His Excellency Archbishop of Melbourne
|His Excellency Archbishop of Melbourne
Peter Comensoli DD
St Patrick’s Centre
486 Albert Street
East Melbourne VIC 3002
17 August 2021
Your Grace,
We, the undersigned, are Polish immigrants – loyal, hardworking, loving this country, dedicated to serve Australian community and in a large proportion strongly attached to the Catholic Church. Many of us have experienced how it is to be oppressed because in great numbers we were living under the communist rule in Poland. We came to Australia longing for life in a democracy and driven by the hope that this wonderful country will give us an opportunity to be free.
Over the years, Polish people who have settled in this country have created strong communities involved in building the great society of happy multicultural Australians. Many of us are highly educated. We have brought from Poland a tradition of strong families based on our Catholic faith and we don’t treat lightly our obligations and our rights to practice our religion.
We are people of faith suffering greatly at present because our religious practices are not treated seriously by the authorities, and because our government considers religious ministry to be “non-essential”.
During this pandemic we are seeing an erosion of democratic values which do not seem to be respected anymore by the secular authorities in Australia. Their decisions are clearly displaying the tendency towards totalitarianism that we had experienced in the communist-ruled Poland. Disproportionate restrictions imposed on millions of Australians, constant pressure and fear created by the media are resulting in agonising situations in our society. The adverse effects of repeatedly imposed lockdowns include not only economic devastation of businesses but also the tragic effects on the mental state of majority of us. The best illustration of this is the record numbers of calls to Lifeline Australia. On Monday 9/08/21 this helpline received 3345 calls – the highest daily volume in its 58 – year history.
We are coming to Your Grace looking for rescue in this tragic situation that is forcing us to cry for your attention. We desperately need your protection and help.
It is well documented in scientific research that adherence to religious practices offers immeasurable mental and physical health benefits. For our community it is much more than that, because we are faithful children of God longing for the real presence of Jesus, and for the real contact with Him in the Eucharistic adoration and in the Holy Communion received during the Mass. For us, Jesus is truly present in every church. No digital experience can replace this sense of Our Lord’s real presence. Images streamed live on the screens of our electronic devices are not equivalent to participation in the Eucharistic liturgy.
Holy Mass is not a movie. We need to be in touch with transcendence, with the real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. The longing for this is getting unbearable for many of us. Jesus’ body in the Holy Eucharist is really our bread of life and we cannot be deprived of His presence and of the spiritual nourishment flowing from it.
Additionally, our priests provide us with something nobody can replace. We need to confess our sins; the Sacrament of Confession provides healing no less valuable to the believer than a visit to a doctor. We come to Your Grace as our spiritual leader hoping that you can use your authority and influence to alleviate the suffering of the faithful children of God entrusted to your care.
Yours sincerely;
Editor and publisher of naszepismo.pl
Source:
I am sharing ‚CSlodowyLetterAbp18Aug2021_edited’ with you
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Catholic and democratic Poland supported Australia with one million doses of the Pfizer vaccine. We, Poles, do not abandon the most needy.
But this Appeal is necessary and timely and should go not only to the Exelence of the Archbishop of Melbourne but also to the Prime Minister of the Australian Government and not only to HE Peter Comensola DD but to all archbishops in Australia. The first thing our Polish priests should do is read it to the faithful.
I pay attention to what I see in the media every day, that Catholic clergy are not invited to dialogue during this viral catastrophe. We only hear cold technocrats and announcers who don’t really understand what they’re telling us.
If possible, translate English words into Polish, let also in Poland hear our voice of Catholics for justice in democratic dialogue. Thank you to the editor.
Pole. Emigrant and Catholic, citizen of Poland and Australia
Thank you to the Polish Community and to the editor for placing it in Nasze Pismo.
I agree with previous comment to distribute it to all bishops and clergy in Australia and beyond,
to State and Federal Governments and media.
We Poles are expressing it clearly with a strong voice requesting dialogue which is our democratic right.
As a GP in Sydney I can only confirm how important it is to maintain our balance as far as our physical and spiritual health is concerned.
Thank you again
Dr Richard, Sydney
I think that an organization called the Chief of Australian Polonia should make an Appeal to the Australian Government, however it describes itself as apolitical. And take a stand as to whether the virus is political or not. Some argue that COVID-19 is a New World Order policy, opponents that it is a disease and a plague. You have to enter the dialogue and take your position in it. Zygmunt / Sigismund, Ziggi / Dutton Park
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Comment is free… but facts are sacred!
I agree with Dr. Richard of Sydney, but, these days, we need more mind and moderation. In these „democratic times” man, and especially a Catholic, have no rights. A year ago, Antifa used the slogan Black Lives Matter and demolished churches and monuments to saints. On the streets of Australian cities, the same thing happens again and they do the same trouble. Why is there no demonstration to force governments and research where this virus came from and by whom it was spread. And I will take part myself if someone wise leads such a protest.
In Poland, there are „democratic” marches for the right to kill unborn children. The „democratic” euthanasia and the „democratic” or rather demonic „gender” are raging. Bill Gates does not strive for depopulation because on whom he will earn billions.
Depopulation is euthanasia + geder + rights to all evil, and Catholics should fight this plague. The record number of calls to Lifeline Australia proves that the computer and electronic generation have weak mental resilience. Isolation does not justify people from bullying their family, children or wife. With each passing year, morale diminishes as life becomes comfortable and easy. Polish Catholics lived for years in Siberia under the whip of “communist democracy” and they did not forget about God. They had strength and Faith. Follow their example.
There would be no such comment if it were not for the death of my Friend. His Catholic parents have a different opinion about the virus than those of the protesters. Jarek M./NZ/
How about the Jews. They showed that as Melbourne’s chosen ones they are above all ordinances and regulations and they had a big engagement party in a public place. The prime minister of Victoria called it „stupid selfishness” but withdrew immediately and announced that the Jews would not be criticized for the engagement in the open air, and it would be anti-Semitism. That is why Catholics in Melbourne have such a hard life. Mel-Pol
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To the editorial office of Naszepismo.pl
Once again, because the first comment was lost somewhere.
I appreciate Dr. Ryszard Dierzba’s comment very much, I have heard a lot of good things about Him and read on the pages of Nasze Pismo bimonthly and about its activities, such as the Katyn Rally.
It is right to demand that Poles be allowed to speak on important matters that are taking place in our, as it is said, the other homeland, especially in defense of the Polish name. But how can our voice be heard when the Polish diaspora prefers to remain silent on this subject.
And one last question to the Doctor: If this virus is not a killer virus, what exactly is it. And how to protect yourself against this disease?
Kind regards Kasia (Kate) Skoczowski, Tas.