Catholic Social Services Victoria (CSSV) hosted the launch of Fr Frank Brennan’s new book An Indigenous Voice To Parliament on Wednesday, March 15.
A packed Cathedral room in the Cardinal Knox Centre listened to the academic lawyer and Jesuit priest speak candidly about his hope for the debate around the important vote on Australia’s constitution later this year.
In his introduction CSSV Executive Director, Joshua Lourensz described why it was important for the organisation to be attached to the book launch because of their work within the Social Justice sector.
“Our 42 member organisations are involved in services, and this leads them to be involved in work for justice. The referendum on a constitutionally recognised voice to parliament matters because it is an invitation made by the Uluru Statement, and therefore is key to the ongoing work of Reconciliation,” said Joshua Lourensz.
“All our work on these lands of Australia can only be part of a just and compassionate society if we are listening to, and reconciling those who have cared for this land for the past thousands of years. So we are pleased to assist in launching a book that deepens the knowledge of everyone who will vote in the upcoming referendum.”
“Fr Frank was a dream to work with from a publishing point of view. This is the most important book of the year, on the most pressing issue of the year, so we were honoured to be asked to print An Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
“Fr Frank first came to us with this idea in December and produced a first draft within 10 days and a final draft within two weeks so to be able to publish it within the first two months of the year is quite an achievement.”
David Hughan, Garratt Publishing
Over 100 people listened in the room as Joshua Lourensz introduced the event and Sr Nicole Rotaru RSM provided a stirring reflection to set the tone for the afternoon.
In his speech on his book around the referendum Fr Frank, who is on the board of Jesuit Social Services, spoke about the need for Australia to ‘own its past, so we can move on together’.
John Lochowiak, chair of The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC), spoke of his admiration for Fr Frank’s dedicated work to assist the plight of First Nations people across several decades.
Sherry Balcombe, manager of Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Victoria, also thanked Fr Frank for his relentless work around the voice and shared her own dreams and aspirations for the debate around the referendum.
Addressing the crowded room, Sherry pleaded: “It has been too long that the first people of this land have had no voice and have had to fight to have a voice.
“Please walk with us on this very important debate, we need the support of every sector and for Catholics and the Church it is a question of Justice.
“I can’t stress enough how vital it is for unity on this issue across society and all denominations. If we come together on this then we can move forward as a country, for the better.”
Speaking to CSSV after the event, Fr Frank, who is a former CEO of Catholic Social Services Australia, said: “I think the event was fabulous, there was a great turnout and the Indigenous input was wonderful and a real tribute so I am very grateful.
“My hopes for the referendum are that we can get to Yes, but the only way we’ll get to Yes is if we have a good process in place where everyone can be at the table and have their say and if we can get a set of words that can go into the constitution which are right. So therefore we have a lot of work ahead of us in the next few months.
“I think the first part of the strategy has to be to get, if you like, the legal element right so you can assure people ‘look you don’t have anything to be concerned about, this is legally water-tight’. If we can do that then everyone can just get out there and say Vote Yes. I think that is an important step.”
David Hughan from Garratt Publishing, who printed Frank’s book, described Frank’s timeline for writing, editing and publishing An Indigenous Voice to Parliament as very fast paced and thanked him for his impressive turnaround time.
“Fr Frank was a dream to work with from a publishing point of view. This is the most important book of the year, on the most pressing issue of the year, so we were honoured to be asked to print An Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
“Fr Frank first came to us with this idea in December and produced a first draft within 10 days and a final draft within two weeks so to be able to publish it within the first two months of the year is quite an achievement.”
When asked how he was able to turnaround a 120 page book in such a short space of time, Fr Frank said: “The secret was I had given a number of major talks over 18 months or so and I had also spent two years on the working group on the voice to parliament set up by the Morrison Government, where there were 18 of us chaired by the distinguished Aboriginal leaders Marcia Langton and Tom Calma.
“I was only one of three white people on that working group so I had two years to really think and develop all of these ideas whilst sitting in on all those meetings, as well as going along to community consultation forums.
“Therefore, when I sat down to write this new book when I was holidaying in Assisi, it was pretty much at my fingertips.
“I had to go to Rome for a meeting to speak at a conference in December, having previously gone to Italy in July last year for a weekend. I realised I’m getting a bit too old to be flying to Europe and back on a weekend, so I booked myself in for an extra week and I thought that’s the perfect time to get away from all the noise and distractions and write the book in Assisi.
“It was fabulous, it was winter, good for walking, and all the famous Christmas cribs were up and it was just the most ideal setting to be away from all of the political fray and get my thinking straight.”
You can purchase a copy of Fr Frank Brennan’s book, An Indigenous Voice to Parliament by clicking here.
CSSV recently released their own statement, Relentlessly Pursuing Reconciliation, on the referendum on a constitutionally recognised Indigenous Voice to Parliament.
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