anglican focus

The news site of the Anglican Church Southern Queensland: nourishing and connecting our faith community

People seeking asylum

Features Features

Honouring my curacy pledge six years on because everyone has a right to live in peace and freedom

“The enduring memory I have of the sanctuary training is the sense of unity felt by people of all ages who came together, raising their voices for refugees whose voices were being ignored. The people who participated were from different faith and no faith backgrounds. I remember one young person saying to me, as we sat on the steps of the Cathedral, ‘If church was like this, I would be a part of it!’” says The Rev’d Sue Grimmett from St Andrew’s, Indooroopilly

Reflections Reflections

How the churches’ sanctuary offer shone a light on the detention centre regime, turning the tide for people seeking safety

“While preparing for the hastily organised sanctuary liturgy all those years ago, I vividly remember looking for vigil candles. As I picked up a box of 100 candles in the storage room, I looked at them hoping that enough people would turn up to light them all. Later that day, as more and more people arrived at the vigil, I had to keep bringing additional candles out from storage for people to light. In the end, 1,500 people turned up. I have never been happier to be 500 short of anything in my life,” says The Very Rev’d Dr Peter Catt

"I’m sure my friends on the Thai-Myanmar border didn’t think much of it when they welcomed me into their workplace, their parties and their homes...I am truly indebted to their love and I think that’s why I am still passionate about supporting people seeking asylum to find safety, freedom and dignity nearly 10 years later" (Peter Branjerdporn, pictured leading a Carols for Compassion vigil in December 2016)
Features

Weddings, parties, Advent, anything

“I’m sure my friends on the Thai-Myanmar border didn’t think much of it when they welcomed me into their workplace, their parties and their homes. But all those cups of instant coffee over conversation made a deep impression on me – a kind of justice communion for my soul each week,” says the Justice Unit’s Peter Branjerdporn
Features

Baroona Farm partners with Multicultural Australia

“Earlier this month, Sri Lankan-born refugee and Multicultural Australia client Sisira Fernando joined in the working bee at Baroona Farm and immediately felt connected with the place…He was delighted, in particular, to see okra, winged beans and gotu cola (a herb) growing. However, most of all Sisira felt welcomed at the working bee,” says The Rev’d Samuel Dow

Features

An open letter, a hand-written card and thousands of prayers

“When I returned home to Bilo from Perth in June, which was an emotional trip leaving me feeling exhausted and deflated, my spirits were buoyed upon seeing a hand-written card from Bishop Jeremy Greaves which he had mailed to me while I was away,” says 33-year-old Anglican Angela Fredericks, who is leading the national fight to bring Nades, Priya and their girls back home to Bilo

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