Speaking to the bishops of Spain earlier this month, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the challenge of Christian witness in an age of often violent division. In a time of “increasingly drastic polarisations and oppositions,” he called them to be a witness to the unity in diversity which is seen in the church.
“The image of Christ is made visible in the living mosaic of the church, where many tiles, without blending together, converge to reveal the beauty of the one Lord,” he said. His words were directed to bishops but are relevant for all of us, and his use of a mosaic is a striking image that resonates here in Australia.
We are blessed to have a conference of bishops whose members are diverse in personality, background and emphasis, but who share the common mission to proclaim Christ. It’s even more edifying when we witness profound displays of unity across a much wider spectrum of faith traditions.
For me, last week’s launch of the multi-faith census initiative at St Mary’s Cathedral was one of those moments, and the mode was as powerful as the message. The timing was striking, as well.
It came the day following Pauline Hanson’s widely-reported National Press Club address, in which the One Nation leader argued Australia should become a “monocultural” society. She rejected multiculturalism as a failed policy. Her remarks are just the latest in a growing national conversation about identity, belonging and the kind of country Australians want to build.
Whatever your view of Senator Hanson’s argument, the gathering at our archbishop’s home offered a very different vision. There, faith leaders from across major religious traditions together invited Australians to accurately identify their religious affiliation in the 2026 Census.
Their shared concern is to make sure the contribution of faith communities to Australian society is properly recognised and understood. What was particularly striking was not merely the message but the manner in which it was delivered.
It was moving to see the faith leaders seated together in Archbishop Anthony Fisher’s home, each warmly extending the same invitation in his or her own way. It could have been organised differently. A prepared statement could simply have been circulated with an invitation to sign.
Instead, it was evident that relationships had been built. The leaders appeared relaxed in each other’s company. The launch also recalled another gathering held only metres away on the cathedral steps last December, when faith and civic leaders came together in the wake of the Bondi Beach shooting.
That display of unity emerged out of grief and shock. Last week’s event rose from hope and shared civic responsibility. Both demonstrated the capacity of religious communities to stand together in service of the common good at important moments in our national life.
In between these events was the Iftar dinner hosted at Cathedral House in March, where Muslim, Christian, Jewish and other faith leaders gathered during Ramadan. Addressing the gathering, Archbishop Fisher called on faith leaders to persevere in hope and unity at a time of global conflict and local tension.
These occasions build trust and show us what is possible in our own homes, workplaces, and communities. Archbishop Fisher reflected afterwards that ecumenism and interfaith dialogue can sometimes be dismissed as little more than polite conversation.
“People can wonder, does it actually change anything?” he told The Catholic Weekly. “But I often think the best interfaith relationships come when you do something together, whether that’s some charitable work in common, or lobbying on a common cause. Today it was promoting a common message to the people of Australia.
“I hope it’s an example to our country that we can all be good neighbours to each other and get on well and celebrate our difference.
“That doesn’t mean in any way diminishing how seriously we take our own faith. It’s not as if we’re saying it’s all the same or doesn’t matter. But it’s saying that at its heart, our belief in God, our faith, our hope and our charity unite us far more than they divide us.”
There are parts of the world where leaders of different faiths could not gather so comfortably under one roof, let alone collaborate publicly on a project. The fact that they can do so here says something important about our country.
We may or may not worry about division and polarisation. Sometimes these are unavoidable or necessary. But we also possess enormous strengths in our capacity for respect, friendship and cooperation across religious and cultural lines. In an age of polarisation, developing these strengths further will be an important form of witness.
