Queensland Multicultural Month
29 July – 5 August Donate Life Week
3-16 Fair Trade Fortnight
4 National Aboriginal and Islander Children’s Day
6 – 12 Homelessness Week
9 International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
11 – 19 National Science Week
18 – 26 Seniors Week
17 – 24 Children’s Book Week
19 World Humanitarian Day / World Photo Day
23 International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
June in the Southern hemisphere ushers in winter with extreme variations of weather across the continent.
My adopted home in Queensland allows me to enjoy a mellow winter but the words of Michael Leunig
We give thanks for the blessing of winter:
Season to cherish the heart.
To make warmth and quiet for the heart.
To make soups and broths for the heart.
To cook for the heart and read for the heart.
To curl up softly and nestle with the heart.
To sleep deeply and gently at one with the heart.
To dream with the heart.
To spend time with the heart.
A long, long time of peace with the heart.
We give thanks for the blessing of winter:
Season to cherish the heart.
Amen
Michael Leunig Art The Prayer Tree, Collins Dove, 1991.
Religious HighlightsCauses and Campaigns
In Brisbane this is Black History Month
Celebrate Plastic Free July
1 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sunday
7 International Day of Co-operatives
8-15 NAIDOC Week
Politics in May begins with Labour Day holiday and concludes with National Reconciliation Week . This is the month where we focus on the issue of Domestic Violence and acknowledge the value of volunteers in our community. There’s something for everyone during May including World Naked Gardening Day and of course the boost to the flower and card industry on Mother’s Day.
In the middle of May I posted a greeting to my my Muslim friends as they began their practice of Ramadan i am pleased to feature the AFL image acknowledging the Muslim community at this time.
Catholics have a busy month with the customs of honouring the Virgin Mary with processions and festivals. This year Aussies were asked to join a national rosary to “circle the country” There was a bit of religious imperialism added to the prayer: “We are praying for the future of our country and committing our nation to God and to the immaculate Heart of Mary.” Not sure there was a plebiscite about that bit. I like the idea of inviting people to pray for Australia at a time when the Royal Commission has recommended sweeping changes to religious and other institutions, when it demonizes asylum seekers and refugees, when it incarcerates First Nations peoples at an alarming rate and when corporate greed is supported by Government.
On Sunday 13th May I went on a rosary pilgrimage to reflect on our country, its needs and our mission. I took the words of Bishop David Cremin’s message as a focus.
“I support very much this good apostolate of promoting the Rosary at this time when there is so much poverty (and) bloodshed and refugee problems in our world,”
This pilgrimage began at 3.00 pm at the Sorry Day Plaque in King George Square and concluded at 5.00pm, at sunset at the entrance to the Botanic Gardens in Alice Street.
One of the May celebrations that doesn’t get a mention in Catholic Church bulletins is May 17, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia. I had a mention in the promo for my 2018 image of the Storey Bridge lit up in colours of the rainbow.
Photography
Updated Albums
Special Features
Odd spot of the Month
The back of my head captured during a liturgy at St John’s Cathedral
My best wishes and solidarity to my Muslim friends during this holy time of Ramadan.
May we who are not Muslim fast from prejudice, misinformation and ignorance about our sisters and brothers of Islam.
May we who are not Muslim be generous in our willingness to understand this faith and welcome this community into our neighbourhoods.
May we who are not Muslim take time to reflect, pray and be still with the wonder of faith that calls all people to peace, collaboration, respect and love.
Worth reading
Franciscan Message for the Month of Ramadan
Pope to Muslims for end of Ramadan: Promoting Mutual Respect through Education (2013)
June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month
3 Anniversary of Mabo Decision (1992)
4 International Day of Innocent Children / Tiananmen Square Massacre 1989
11-17 Men’s Health Week
12 World Day Against Child Labour
16 International Day of the African Child
17 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
17-23 Refugee Week
23 United Nations Public Service Day
26 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking / International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
30 Introduction of Unemployment Benefits Australia
Some more Community Celebrations you might like to mark with me!!
One of the practices I learnt from my parents was the value of volunteering in the local community. They modeled their belief in faith and neighbourhood in action and commitment. My father was a life long member of the St Vincent de Paul Society in Geelong. As well as a weekly meeting, Dad looked after the management of Halstead Place, a hostel for rough sleepers. He also cared for the garden at our local parish Church and was a regular on the Meals on Wheels program.
My mother came from a family where commitment to school, church and community was ingrained as the way of living. As well as school Mothers Club and canteen rosters, Mum joined committees for the local parish and in later life, the management committee at her retirement village. As with many homemakers Mum also volunteered an amazing volume of cakes and goodies for fetes and fundraisers. When our family were sorting out finances after Mum’s death we discovered her incredible generosity to causes and campaigns that worked for the common good.
I inherited much of this understanding and commitment to volunteering. Some of my most treasured young memories are the days when my Dad would “dink me” on his bike to the hostel where he cooked and cared for rough sleepers.
On this National Volunteers Week I give thanks to those organisations that have provided me with opportunities to “Give a Little and Change a Lot” The change has been in my outlook and understanding of the world and how we work together to build community.
At 65 years old I look back with gratitude to the groups and communities that provided volunteering experience and life long learning for me:
As well as groups and associations I have been able to volunteer my services as a photographer to friends and public events as a citizen journalist. This is a role where I am able to us m y images to challenge social exclusion, prejudice and injustice.
As I begin a new era as a senior citizen I have taken up membership of advocacy groups for my generation.
My hope is to continue to volunteer for my community and causes that promote social change. I hope that through my volunteering at this stage of life I can mentor a new generation of awareness and commitment.
