tony Vinson (for Jesuit Social Services and Catholic Social Services Australia) offers a remarkable insight into one of the many pressing social questions we are currently confronted with in Australia. Dr Vinson�s report details increasing levels of social disadvantage across Australia, locating particular regions where this disadvantage is at its worst.
Thanks to Tim Williams, CM for drawing attention to this Souexw
