Vinnies Lewisham has hosted the local launch of the first of two social justice statements released by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference in 2026.
Co-hosted by the Justice and Peace Office and attended by St Vincent de Paul Society NSW CEO Yolanda Saiz, NSW state council president Peter Houweling, Bishops Daniel Meagher and Terence Brady, archdiocesan staff, and supporters.
The social justice statement, The Cost of Living: Economic and Social Justice for the Common Good, and launched virtually by Bishops Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service chair Bishop Tim Harris on 8 February.
“The statement offers practical ways to respond through donating money and goods, volunteering time, engaging in advocacy, and supporting policies that protect people from housing stress and rising costs,” he said.
In Lewisham, Bishop Meagher became visibly moved as he shared a story about a homeless man, Matthew, who suffers from mental illness and addiction and had requested an exorcism at their first meeting.
One day, the bishop noticed Matthew stop and kneel before the church.
“They live the faith, they’re challenged by it, they’ve got it in their hearts,” he said, adding that he felt he still had “much to learn” from battlers like Matthew.
Bishops’ social justice statement tackles cost-of-living crisis
Saiz said that in New South Wales more than 100,000 people came to Vinnies for assistance to feed themselves and their families, with another 20,000 requiring help to escape homelessness and domestic violence, or for drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
“Members right at that front line doing early intervention are keeping so many people in their homes who otherwise would be turning to our frontline services,” she said.
“It really is such critical work and I think unfortunately, a lot of Australians don’t understand organisations like the Society are playing that early intervention role, and the situation would be far worse for many more people if we weren’t there.”
The local launch looked at the personal impact of the cost-of-living crisis. Justice and Peace Office facilitator Michael Walker referenced a recent JWS Research survey on what issues matter the most to voters, with 76 per cent saying cost-of-living and 51 per cent saying housing.
“Those were the top two issues in that poll,” he said.
He pointed to another study conducted by the Everybody’s Home coalition, a co-op which serves those suffering from housing stress, and found half of respondents avoided using air conditioning or heating, 42 per cent avoided getting medical care, and 28 per cent skipped meals.
“The bishops’ statement references six different principles of Catholic social teaching that touch on cost of living, the first of which is human dignity,” Walker said.
“People who must choose between food and rent or healthcare and rent are not having their human dignity respected.”
