Address Of John Paul II
TO THE ABORIGINES AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDERS
Alice Springs, 29 November 1986
9 October is Indigenous Peoples’ Sunday in the Philippine Church. 23 October is World Mission Sunday. The late Pope John Paul’s talk to the Aboriginal Peoples of Australia calls us to respect all cultures and languages, including our own. He reminds missionaries that the Gospel speaks all languages, esteems and embraces all cultures. He challenges our lack of respect for God’s creation and how we can learn from those who have lived in harmony with it for millennia, including the Indigenous Peoples of the Philippines.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
It is a great joy for me to be here today in Alice Springs and to meet so many of you, the Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders of Australia. I want to tell you right away how much the Church esteems and loves you, and how much she wishes to assist you in your spiritual and material needs.