“I wish to insist that love always proves more powerful. Many people… are able to weave bonds of belonging and togetherness which convert overcrowding into an experience of community in which the walls of the ego are torn down and the barriers of selfishness overcome.” – Pope Francis
Each year in September, the New Zealand Catholic Bishops Conference promotes Social Justice Week. During this week we apply Catholic social teaching to one particular issue of social justice in New Zealand. This year the theme for parishes is Weaving bonds of belonging: Knowing our neighbours. Pope Francis highlights that many of the social issues we face today reflect a decline in social connectedness. This Social Justice Week, we invite everyone to take up the challenge to creatively reach out and weave deeper bonds of belonging in our whānau, our parish, and our wider community