Arrests of the faithful at asylum protests

A Josephite sister was arrested at one of several sit-ins by Christians and members of other faiths at MPs’ offices. The protesters demanded changes to Australia’s asylum-seeker detention policies, writes Mark Brolly.

Sr Jan Barnett, coordinator for the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, was arrested with eight members of Love Makes a Way – which describes itself as “a movement of Christians seeking an end to Australia’s inhumane asylum-seeker policies through prayer and nonviolent love in action” – after participating in a prayer vigil at the North Sydney constituency office of Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey. The aim was to highlight the plight of children in detention in Australia as well as off-shore on Nauru and Manus Island. Those held were released without charge.
“It is after great contemplation that I risk arrest here today,” Sr Jan said on the group’s Facebook page on 12 August, calling for the release of all detained children.

Catholic schools in Sydney have pledged to provide free education to all refugees. At Mt Barker near Adelaide, a rabbi joined a prayer vigil at the office of Liberal Party MP Jamie Briggs. Trespassing charges against seven protesters were dismissed. The Government said there were 876 children in detention now, compared with 1,392 when the Labor government lost office last September.

n Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York has told an Australian Catholic University (ACU) gathering in Sydney that he fears that Pope Francis has put the pontificate of Benedict XVI “in a bit of an eclipse”. Speaking after he received ACU’s highest honour, an honorary doctorate, Cardinal Dolan said Francis was renewing the Church’s heart. “I live in fear that the [his] radiance has put Benedict XVI’s pontificate in a bit of an eclipse,” Cardinal Dolan said. “I’m confident that the future will see the magnificent gift that Pope Benedict XVI was, [reminding] the world and the Church that faith and reason are allied.”