Finding Freedom: Diocesan Refugee Week Table Talk at Marayong 

22 June 2024
Participants are seen during a Peace, Justice and Ecology Table Talk on the theme of Refugee Week at St Andrew the Apostle Parish, Marayong, on 16 June 2024. Image: Supplied

 

On Sunday 16 June 2024, 50 people from across the Diocese of Parramatta gathered for a Table Talk at St Andrew the Apostle Parish in Marayong to celebrate Refugee Week (16 – 22 June). It was an opportunity for participants to hear and discuss inspiring stories from people who have come to Australia as refugees.  

At the heart of the program were two presentations by JRS speakers Thanush and Sara, who shared their personal stories of coming to Australia as refugees. They talked vividly about their journeys, the challenges they had and still have to face, and insights into what it means to have to find a new place of freedom and safety.  

Guest speakers Thanush (left) and Sara, organised through Jesuit Refugee Services, speak during a Peace, Justice and Ecology Table Talk on the theme of Refugee Week at St Andrew the Apostle Parish, Marayong, on 16 June 2024. Image: Supplied

After this time of storytelling, group leaders facilitated conversations in small groups of five to reflect on the stories. They then moved on to discussing actions they want to take to make Australia a more welcoming place for people seeking protection. 

When the small groups shared some of their conversations with everyone, the topic of increasing awareness of the plight of refugees was a constant theme, as well as how Gospel values can be implemented in walking with and supporting refugees at a parish level. The importance of highlighting the dignity of refugees was another important aspect, as well as the question how to become part of a community of welcome. 

Participants are seen during a Peace, Justice and Ecology Table Talk on the theme of Refugee Week at St Andrew the Apostle Parish, Marayong, on 16 June 2024. Image: Supplied

At the end of the two-hour session, the consensus was to have more such Table Talks in other parishes around the Diocese, as participants saw the impact that listening to stories from people with a lived experience can make. 

The Table Talk was co-hosted by the Diocese of Parramatta’s Mission Enhancement Team (MET), the Diocesan Journey… Walking with Refugees Steering Group, Jesuit Refugee Service Australia (JRS), and the local St Andrew’s Social Justice and Outreach Group, with support and attendance from the wider parish community. It was part of a Peace, Justice, Ecology Table Talk Series, offered on various topics throughout 2024. 

The next Diocesan PJE Table Talk will take place on Saturday 3 August, 7pm at The Good Shepherd Parish Plumpton with a focus on homelessness and housing. To stay up to date with these and other offerings, subscribe to Peace, Justice, Ecology News from the Diocese of Parramatta at tinyurl.com/pjenews 

You can learn more about Table Talks here. If you would like to organise a Table Talk in your parish, school or community, please email James Atanasious via met@parracatholic.org 

This article was written in collaboration with the St Andrews Marayong Refugee Outreach (SAMRO) group.

 

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