Christian Leaders Hold Prayer Sit-In at Federal Health Minister’s Office, Strathpine 11:00 am, Tuesday, 9 September 2014 Christian leaders from various denominations this morning have begun a prayer vigil in the office of the Federal Health Minister, the Hon. Peter Dutton, in Strathpine, Brisbane, over concerns for the plight of children held in immigration detention. The group of 11 includes three Anglican priests, a Catholic priest, a nun, ministers from the Uniting and Wesleyan Methodist Churches, and lay people from various denominations. The group has indicated its intention to remain in prayer in the Minister’s office until Mr Dutton undertakes to act quickly and decisively to remove all children under 18 currently held either in onshore detention or on Christmas Island and Nauru, and place them into community care. Spokesman for the group, Uniting Church pastor David Busch, said, “The overwhelming evidence from experts and inquiries is that prolonged detention causes harm and suffering to the mental and emotional health of these children, who already have endured trauma and suffering in their homeland and on their journey here. “As this is Child Protection Week, we believe it is time for the Health Minister to declare that the health and wellbeing of these children, who are in the care of the Australian Government, must be the first concern of government and given the highest priority. This must include removing them, and their families, from detention. “As Christians, we cannot allow the prolonged suffering of children to be collateral damage in the toxic politics of what church leaders have called Australia’s ‘harsh and cruel’ asylum seeker policies.” The action follows the Minister’s failure to respond to letters sent to him raising these concerns, and is part of a nation-wide Christian movement of prayer and non-violence called Love Makes a Way. Following in the footsteps of Jesus – himself an asylum seeker as a baby, when his family fled from Herod to Egypt – Love Makes a Way is focused on the plight of children in immigration detention, believing that love will make a way for all vulnerable, suffering people to be cared for with dignity, compassion and justice. Eight previous Love Makes a Way prayer vigils have been held interstate, including in the electorate offices of Tony Abbott, Joe Hockey, Scott Morrison, Bill Shorten and Julie Bishop, with 63 Christians arrested. This is the first such action in Brisbane. For further comment: Pastor David Busch, 0438 646 559 For photos: flickr/photos/lovemakesaway Facebook: https://facebook/LoveMakesAWayForAsylumSeekers Twitter: Follow us on https://twitter/lovemakesaway or #LoveMakesAWay
Posted on: Tue, 09 Sep 2014 05:06:55 +0000
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