Catholic Mission
Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan March 2022 – September 2023
Catholic Mission acknowledges that we are on the land of Australia's First Peoples. We pay our respect to the ever-present spirituality of Elders past and present.
Community Catechist Leadership meeting of stakeholders – NATSICC, Alice Springs Community Elders; priests from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish, Alice Springs; and Catholic Mission
Awu matamata – Butterfly
Created by Robin Nilco
The artwork received for our RAP was created by Robin Nilco. Robin is a Tjindi man. His clan comes from an area about 100kms North of Wadeye. Some of his family are from Delissaville, across the harbour from Darwin. His language group is Marie Amiu. Robin’s clan has about 20 totems, he identifies with the butterfly totem – awu matamata. It was at the Men’s Shed in Wadeye that Christian Brother Bill Tynan met Robin and asked if he’d be interested in supplying a painting for Catholic Mission. Br Bill is a volunteer Director for Catholic Mission in the Catholic Diocese of Darwin and member of the RAP Working Group. He is based in Wadeye. There were about 10 languages around Wadeye 100 years ago. Now almost entirely only one, plus English. After some time, Robin shared his paintings with Br Bill. The butterfly caught his attention. In few English words, Robin beautifully explained its significance. The butterfly lives in a cave, but goes out of it, so to be part of the different colours of the flowers. But they know their safe place to return to the cave, where they hang off the roof, and share the cave with insects. Br Bill and the Christian Brothers purchased this artwork for Catholic Mission as a symbol of our Mission. As the butterfly moves out into the world, to enhance the world, to share and benefit from the colours of the world, but always returns to be focused again in our spiritual home.
The four RAP types — Reflect, Innovate, Stretch and Elevate — allow RAP partners to continuously develop and strengthen reconciliation commitments in new ways. This Reflect RAP will lay the foundations, priming the workplace for future RAPs and reconciliation initiatives. The RAP program’s strength is its framework of relationships, respect, and opportunities, allowing an organisation to strategically set its reconciliation commitments in line with its own business objectives, for the most effective outcomes. These outcomes contribute towards the five dimensions of reconciliation: race relations; equality and equity; institutional integrity; unity; and historical acceptance. It is critical to not only uphold all five dimensions of reconciliation, but also increase awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, histories, knowledge, and leadership across all sectors of Australian society.
Reconciliation Australia welcomes Catholic Mission to the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) program with the formal endorsement of its inaugural Reflect RAP. Catholic Mission joins a network of more than 1,100 corporate, government, and not-for-profit organisations that have made a formal commitment to reconciliation through the RAP program. Since 2006, RAPs have provided a framework for organisations to leverage their structures and diverse spheres of influence to support the national reconciliation movement. The program’s potential for impact is greater than ever, with close to 3 million people now working or studying in an organisation with a RAP.
This Reflect RAP enables Catholic Mission to deepen its understanding of its sphere of influence and the unique contribution it can make to lead progress across the five dimensions. Getting these first steps right will ensure the sustainability of future RAPs and reconciliation initiatives, and provide meaningful impact toward Australia’s reconciliation journey. Congratulations Catholic Mission, welcome to the RAP program, and I look forward to following your reconciliation journey in the years to come.
Karen Mundine
Chief Executive Officer Reconciliation Australia
Catholic Mission is the international mission agency of the Catholic Church in Australia where it has been operating since 1847. Our mission is to help build a world where all people may live life to the fullest, physically and spiritually and inclusive of race, stigma, religion or gender. Locally and globally, we answer the call to love God and to love our neighbour, and work to establish the Reign of God through building communities of missionary disciples who share their faith by proclaiming the Word, serving people in need, acting for justice and creation, and adopting child-focused, community-based development programs. Compelled by the message, life and love of Jesus Christ, Catholic Mission forms Australians for mission and raises funds for mission projects. This enables missionaries to reach out to help children and communities in need, and provide vital training for seminarians, novices, catechists, and other young Church leaders. Catholic Mission operates in over 160 countries supporting life-saving church-run development initiatives in Africa, Asia, Oceania, South America to support initiatives in 1,100 dioceses under the jurisdiction of the Dicastery for Evangelisation. We also support the church in remote Australia in service of First Nations communities. Grassroots needs are identified by local Catholics, to give people the opportunity for a full, enriched life. These include education, health, sanitation and agricultural programs, as well as spiritual formation and pastoral care.
Catholic Mission currently employs 70 permanent staff, 18 casual staff, 10 contractors and 72 volunteers. Our national office is in North Sydney and we have diocesan offices in every state of Australia, reaching out to all parishes within Australia. Catholic Mission does not currently employ any First Nations staff directly. However, we will explore how we can begin to capture data on the partnerships we have with First Nations partnerships across our programs and networks. These partnerships include First Nations committee members and presenters at our biennial MOHMV (Mission: One Heart Many Voices conference), First Nations communities that host our immersion programs and diocese-parish direct programs where financial support is given for First Nations leaders who present, support and assist with the delivery of programs. As an International Mission Agency, Catholic Mission is represented throughout the world with offices in most countries. In Australia we are represented in every state and territory with diocesan staff located in all capital cities, as well as larger regional cities. We have regional teams formed around the archdioceses within Australia, i.e. Adelaide (includes Port Pirie and Darwin), Brisbane (includes Cairns, Toowoomba, Rockhampton and Townsville, Perth (includes Broome, Bunbury and Geraldton), Canberra (includes Goulburn) Melbourne (includes Ballarat, Sale, Sandhurst ), Sydney (includes National Office, Parramatta, Broken Bay, Armidale, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Wilcannia-Forbes, Lismore and Wollongong) Maitland-Newcastle and Hobart.
ARCHDIOCESE OR DIOCESE
DIOCESAN DIRECTOR OFFICE
FIRST NATIONS LAND
ACT/NSW
Canberra and Goulburn
PO Box 443 Civic Square ACT 2608
Ngunnawal Gandangara
NSW
Sydney
North Sydney PO Box 1668, North Sydney, NSW 2059
Cammeraygal
Armidale
Armidale
Anēwan
Bathurst
Bathurst
Wiradjuri
Broken Bay
Pennant Hills PO Box 1668, North Sydney, NSW 2059
Darug
Lismore
Lismore
Bundjalung
Maitland-Newcastle
Newcastle
Mulubinba
Parramatta
Parramatta PO Box 1668, North Sydney, NSW 2059
Burramattagal
Wagga Wagga
205 Tarcutta St, Wagga Wagga 2650
Wiradjuri
Wilcannia Forbes
Forbes
Wiradjuri
Wollongong
Wollongong
Dharawal people
Darwin
Darwin
Larrakia
Brisbane 143 Edward Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000
Turrbal Jagera
PO Box 763, Cairns, QLD 4870
Gimuy-walubarra yidi
NORTHERN TERRITORY
QUEENSLAND Brisbane Cairns
ARCHDIOCESE OR DIOCESE QUEENSLAND Rockhampton
DIOCESAN DIRECTOR OFFICE
FIRST NATIONS LAND
Rockhampton
Darumbal
Toowoomba
68 Lindsay Street, Toowoomba, QLD 4350
Giabal
Townsville
Townsville
Wulgurukaba and Bindal
Adelaide
Adelaide
Kaurna
Port Pirie
Port Pirie
Nukunu
TASMANIA
Hobart
Hobart
Nipaluna
VICTORIA
Melbourne
Brunswick East
Wurundjeri
Ballarat
Ballarat
Wathaurong
Sale
Sale
Wayput
Sandhurst
Bendigo
Djadjawurrung
Broome
Broome (no CM office)
Yawuru
Bunbury
11 Money Place, Bunbury, 6230
Wardandi
Perth
40A Mary St, Highgate WA 6003
Wajuk
Geraldton
11 Maitland St, Geraldton, WA, 6530
Yamaji
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
OUR RAP Our Strategic Plan for Catholic Mission states that we strive to: 6. Strengthen and expand our capacity to provide leadership in mission formation with and for the Catholic Church in Australia. And we need to be able to authentically state that: 6.4 We are effective advocates for Indigenous Australians. 6.5 We will have a Reconciliation Action Plan We have developed this RAP because Catholic Mission acknowledges First Nations Peoples as the Custodians of the land in which we live and work. Through the work and experiences of staff, we see a critical need to bring greater transparency and focus in how we respect, build relationships and identify opportunities for reconciliation at Catholic Mission and the RAP provides a direction for doing this. In implementing our RAP, we will take an inclusive approach that allows as many staff as possible to embrace and further reconciliation in Australia in their daily lives and in their capacity as staff at Catholic Mission. We invite all staff on this journey and will provide different ways for staff to engage along the way. We have strong relationships within our spheres of influence throughout Australia in dioceses and parishes and the Catholic agencies within them. Catholic Mission established its RAP Working Group in July 2020 to come together and begin thinking about the best approach to developing a RAP for the organisation. A group of six staff from around the country have met monthly over 18 months to discuss the RAP, to learn together, to seek feedback from others and then finalise this document. The process involved engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and people within our networks, meeting with our senior leaders for input and organising a series of sessions with staff to share about the process and engage in dialogue together. Our champions are our RAP working group members. Our appointed RAP Champion is our Deputy National Director.
OUR PARTNERSHIPS / CURRENT ACTIVITIES Catholic Mission has a long history of walking together with First Nations Peoples of Australia: • Welcome to Country (where appropriate) or Acknowledgement of Country is part of our practice. • We maintain a National structure underpinned by local First Nations networks. Because of our diocesan based structure, our Diocesan Directors and teams have connections around Australia with local First Nations communities. These connections include relationships and partnerships with local Aboriginal Catholic Ministries, NATSICC representatives and First Nations Education Officers. • Our Mission: One Heart many Voices Conference, which began in 2013, is designed in partnership with the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council (NATSICC) and the Aboriginal Catholic Ministry in the Archdiocese of Sydney. As the conference has a national focus, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives from other states are also included. Additionally, Catholic Mission offers support to enable First Nations partners to attend the conference to ensure inclusivity and representation at the event. • When working with First Nations partners the following four best practice questions are considered from consultation through to implementation of partnerships: o Does the model deliver agency to the local leadership and consider principles of subsidiarity? o Does the model build on the strengths of communities? o Can partners and supporters act in solidarity with the local communities? o Does the model observe the four human rights principles (non-discrimination, participation, accountability and transparency)? These are core principles that guide the partnership and facilitate the incorporation of the gifts that our First Nations partners possess. This has resulted in a freshness, authenticity and a giftedness to the conference.
OUR PARTNERSHIPS / CURRENT ACTIVITIES • The educational materials that we create for schools each year acknowledge the First Peoples of this land, First Nations Peoples, who have cared for, nurtured and have had continuous deep spiritual connection to the land for many thousands of years. We invite students, staff, parents and carers into a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander spirituality and to connect locally with the Traditional Custodians of the land we share. Our resources encourage students to learn about current issues facing all Australians as we work towards reconciliation and respond through action. • Our immersion program is run in partnership with local First Nations Peoples and Church leaders and are organised with consideration and respect for the communities we visit. Catholic Mission ensures that the focus of all immersions is one of reciprocity, meaning any community hosting immersion groups mutually benefits from the immersion and is not negatively impacted as a result of hosting immersions. In recent years our main host community has been the Arrernte people of Mparntwe (Alice Springs). We currently have working partnerships with Yolgnu peoples, Tiwi, and students of Nungalinya. • Catholic Mission has a long history of financially supporting communities in need through the infrastructure of the Church. We raise funds that are distributed across the globe for these works. This includes rural and First Nations communities within Australia. • In 2020 a barometer survey was conducted in our organisation which showed that nearly all employees of Catholic Mission consider the relationship between First Nations people and other Australians as very important, and that First Nations people hold a special place in our country as First Australians. All employees would like more opportunities to engage with First Nations people and think it is important to engage in truth-telling processes. To this end, we are implementing a foundational online Cross Cultural Competency Course for all staff.
RELATIONSHIPS Action 1 Establish and strengthen mutually beneficial relationships with First Nations stakeholders and organisations.
Deliverable Identify First Nations stakeholders and organisations within our local area or sphere of influence.
Timeline March 2022
Responsibility Diocesan Director Archdiocese of Adelaide
Approach each Diocesan Director to identify First Nations stakeholders and organisations in their area. April 2022 Providing necessary support for Diocesan Directors with limited time and resource.
Diocesan Director Archdiocese of Adelaide
Investigate formalising these relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander networks
May 2022
Diocesan Director Archdiocese of Adelaide
Connect Diocesan Directors with local NATSICC Councillors
May 2022
Diocesan Director Archdiocese of Adelaide
Research best practice and principles that support partnerships with First Nations stakeholders and organisations.
April 2022
Mission Formation Educator
Prepare communications and events for NRW
April 2022, 2023
Senior Communications Officer
2 Build relationships through celebrating National Reconciliation Week (NRW).
RELATIONSHIPS Action 3 Build relationships through celebrating National Reconciliation Week (NRW).
4 Promote reconciliation through our sphere of influence.
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
Circulate Reconciliation Australia’s NRW resources and reconciliation materials to our staff via Mission Matters.
May 2022, 2023
Senior Communication Officer
RAP Working Group members to participate in an external NRW event.
27 May- 3 June, 2022, 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Encourage and support staff and senior leaders to participate in at least one external event to recognise and celebrate NRW.
April 2022, 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Communicate our commitment to reconciliation to all staff.
Hold Lunch & Learn yarning sessions with staff to create a space for staff to engage with Reconciliation in the workplace.
March, May, June, October, 2022 Feb, May, June, October 2023 March, May, June, October, 2022
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Communicate our commitment to reconciliation through reports in Mission Matters; recognizing significant dates and events in Staff Meetings and Staff Liturgies.
March, May, June, October, 2022 Feb, May, June, October 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Invite local Traditional Custodians to speak and present at events.
March 2022, April 2023
Mission Formation Educator
RELATIONSHIPS Action 4 Promote reconciliation through our sphere of influence.
Deliverable Identify external stakeholders that our organisation can engage with on our reconciliation journey.
Timeline
Responsibility
Nov 2022
Immersions Coordinator
Nov 2022 Consider this and finding someone who has the time and capacity to partner with us – NATSICC / ACM
Immersions Coordinator
Identify RAP and other like-minded organisations that we could approach to collaborate with on our reconciliation journey. Celebrate and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday within the Catholic Church. This includes internal promotion and encouragement of celebration of this event across Australia.
March 2022
Mission Formation Educator
May 2022 & 2023
Mission Formation Coordinator
HR Director
5
Research best practice and policies in areas of race relations and anti-discrimination.
Sept 2022
Promote positive race relations through anti-discrimination strategies.
Conduct a review of HR policies and procedures to identify existing anti-discrimination provisions, and future needs.
Sept 2022
HR Director
RESPECT Action 6 Increase understanding, value and recognition of First Nations cultures, histories, knowledge and rights through cultural learning.
7 Demonstrate respect to First Nations peoples by observing cultural protocols.
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
Develop a business case for increasing understanding, value and recognition of First Nations cultures, histories, knowledge and rights within our organisation.
Dec 2022
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Implement a foundational Online Cross Cultural Competency Course, which will be augmented by periodic face to face cultural workshops.
August 2022
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Avail our Diocesan Directors with the opportunity to attend local Cross Cultural Competency workshops.
February 2023
HR Director
Conduct a review of cultural learning needs within our organisation.
March 2022
Education Manager Immersion Program
Develop an understanding of the local Traditional Owners or Custodians of the lands and waters within our organisation’s operational area. Inclusive of all Diocesan offices.
Dec 2022
Increase staff’s understanding of the purpose and significance behind cultural protocols, including Acknowledgement of Country and Welcome to Country protocols. Use staff gatherings and internal communications as an avenue for this.
June 2023
Diocesan DirectorBunbury
Senior Communications Officer
RESPECT Action 8 Build respect for First Nations cultures and histories by celebrating NAIDOC Week.
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
Raise awareness and share information amongst our staff about the meaning of NAIDOC Week.
July 2022 & 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Introduce our staff to NAIDOC Week by promoting external events in our local area.
July 2022 & 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
RAP Working Group to participate in an external NAIDOC Week event.
First week in July, 2022 & July 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Identify local NAIDOC events in July 2022 and how CM staff can be represented around the country.
First week in July, 2022 & July 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
OPPORTUNITIES Action 9 Improve employment outcomes by increasing First Nations recruitment, retention and professional development.
10 Increase First Nations supplier diversity to support improved economic and social outcomes.
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
Develop a business case for First Nations employment within our organisation.
July 2022
HR Director
Build understanding of current First Nations staffing to inform future employment and professional development opportunities.
August 2022
HR Director
Develop a business case for procurement from First Nations owned businesses.
March 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Investigate Supply Nation membership.
March 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
GOVERNANCE Action 11 Establish and maintain an effective RAP Working Group (RWG) to drive governance of the RAP.
12 Provide appropriate support for effective implementation of RAP commitments.
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
Form a RWG to govern RAP implementation.
March 2022
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Draft a Terms of Reference for the RWG.
March 2022
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Establish First Nations representation on the RWG.
March 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Define resource needs for RAP implementation.
March 2022
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Engage senior leaders in the delivery of RAP commitments.
March 2022
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Define appropriate systems and capability to track, measure and report on RAP commitments.
March 2022
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
GOVERNANCE Action
Deliverable
Timeline
Responsibility
13 Build accountability and transparency through reporting RAP achievements, challenges and learnings both internally and externally. 14 Continue our reconciliation journey by developing our next RAP.
Complete and submit the annual RAP Impact Measurement Questionnaire to Reconciliation Australia.
30 September 2022, 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Register via Reconciliation Australia’s website to begin developing our next RAP.
March 2023
Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator
Contact details
Catholic Mission acknowledges the traditional owners of the land on which we live and work. This publication may include images of deceased persons.
Catherine Towiro Interfaith Encounters Program Coordinator (Current RWG Chair) Phone: 02 9919 7823 Email: ctowiro@catholicmission.org.au