Uluru Statement of the Heart

The Ballarat Social Justice Commission urges all in parishes and schools to read the “Uluru Statement of the Heart”.

The Uluru Statement of the Heart can be read here and is an invitation from First Nations to “walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future”. It was issued to the Australian people in May 2017 following almost two years of work.

The Uluru Statement calls for structural reform including constitutional change. Structural reform means establishing a new relationship between First Nations and the Australian nation based on justice and self-determination where Indigenous cultures and peoples can flourish, and we all move forward.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart was issued by a gathering of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders in 2017. The Statement’s recommendations were quickly rejected by the previous Federal Government. Five years on and the new Federal Government has committed itself to full implementation of the Statement’s recommendations. Read more.

Catholic bishops endorse Uluru Statement from the Heart

More information can be found here:

We are a community of communities from the Murray to the sea.
Inspired by the Gospel and nourished by the Eucharist, we follow the example of Jesus and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, reaching out in joyful and humble service, caring for all of God’s creation, growing in love day by day and looking forward to life with God forever.

Diocesan Vision Statement

In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands in which the Diocese of Ballarat sits. We would like to pay our respects to Aboriginal Elders past, present and future. Their wisdom can help us care for the earth, our common home.

- Acknowledgement of Country -