YES to hope, compassion and humility

Acting Heritage Centre Manager, Danielle Achikian

On August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, the Sisters of Charity celebrated their Congregational Feast Day. It’s wonderful and apt that these two occasions are celebrated on the same day and we never stop reflecting on the lives and legacies of all those women who came before us.

In the Annunciation, Mary listened to God’s invitation to play a part in God becoming one of us. Her ‘YES!’ was a response of hope, compassion and humility. In her Assumption into heaven, we see the fulfilment of a life lived in this spirit: drawn into the fullness of relationship with God, Mary’s Assumption inspires the hope that we too will one day enjoy the fullness of God’s loving presence.

In a similar way, the Sisters of Charity have listened to God’s call and responded with hope, compassion and humility. Through their witness, they strive to bring hope to the vulnerable and marginalised. The sisters translate that hope into tangible and meaningful acts of compassion and service, evident throughout their history.

The Uluru Statement from the Heart, a profound expression of Indigenous Australian aspirations, holds deep connections to these themes of hope and compassion too. Just as Mary’s Assumption represents an elevation, the Uluru Statement calls for an elevation of the voices and rights of Indigenous people, who have been and remain marginalised and often overlooked.

This year’s Social Justice Statement from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) urges all Australians to listen, learn and love – a hopeful, compassionate and humble way to journey towards reconciliation and healing with First Nations Peoples. In the words of ACBC President Archbishop Timothy Costello SDB:

Love is at the heart of our Christian calling and we, in the Church, in embracing this commitment in our relationships with Australia’s First Peoples, can show our fellow Australians a better way that leads to healing and justice… We can be at the forefront of a new era in Australia’s public life.

The Assumption, the continuing story of the Sisters of Charity, and the call to listen to and reconcile with First Nations Peoples are linked by these ideas of hope, compassion and humility. As we reflect, we are encouraged to contemplate our collective journey towards a more just and compassionate world, where every heart’s voice is acknowledged and celebrated.