| Taking Action |
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Populorum Progressio – On the Development of Peoples What counts for us are people – each individual and humanity as a whole. 
 Meditation
For each week of Lent our collegues at Catholic Ireland have put together a beautiful prayer and meditation. More...
The Way of the Cross
www.caritas.org.au/project_compassion
 Give access to Affordable Medicines
 HIV and AIDS – the silent emergency in West Papua
A dedication to Judy Michael
 World AIDS day from Mendi to Mphunza 
IN 2006 Caritas Australia and it's partners around the world commemorated WORLD AIDS DAY The focus of our partner organisastions was to use the day to educate local communities about the stigma and impacts associated with HIV and AIDS. HIV/AIDS: A Priority area for Caritas Australia 
Today more than 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. Of those with the virus, a staggering 95% are living in developing countries. This statistic highlights why HIV continues to be one of the greatest threats to long term sustainable development. To find out about our partners, our program aims and our commitment go to www.caritas.org.au/events/Caritas_Programs Caritas Australia Health Strategy HIV/AIDS:  Fundraising ideas: Global Reality Meal
Hold a banquet in your school to show the extremes of wealth and poverty in our world such as that experienced in all of the Project Compassion stories. All students pay $2 to participate. The ‘lucky’ 20% of students are seated at a table adorned with cakes, sweets, soft drink, pizza and ice cream. The other 80% of students have to serve themselves rice and water and stand or sit on the floor. More... |
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This is the global day connecting all women around the world and inspiring them to achieve their full potential. Caritas Australia has produced an online movie and PowerPoint presentation to recognise International Women’s Day. More... IWDA Celebrates International Womens Day Join IWDA on International Women’s Day to help raise awareness of women’s issues. To find out more about events planned in Victoria, Tasmania, ACT and NSW go to http://www.iwda.org.au/wp/ QLD: Interfaith Festival On 10 – 11 march the National Interfaith Festival will be held in Maleny QLD As Australia is one of the world's most religiously diverse countries this festival will provide attendees with an opportunity to experience some of the special elements of different religious traditions. More… QLD: Conference to Engage Catholics on Climate Change The Archdiocesan Justice and Peace Commission is collaborating with the Social Action Office of the Conference of Leaders of Religious Institutes Queensland (CLRIQ) to hold a conference which aims to engage Catholics in a commitment to action on climate change. Responding to Climate Change: The Call to Ecological Conversion will be held at St James’ College, Fortitude Valley, on the evening of Friday 16 March and during the day on Saturday March 17. For further details e-mail: |
Lent is a time for meditation and reflection on the journey of a deeper understanding. 
The Way of the Cross offers a liturgical experience of Christ’s passion and
calls us to reflect this lent on how we might alleviate the suffering of others in our world.
South Africa is working towards providing free access to Antiretroviral drugs for those who are infected with HIV. This access is not available in many countries, especially in Africa where HIV infection rates are the highest in the world. The reason that affordable Antiretroviral drugs are available in South Africa is because pharmaceutical companies in India make a non- brand version (generic) which is much cheaper than the brand name drugs. A Swiss Pharmaceutical company is now challenging the Indian company in court trying to make them stop producing the cheaper version and so stopping competition and boosting their profit. Join the campaign to stop the Swiss company from stopping millions of people from gaining access to affordable Antiretroviral drugs at 
One of our closest neighbours, West Papua, is suffering from a silent emergency. Ranmal Samarawickrama, Caritas Australia’s programs officer for Indonesia, recently returned from Papua and shared with Anna Orchard the devastating effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. 
Judy Michael spent the last few years of her life working tirelessly to reduce stigma and discrimination against people with HIV in the Pacific. On March 14, Judy died of an AIDS related illness after living with the virus for over a decade. Following her husband’s diagnosis, Judy discovered that she too had been infected – a story that is all too common for women living in Papua New Guinea.
