The theme for Caritas Australia's 2008 Lenten campaign is "Just want Justice - a call to action". But what does the concept of 'justice' really entail?

To answer this question we need to look at what we mean by justice. Through the lens of Catholic Social Teaching, justice ensures that the human dignity of all people in a community is respected. If this aim of promoting the human dignity of all is achieved, human life is elevated well beyond material possessions.

The concept of justice is grounded in the belief that every person has basic rights and responsibilities, which flow from respecting our unique human dignity. To truly achieve a just world we need to propel the notion of preferential treatment to the poor and vulnerable as a primary concern.

Justice calls us to stand in solidarity with those in need, recognizing our interconnectedness and moving away from our indifference to 'the other'. This implies a search for those social and economic structures that permit everyone to share equally and justly.

Justice is not limited only to the sphere of human relationships but importantly includes our relationship with the environment. If we are to act justly we must also question how we treat the environment and how our resources are distributed.

A just society is generally thought of as a society that affords individuals and groups fair treatment and a just share of the benefits of that society.

We can see then that justice is not only a part of life, an optional extra. Rather it is a central force that enables people to live a life worthy of human dignity. Or as John says, a 'life to the full'. John 10:10

I have recently returned from a trip to Tanzania - one of the most impoverished of the African Nations. Here the level of poverty in the shanty suburbs of Dar es Salaam is overwhelming. In many places the streets were no more than dirt tracks, while access to electricity, clean water, and sanitation were limited to a lucky few.

In Dar es Salaam I met Subrina; a beautiful young woman who has contracted HIV/AIDS. Subrina is widowed and has been shunned by her community due to her illness. On her own she is left to care, as best she can, for her two boys, in her one room of a house that she shares with three other families. There is no running water, no toilet, no kitchen with all her possessions stored in one corner.

But in Dar es Salam amongst all of this suffering I also discovered an amazing generosity of spirit, and sense of hope. In this way I found the sacred amongst the suffering.

After a few weeks, I left this community to return my own society in Australia. What struck me immediately was the extreme disparity in terms of material possessions and access to necessary services. As well as the disconnection within our society that did not appear to exist in Tanzania. The size of my own house seemed excessive, the choice of items to buy in the shops indulgent. My children have access to the best schools and best medicines the world has to offer, while Tanzanian children have no such access.

Unlike in Tanzania though, I recognised that there were many of my neighbours who I didn't even know. Additionally I have friends and relatives who I had not spoken with in over a year. I did not know if life was treating them justly or not.

This experience led me to ask the question - what is really important to me? What do I want to give with my life? 

What we want in life says a lot about who we are. In a very real sense we are defined by what we desire. 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also'. (Mt 6:21)

If we pursue wealth, success and comfort, while ignoring the plight of a woman like Subrina, or millions of other people like her, we are establishing ourselves as a people opposed to justice.

However, if we want to be just, we must pursue justice with a singular passion. We must cry out with our lives and actions, 'that the just want justice'. This is an integral dimension of the theme for Project Compassion.

Once we are here we can begin to explore the complexities and challenges in creating a just world.

Ted Miles in his Stories of Hope from Catholic Relief Services, a Study Guide Companion writes: ";Often the structure that needs changing is a social structure, but we feel attached to the structure and feel most comfortable keeping the structure the way it is. The more comfortable we feel the less we feel the need for change."

Had I become too comfortable with my own life?
For many of us unjust structures seem too big to change. We can feel overwhelmed by the size of the task, and feel that our actions will not really make a difference.
Nonetheless if people's lives are to improve then we must be willing to struggle; to struggle to change ourselves and the world for the better.

This requires tangible action, not just words. We can fund sustainable development programs, lend our voices to global movements for change, and hold our leaders accountable to the commitments they make to address global poverty. 

Archbishop Adrian Doyle as Chairperson of Caritas Australia, reminds us that the challenge of 'Just Want Justice - a call to action' is echoed in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG's). ";The MDG's, signed by all United Nations Member states, including Australia, aim to halve world poverty by 2015. Each of these goals call us to action. For the goals to be achieved we must work with our elected leaders to make sure that poverty and the needs of the poor become one of our top priorities."

Over the 6 weeks of Lent Caritas Australia will bring you 6 stories that highlight the plight of those who live with injustice on a day to day basis. We will also explore how Caritas is helping to address this injustice by empowering people to help themselves. Further we stand in solidarity with the marginalised challenge the structures which oppress.

Throughout Caritas Australia's 2008 Project Compassion, we will introduce you to people from the Philippines, Indigenous Australia, Indonesia, Kenya, Brazil and Fiji.

By reflecting upon these stories, we encourage you to recognize what it means to live in right relationship with others and come to better understand our interconnectedness. When we realise this we are in a better position to pursue justice for all people.

Anna Orchard
Communications Officer, Caritas Australia