As Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday approaches on 5 July, the St Vincent de Paul Society is calling on all Australians to celebrate the enduring strength, faith, culture and leadership of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and to renew a shared commitment to reconciliation grounded in justice, truth-telling and respect.
National President Mark Gaetani said the Society stands in solidarity with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and recognises both the richness of one of the world’s oldest continuing cultures and the past and continuing injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Mr Gaetani said Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday and NAIDOC Week (5-12 July) are important moments for Australia to celebrate, and to listen, learn and walk together in a heartfelt desire for reconciliation. He said it is also a time to recognise the value of social cohesion, choosing to focus on what unites us and strengthens us as a nation.
“The St Vincent de Paul Society honours the cultures, lands, waters, histories and rights of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” he said. “We recognise that reconciliation requires truth-telling, genuine partnership and practical action shaped by the voices, wisdom and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples themselves.”
The Society advocates that progress depends on empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to help shape the policies and programs that affect their lives, and on sustained commitment to Closing the Gap, justice reform, and community-led solutions.
Across Australia, the Society continues to provide emergency relief, housing and homelessness support, essential items, visitation, referral and advocacy, with up to one in four people assisted identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, depending on location and service type.
This year’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday theme, ‘Walking Together in Christ: 40 Years On!’, marks 40 years since St Pope John Paul II’s address in Alice Springs. It invites the Church and the broader community to reflect on enduring faith, resilience and the call for all of us to walk side by side in hope. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council’s 2026 resources encourage parishes, schools and organisations to work alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples so that celebrations are authentic, meaningful and grounded in community.
Mr Gaetani said these messages resonate with the Society’s mission.
“At the Society every day we see the importance of accompaniment, of being present, genuinely listening and standing with people in dignity,” he said. “As we mark Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday and NAIDOC Week, we join in celebrating the enduring knowledge of Australia’s first peoples, honouring Elders past and present, and strengthening our resolve to help build a fairer, more just Australia for all of us.”
Visit vinnies.org.au/national-council/advocacy/indigenous-australians to read the Society’s advocacy position.
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