Bishops take to river boat for Murray-Darling pastoral statement launch

Three Catholic Bishops whose Dioceses take in the Murray-Darling basin will take to the deck of a paddle steamer on the Murray today to launch a pastoral statement on the care and the future of the great river system.

Catholic Earthcare Australia chairman, Bishop Christopher Toohey will launch the document from the Murray port of Echuca with Bishops Gerard Hanna (Wagga Wagga) and Peter Connors (Ballarat).

The document is an initiative of Catholic Earthcare Australia and has been endorsed by 11 Bishops of the Murray-Darling basin. In it, the Bishops note that the Murray-Darling basin is widely recognised as a region that is critically important in economic, cultural and ecological terms.

“We will point, as well, to its deep spiritual importance,” they say in the introduction to the pastoral statement.

“The restoration of the health of the Murray and the other rivers of the Basin is one of the most urgent issues facing our country. We are glad to say that it has been taken up vigorously by numbers of landholders, scientists, community leaders, environmental groups and politicians.

“We respect the enormous amount of community work already done. But we believe that all Australians need to become involved.

“As bishops, we would like to add our voices in support of the rivers and all those working to save them. In a particular way we want to reflect on the Murray-Darling basin from the perspective of Christian faith.

“We see its life-giving waters as a precious gift of God. We see human beings as responsible before God for the well-being of the river system.”

Catholic Earthcare Australia executive secretary Colin Brown said it was hoped each diocese in the basin would take up the issues raised in the document and implement a local action plan.

For more information contact Colin Brown on (02) 9956 5800 or 0410 413 499 or go to www.catholicearthcareoz.net