Pope John Paul II’s Indigenous legacy
Thursday, 14 April 2005
Pope John Paul II visited Australia three times in his lifetime. The first, in the 70’s, as a Cardinal, during the Eucharistic Congress in Melbourne.
In 1986 he visited all states and territories in his first visit as Pontiff and he came again in the 1990s to beautify Mary Mackillop, Australia’s first saint.
My closest encounter with his Holiness was almost 20 years ago on November 29, 1986 at Alice Springs.
The Pope had personally requested to meet with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples whilst he was in Australia and there in the symbolic heart of the nation he spoke specifically to us.
His words were a gift of great hope and inspiration to us.
I mostly remember the great excitement that surrounded that day, the weather conspiring with the crowd to create an energy that was truly electric.
The day dawned bright and sunny. As John Paul II arrived and walked amongst us, so the clouds started to build.
As the day progressed the clouds darkened and by the time he spoke the lightening was illuminating the beautiful desert landscape and the rain started to pour.
The symbolism of the life-giving rain falling in the parched desert as the Pope delivered life-giving words of inspiration to our people was not lost on us.
He spoke of many important things: of land rights; of the strength and beauty of our culture; and of the impact of colonisation.
But the words that had the greatest impact on me as a young religious brother was his call to us Indigenous Australians to fully take our place in the life of the Church. He said:
“The Church herself in Australia will not be fully the Church that Jesus wants her to be until you have made your contribution to her life and until that contribution has been joyfully received by others.”
As a young man, to meet such a great world leader and the leader of my own faith, in the symbolic spiritual centre of Australia was significant. To also be encouraged to take pride in my own culture and to present it as a gift of enrichment to the Catholic Church and for all Australians was a moment of great pride and significance to me and my Indigenous brothers and sisters.
The Pope recognised the immensity of the occasion and said to us that we wouldn’t remember exactly what he said as we were caught up in the awe of the moment.
But over the years I have often revisited and reflected on his words and I am still struck by his knowledge and understanding of the situation for Indigenous Australians even then.
The Pope inspired many Indigenous peoples to renew their commitment to and faith in the Church and discussions started which led to the formation of a national representative body.
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) is still going strong today.
Indigenous Australians have always been with the Church since it came to Australia and there has always been an understanding of the contribution to the Church by the Indigenous peoples of this land.
But the Pope’s call for action helped us push the movement to fully embrace Indigenous peoples and culture, not just amongst ourselves, but also amongst the leadership of the Catholic Church.
The Pope’s support gave us the impetus to encourage the mainstream Catholic Church to put more effort into embracing us and into bringing Indigenous peoples into the Church.
Pope John Paul II was consistent in his support of inculturation.
When he was here in the 70’s he was at the first Indigenous mass - Missa Kimberley - held at the Myer Music Bowl.
He often recalled with fondness his visit here as a Cardinal all those years ago and one presumes that his encounter with Indigenous culture at that mass made a significant impression on him.
Later in 1986 he reminded us that the Church stands in solidarity with our struggles.
Even in the 90’s the emphasis through liturgy and the involvement of Indigenous peoples whilst he was here to beatify Mary Mackillop emphasised his strongly held belief that the Church in Australia will only be truly Australian when it has included all peoples, especially the first Australians.
In 1999 he called the Synod of Oceania at which Indigenous Peoples were central.
The Pope’s response was to apologise to the Stolen Generations.
NATSIEC runs a series of theology forums every year called “Light of Australia”, this year as a lead-up to the 20th anniversary of the Pope’s address to Indigenous peoples we have been revisiting his speech and its significance.
As we travel around the country we are struck by how his words still resonate with Indigenous and non-Indigenous people of all denominations.
In October, 2006 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders from all around Australia will once again gather in Alice Springs to commemorate Pope John Paul II’s visit.
Following the death of the Pontiff it will also provide an occasion to remember with respect his support and love of the Indigenous peoples of Australia.
Perhaps also it could provide an opportunity for his successor to come and sit down with us and continue the journey.
Graeme Mundine
Executive Secretary of National Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Ecumenical Commission
Link to Report
Publication
April Reports
Last updated on April 22, 2005