"And those who lead the many to justice shall be like the stars forever" (Daniel12:3)

You’re the Voice – Justice Day 2023

On the afternoon of May 5th, in honour of the feast day of Blessed Edmund Rice, Christchurch Diocesan colleges came together at Saint Thomas of Canterbury College for “You’re the Voice – Justice Day 2023”. Generously sponsored by Catholic Development Fund, the purpose of this event was to bring our dioceses’ college students together to build relationships, to consider and discuss justice issues of our time, and to start to formulate thoughts as to what actions can be taken within the respective colleges to highlight social justice.

Kaikōrero, Te Wharekauri McGregor, a St Thomas’ Year 12 student, eloquently opened the afternoon and welcomed into the space all those present. Waiata karakia “He Hōnore” was then sung to further bind us together and remind us that God is our common refuge and strength. Fun icebreakers were the next order of the afternoon and served to establish relationships for students present.

Our first guest speaker was Olivia Shimasaki. She spoke passionately of her journey of faith and experience of growing up volunteering, which ultimately led her to her current role as Vinnies Youth and Young Adults’ Development Officer. Thereafter, attendees were divided into small groups facilitated by youth leaders who were Saint Thomas of Canterbury College alumni and young adults from the Christchurch West parish.

After joining back together we heard from our second guest speaker activist/advocate and lawyer Moana Cole. Moana shared her journey towards Catholicism and her connections with the Catholic Worker Movement and Plowshares movements. On 1 January 1991 she was part of a group who attacked Griffiths Air Force Base near New York as an anti-war protest. As a result, Moana was spent a year in a USA jail.

At the end of the afternoon students were asked to meet back in college groups to start coming up with charity and/or advocacy activities that could be seeded within their respective colleges. Each college reported back to the main group and we look forward to catching up with them later in the year to see how these ideas were brought to fruition.

To close we had a prayer time with Fr Philip Suelzer and shared meal of pizzas which allowed time for further mingling.

For project leads (St Thomas’ of Canterbury College and the Edmund Rice Justice Aotearoa Trust together with major sponsor CDF) the success of the day was actually bringing colleges together to build relationships and to celebrate our Catholic Special Character. As Pope Francis says in his encyclical “Fratelli Tutti”; - with fraternity and social friendship we can build a better, more just and peaceful world.

Anna Kelly & Stephen Kennedy