The Justice and Peace Group meets regularly to discuss justice and peace issues and plan any actions to be taken. It exists to heighten awareness in the parish community to particular issues and provides opportunities for parishioners to support a range of projects. It maintains regular contact and offers moral and some financial support for groups both in Australia and overseas.

Over 20 years the group's activities have encompassed letter writing, protest against Gun shows, twinning with an El Salvadorian Basic Christian Community, active and ecumenical work with asylum seekers, support and activity on behalf of the Message Stick Project, a twice yearly cake stall and the regular selling of coffee from Timor-Leste - all proceeds from coffee sales go to support projects in Timor-Leste.

Fundraiser for Opening the Doors Foundation

The Group is currently working with the Parish Pastoral Council and others to assist the Opening the Doors Foundation to addresses the severe educational disadvantage still being experienced by many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families. On 17 September 2011, we are conducting a fundraising Trivia Night, to deepen our partnership with the Foundation, and to make a significant financial contribution. Click here for further details.

Cake stalls

Cake stall proceeds have recently been allocated to a health centre organised by Fr Joe Ruys in ministry in Paradiso pueblo, Lima Peru.

Picture: Fr Joe with Dr Luis at the opening of the health Centre in November 2010. Click here and here for further detail and more photos.

The other current cake stall beneficiary is the work of the FCJ sisters among disadvantaged communities in Manila, Philippines.

The next cake stalls are scheduled for May 15, which will generate proceeds for the Philippines, and October 16 for Peru.

Other financial support

The group suggests to the Parish appropriate recipients for the annual disbursement of funds allocated to Justice and Peace projects. These funds benefit such causes as the Catholic Prison Ministry for Aboriginal prisoners, a struggling parish in India, the Hotham Mission for Asylum Seekers, projects in Timor Leste and Dominican priests and nuns in the Solomon Islands.

Other activities

Each year a dinner is held in conjunction with members of other Justice and Peace groups in the local area to hear invited speakers and share ideas.

The Justice & Peace grpup helps the parish generally keep aware of issues through our display at the back of St Dominic's church, and our input into the liturgy and The Dominican on occasions such as Social Justice Sunday each year, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Sunday, and the International Day for people with Disabilities.

A recent (March 2011) initiative was the collection of baby and maternity kits for East Timor. Generous parishioners and friends donated many lovely, carefully chosen and practical items for new mothers and newborns in East Timor.

Interested in joining us?
The St. Dominic's Justice and Peace Group meets in the Parish Community Centre on the last Monday of each month.  Coordinators of the Group are Kate Charles and Mary O'Connor. New members are very welcome.

If you are interested in joining the group, please contact Kate (tel 9836 2229) or Mary (tel 9836 6756) or email to stdominicsjusticeandpeace@gmail.com,