Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Prime Minister's motion in relation to Pope Francis. On behalf of all the people of North Queensland, including the very large Catholic fraternity, I wish him all the best. Pope Francis I was born in Buenos Aires and raised in Buenos Aires. It is a tremendous thing for the church and it is a tremendous thing for Catholics everywhere that you can have a Pope from there.

I was talking to a number of Catholic friends of mine over the weekend. As the Pope was standing up there, I was thinking of him as a young man going to the seminary or as a school boy, and I think that a teacher might have told him that he would never amount to anything or something like that. As he stepped forward to receive the accolades of the church and all the Christians that have followed him, I was wondering what his internal voice had to say to that grade 3 teacher? What did that internal voice actually stand up there and say? Was he wearing inside his heart a little 'I heart me' T-shirt?

The Catholic priests in Townsville are a great bunch. We have Father Rod at Wulguru, Father Mick at St Joseph's the Strand and Father Dave Lancini at Ryan Catholic College are the three I know the best. We also have Bishop Michael Putney. Bishop Michael Putney has recently been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He is a tremendous bloke. To see these men carry on with their normal duties fills your heart with joy with what it is to be a Christian.

I have spoken to Bishop Michael Putney in relation to the good Samaritan and about the reference to that story in the 'I have been to the mountain top' speech by Dr Martin Luther King Jr, where he says, 'I am fearing no man', 'I fear no evil' and 'I have been to the mountain top and I have seen the Promised Land'. The way the bishop Michael Putney has been confronted with this terrible disease, the way that he handles his pain, the way he handles his illness; he knows the end is there and he has absolutely no fear; he is completely and utterly calm and at peace. It is a true lesson to all of us as to what a Christian should be. He is a great big man, six foot five, and long and skinny. He still walks every day. He is a tremendous human being. He has been incredibly involved with the diocese of North Queensland and all of North Queensland, out as far as Mount Isa and Camooweal and up to the tip of the gulf. He has been to Papua New Guinea. He is a true representative of the church. Pope Francis is lucky to have someone like that doing his missionary work for him in North Queensland and setting the standard for the Catholic Church in North Queensland.

To use an analogy, he has thrown open the windows of the Catholic Church. I am not catholic, but my wife and all my children are. We go to mass as often as we can. But to be in the presence of someone who is facing such mortal fear at such a terrible dark time in his life—to be at that time and still have such fantastic faith. Pope Francis has stood up there and said, 'Please, pray for me'. You have to sit there and think to yourself just how fantastic these men are—the work they do in our community; the work they do for us. If the Pope can do half of what these guys are doing, then by jingo he must be a great bloke. I wish him all the best.

Ed Husic (Chifley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I also rise to pay my respects and congratulate the new pontiff, Pope Francis I. It is a particularly special day when any pontiff is elected. It is a special day for many in our community. On behalf of the parishioners of Our Lady Queen of Peace, Greystanes; Holy Spirit, St Clair; Our Lady of the Rosary, Fairfield; Mary Immaculate, Mosely Park; and Our Lady of Victories, Horsley Park, and as their representative in this House, I want to congratulate Pope Francis on his election and commemorate this very significant day in the life of the Catholic Church. I also make this statement as a representative of many Australians of South American heritage—Argentinians and those from other nations of South America, many of whom have made their home in my electorate. It is an extraordinarily proud day for them.

Pope Francis is also the first pope from the Southern Hemisphere. As a Southern Hemisphere nation, that is something that we can take some pride in. Australia and Argentina may be a long way from each other, but nevertheless, we share much in common, including being significant nations of the Southern Cross. I am sure that other members would join with me in saying that it is a significant moment that we have a pope from the Southern Hemisphere.

Pope Francis is also the first Jesuit pope. The Jesuits have of course played such a vital role in the life of the church in Australia when it comes to education and spreading the word of the church. The Jesuits have been a very significant part of the Australian church, and I am sure there are many Australian Catholics and followers of the Jesuit tradition who are very excited by the fact that we now have the first Jesuit pontiff.

Pope Francis is, as has been much noted, a man of the people, taking the name of St Francis of Assisi—the saint who was born of nobility yet renounced his inheritance to minister to the poor and the sick and founded the Franciscan order of the Poor Clare nuns. Franciscans take a vow of poverty, seeking to live life as Christ did. Pope Francis has made that very, very clear by his words and his actions in his first days as pontiff. In those first days he has spread the message of the approach that he intends to take as Pope, never forgetting the poor—as was said to him by the Cardinal of Brazil, who, in the moments after he was elected to the position of pope, said not to forget the poor. That was reflected in the taking of the name of St Francis and in the words and actions of His Holiness since his election as Pope.

I am sure that, at the appropriate time, we will welcome the new Pope to Australia. We will welcome him as a man of great faith, as a leader of one of the world's great faiths, as a man much loved and respected throughout the world—a pope of firsts and a pope of the people. On behalf of my community, I congratulate His Holiness on his elevation to the papacy.

Michael McCormack (Riverina, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In his address from the balcony, Pope Francis asked the people of the world to pray for him, and the Bishop of Wagga Wagga, Gerard Hanna, agreed that it was very important to do this. He said: 'We need to pray for the Pope and for the church. This is a critical time in his life and that of the church.' Bishop Hanna said the election brings with it a 'fresh vision' to the position and to the faith globally and noted:

He is obviously someone, from what I've read and seen, who can relate to people and nations. He is notable in his own city for the humble way he conducts himself and reaches out to all, the everyday, ordinary person and especially to the poor. He is well suited to the role. He has a strong social conscience.

The Riverina has a significant Catholic presence. In the 2011 census the Wagga Wagga Catholic diocese, which covers 62,160 square kilometres—incorporating much of the Riverina electorate—had 63,367 Catholics of the 196,055 total population in that area. The diocese includes 27 primary schools and five high schools. The bishop has a lot of territory to cover and a large flock to tend. It is a microcosm of sorts of the church as a whole, with Pope Francis, the Lord's Shepherd, looking after 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide. From what we have seen and heard, the new Pope will reach out to many more people besides, given his commitment to the poor and the down-trodden.

The name he selected for his papacy is popular amongst many Catholics in the Wagga Wagga diocese. I attended the St Patrick's Catholic debutante ball at Ganmain on Friday night, where the Pope's election was the subject of considerable discussion. All agreed the name 'Francis' was a good choice. That is understandable in the Riverina and especially at Ganmain, given that one of the town's most famous sons is the Most Reverend Francis Carroll, a now retired Australian metropolitan archbishop, who was the fifth Roman Catholic Archbishop of Canberra-Goulburn, serving between 1983 until his retirement in 2006. He was ordained a priest in Saint Brendan's Catholic Church, Ganmain, in 1954 and became a bishop at the age of just 37, serving the Wagga Wagga diocese from 1968 to 1983. He was and still is greatly loved and respected across the Riverina, and many Riverina baby boys of the era when he was the local priest and bishop, me included, were given Francis as a first or second Christian name in honour of Father Frank, as many still affectionately refer to him in Ganmain and district. Perhaps the same naming trend will be done on a much wider scale now that the Argentinian Jesuit cardinal priest Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been installed as the 266th pope, head of the church, and sovereign of the Vatican city state, and taken the name Francis. In doing so the new pope took the name of the Middle Ages saint, Saint Francis of Assisi, because he was especially concerned with the wellbeing of the poor, and that is to be commended. We all wish the new pope all the very best. May God bless him in his work, not just amongst the Catholics of the world but indeed in his global mission throughout his entire papacy.

Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, like many Catholics and non-Catholics in our community, welcomed the appointment of Pope Francis. Recently, I took the opportunity in parliament to speak on the achievements of Pope Benedict XVI but also to speak about the decision that he took to retire in order to leave the church in good and cogent hands.

Like most Catholics, I have certainly followed the speculation associated with the papal conclave as cardinals from all around the world got together to determine a new pope. As to the election of the pope, it is truly a historic and monumental event, particularly when the person who is selected as pope will and does lead 1.2 billion Catholics around the world. The conclave decision was truly impressive.

The election of the archbishop of Argentina, Jorge Bergoglio, was truly inspiring, not only for Catholics but for the global community. He was born in Buenos Aires, the son of a railway worker. He is truly someone who grew up in a working-class family. From all accounts, he is a very humble man. He is known for his personal humility and his social conservatism. But he is certainly staunchly committed to human rights. Pope Francis is a man who has known a simple life.

I have had the opportunity, as most members have, over the last week since his appointment on 13 March to read a little about the man who, regrettably, I have to say I knew little of. As cardinal of Buenos Aires, he lived in a small apartment rather than what we have all become used to seeing—a cardinal or an archbishop in a palatial bishop's residence. He gave up a chauffeured vehicle in favour of travelling on public transport. And apparently, as I read, he cooks his own meals. I gather that, as becoming a pope, some things may have to change in that respect, but I think it does show a man of absolute personal humility.

In my community, I know the appointment of Pope Francis was very much welcomed. He was seen to be a people's choice, a person from an ordinary background—a background which was not that unfamiliar to many of the people I represent. As I say, he grew up as the son of a railway worker in very much a working-class family. And he has over that period of time championed issues associated with the poor. To that extent, the parishes in my community truly welcomed his elevation and election to pope.

I have certainly read a lot about the views of others around the world, and the views of other faiths, but from people who actually knew the man. I read recently from the Protestant community in Argentina one authority saying that the Pope's approach was one of building relationships and showing respect, knowing the differences but focusing on what can be agreed on: the divinity of Jesus, his virgin birth, his resurrection and the second coming. Another said that Pope Francis could set the tone for more compassionate dialogue between Catholics and Protestants. The Anglican bishop of Argentina, Gregory Venables, described the Pope as a devout Christian and a good friend to Anglicans. The statement from the Lutheran Church also praised Cardinal Bergoglio's work in Argentina and particularly work that he did in association with the Lutheran Church. The Orthodox Church, which I know you are very familiar with, Mr Acting Deputy Speaker Georganas, praised him for his efforts to further close the nearly 1000-year-old estrangement between the Orthodox churches. Father Antoni Cevruk, rector of the Russian Orthodox Church of St Catherine the Great Martyr in Rome, said that Cardinal Bergoglio often visited the Orthodox services in the Russian Orthodox Annunciation Cathedral in Buenos Aires and he is known as an advocate of the Orthodox Church in Argentina's government. Similarly I have seen things written on close ties he has enjoyed in Argentina with the Jewish community. The same also applies with respect to the leaders of the Islamic faith. The leaders of the Islamic community in Buenos Aires indicated that they welcomed the news of the cardinal's elevation as Pope, noting that he has always shown himself a friend of the Islamic community and a person whose position is pro-dialogue.

In a world of great change and great challenge it is refreshing to know that we still have people of true humility who are truly committed to their faith and also are committed to delivering on positive outcomes for people, particularly the poor. One of the things I have seen written constantly about Pope Francis is that he is really down to earth. As I said, he was known in Buenos Aires as a cardinal who took the bus and public transport and on the night of his election as Pope on 13 March he also elected to take the bus with his fellow cardinals back to the hotel rather than taking up the trappings of the new papal vehicle. I think that probably says as much about the man as anything else. The fact that he chose to take the name Francis after Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscans and patron saint of the poor, I think shows the direction that this Pope intends to take our church.

To my Catholic community in the parishes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Mount Pritchard, St John the Baptist in Bonnyrigg, St Theresa's in Cartwright, Sacred Heart in Cabramatta, the Good Shepherd in Hoxton Park and St Nikola Pavelic of St Johns Park, and to all Catholics in our community, I think the wait for seeing change in a church in a challenged society is now over. I look forward to Pope Francis making ground and healing many of the difficulties and differences we have around the globe, renewing the focus on addressing the issues confronting our poor.

Paul Neville (Hinkler, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I welcome this opportunity to say a few words about the elevation of the archbishop of Buenos Aires to the role of pope. I think we all remember where we were on significant dates in history—where we were on the morning, as it was in Australia, that President John Kennedy was shot; when the planes flew into the World Trade Centre on 9/11; and when Princess Diana was killed in the tunnel in Paris. Those sorts of things resonate with us, as indeed did this with me. It was early in the morning and I was listening to Geraldine Doogue on the radio from Rome and she said, 'There is white smoke.' So I jumped out of bed and turned on the television to soak up the moment. Indeed, for people who had been standing in the rain in Rome, it must have been quite a momentous occasion.

This was a bit different from the election of previous popes. The methodology was still the same, but two great forces of humility came into play: the first one was that the retiring Pope, Benedict XVI, Joseph Ratzinger, felt that he could no longer carry out the role in the form it needed to be carried out—that he could not give it the rigour that it required. That was an incredibly courageous act, to stand down. I think there is almost a belief amongst Catholics that the Pope has to die in harness. I do not mean that disrespectfully, but there is a great sense that he is such a person apart from others that the idea of resignation is unthinkable. But when you take a step back and put yourself in Benedict XVI's shoes, you can see that it was a very courageous move that he made, and he gave his cardinals about a month to start thinking about it. So they did not go into this conclave, as with many other ones, with a sense of grief at the loss of the last Pope and a sense of bewilderment. But the last Pope, by the very nature of his resignation, presented them with another challenge: the challenge of where to take the church. When you saw the media shortlists, the current Pope was mentioned in one or two and he was—so we are told; it is all supposed to be terribly confidential—the runner-up last time. But for most Catholics, it was quite a surprise.

Again we had seen the humility of Benedict XVI, on the one hand, and now this man's first approach to the people was one of great humility in asking people to pray for him. You can see that that strain of humility comes through in many ways: that he felt more comfortable being on the bus going to work in Buenos Aires, or cooking a meal at home—I would not be up to that; I am hopeless at that sort of thing, and, for a guy to put in a full day's work in the church and then to come home and have to cook dinner, he must be a man of many parts. And, as the member for Fowler said, for him to go in the minibus with the cardinals, and go to pay his bill—while some might say, 'They are just symbolic gestures,' they are a series of symbolic gestures that characterise where he is coming from. He is not wearing a radiant gold cross; he wears the iron cross that he brought with him from South America.

As well as being a Pope of humility he is a Pope of many firsts. He is the first Jesuit Pope. There has been a bit of tension—not always but in many periods of the church's history—between the Jesuits and the papacy. In fact, at times the head of the Jesuits was often referred to as the 'Black Pope'. It was almost unthinkable in some ages that a Jesuit could be a Pope, so this is not just a first but a real first. It signifies intellect, it signifies healing and it signifies rigour. He comes from Italian parentage, so that creates a link with many Italians to whom the papacy is terribly important. He comes, as the member for Werriwa said, from a railway-working family, so he has known what it is like to grow up in a working household. He is the first Pope from outside Europe for nearly 1,000 years. He is the first Pope ever from the Southern Hemisphere, which is something that countries like ours, New Zealand, the other South American countries and South Africa can take some pride in. Perhaps, if he comes from Argentina, he knows a bit about Rugby Union, so that might be something we can indulge him with if he comes to Australia.

The important thing is that he takes the church in hand. As a man of great piety and great humility, it is important that he exercises that intellectual capacity and that rigour for which the Jesuits are known and brings them into the church at a time when its administration has been called into question and its determination to bring paedophilia to heel has been very much in the news. I am sure he will be up to that.

I hope that the Minister for Foreign Affairs, the President of the Catholic Bishops Conference in Melbourne, Archbishop Hart, and the Cardinal in Sydney will make sure that this Pope gets an early invitation to visit Australia. He is a person who obviously does not stand on trappings and ceremony, and I am sure a person of that background will resonate very strongly with Australians. I wish him God's blessing.

Deborah O'Neill (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I commence my remarks on Pope Francis with his words that will, I think, be a signature to the time that he leads this great church which I am happy to have been a part of since my birth, through my family, and from baptism right through to my own children and their baptisms and their upbringing in the faith. Those words with which he commenced his welcomes were, 'Brothers and sisters, hello.' I really believe that such a view of the world that is based on the relationship, acknowledging one another as brothers and sisters who share this planet and who share our lives in community, is a great signifier of the way in which this Pope is going to lead us.

As a student who attended Catholic education throughout my entire primary and secondary schooling I was very fortunate to grow in my faith not only in terms of the example of the people with whom I lived in community at school but also through the education that I received about a church that is always changing and reflecting its own times. I lived through the time when the Vatican II occurred and the significant changes that this wrought for the church. There was much grief, loss and change but there was also renewal of the church at that time. We can read from the community reactions already to this new pope a sense that this is indeed a time of renewal for us. He is the first pope from outside Europe and also the first pope to take the name Francis.

One of the most exciting things I remember we all used to talk about, when confirmation came around, was the time of selecting the name for our confirmation in the faith. There were a couple of books—one for the boys with all the boy saints, and one for the girls with all the girl saints—that were sold at the back of the church. In fact, they often got passed around in the classes when we were doing our preparation for confirmation. Who would you choose to inspire you, whose model of life? This is one of the things all religions around the world provide—examples of lives, lived very well, on which we can model our own aspirations to live a good life.

I know that Saint Francis was incredibly popular, as a name, because he had such an affinity with animals. As young children, if you are lucky enough to have a pet, you have the sense of care that a pet can engender. Saint Francis is somebody we in the broad community know. I dare say there is many an Australian who has never have heard of the name Clement and has no idea of its meaning, but they would know about Saint Francis of Assisi and the life he lived. He rejected the high life and the wealth into which he was born and chose to live a contemplative life and to put himself outside the popular. He chose to live a life of simplicity and service. His life was in a time when there was a lack of awareness of the environment. Perhaps that is exactly the reason the Pope was inspired to choose the name Francis.

In media reports we heard that, as it looked like he was about to be elected, one of his confreres turned to him and said, 'Do not forget the poor.' At that moment, by report, our new pope said he became aware that Francis would be his choice. Francis was indeed one of the great heroes of the church and a great man who established his own order that continues to this day.

The Pope's words 'Thank you for your welcome and for your prayers' at the conclusion of his first communication with the masses, with a request of 'Pray for me', are an expression of his simplicity. He requested it simply, the need for spiritual awareness and support from the broader community. We all need that in the journeys that we go on. Thankfully in Australia, these days, we acknowledge the spirituality of our Indigenous people. Every time we speak, every time we gather, we are beginning to acknowledge our elders and their connection with the land and that spiritual dimension that is part of the life of each person.

As a Jesuit in Buenos Aires, in Argentina, the Pope has a long history of having looked for ways to connect with the poor, reaching just outside the church. I heard a report on the radio, a couple of days ago, of a young priest who was looking to work with the people on the delta. These were profoundly poor communities. He was unable to get support from his own parish and diocese in the region. He reached out to our new pope who, even though he was outside that region, provided the funds to enable social agencies within those communities to do their work. This is another model of church that excites me as a Catholic in this country. It is not the church in place of community but the church in partnership with community, which the Pope has already modelled in his own life and practice.

I want to take this opportunity to put on the record some reactions from two very fine institutions, two schools in my electorate. One is St Joseph's college, at East Gosford, which is a wonderful institution supporting the development of many young women, on the Central Coast, in the Catholic tradition. This is a reflection from their principal, Stephen Walsh. He has put it in these terms:

The announcement of Pope Francis brings great joy and hope to all Catholics around the world and especially to young Australian Catholics. As the Cardinal of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis demonstrated through his humble actions a real commitment to social justice and the poor. In many ways, Pope Francis demonstrated similar qualities to Mary MacKillop, Australia's first saint, by living his faith and commitment to Jesus through service to the poor.

Students at St Joseph's Catholic College East Gosford reflected on the Pope's humble approach to and concern for all people which provides inspiration to the girls in their continuing social justice work on the NSW central coast.

College captain Bethany Friar said "Pope Francis's actions so far have demonstrated the genuine humility that he brings to his papacy and that he appears to be a man of the people in asking the people to pray for him".

Happily not too far away—just across the playground—is St Edward's, a Christian Brothers college on the Central Coast, which provides a fine education for young Catholic men and for those boys from our area whose parents want them educated in the Catholic tradition. Indeed, my own son attends St Edward's. I asked the social justice leader in the school, Mr Patrick Dell, for his reactions. He put in this way:

Our new pope brings the prospect of great hope for our Catholic Church. As Cardinal in Argentina he proved himself a great advocate for Social Justice, challenging his Catholic people there to give their money to the poor rather than doing a pilgrimage to Rome. The Catholic Option for the Poor is a key direction for him. He has been portrayed in the media as 'living the simple life' and this resonates well with many Catholics as it makes him seem more connected to us. Our new pope asked the people to pray for him -this act of humility and service will always be popular as it positions him as a 'leader of the people'.

Pope Francis appointment as our new Catholic leader has been well received by all the people I have spoken to. Why? I sense many people feel a new breath of fresh air has entered our Church. Catholic Church Option for the Poor and a clear vision to help people living on the edge may become reality.

In closing, I want simply to put my mother's observation. I spent St Patrick's Day in celebration with her on Friday. We didn't get to see each other on Saturday but on Sunday we continued in the family tradition of really enjoying St Patrick's Day, with all the Irish culture and tradition that wraps around that. My mother was very pleased to have come into her parish of St John the Evangelist at Campbelltown a wonderful priest by the name of Father Healy. Father Healy is a very simple, loving man who really cares for his parishioners—he has a great smile. My mother's summation of the Pope is: 'Just like Father Healy, this new pope has a wonderful warm smile. I feel that we have a simple and loving man as our new pope.' I think that that sums up the sense of our hopes for the future as Catholics and for what this pope will offer. I am very pleased to have been able to put those thoughts on the record today.

Debate adjourned.