The Aboriginal Acknowledgement Plaque at Sacred Heart church, Pymble.

In 2006 the Australian Catholic Bishops issued their Social Justice Sunday Statement The Heart of our Country – Dignity and Justice for our Indigenous sisters and brothers. In the Statement special reference was made to the 1986 address of Pope John Paul II to Indigenous people when he visited Alice Springs.

At the beginning of his address the Pope said, “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.”

Fr Marius, Gerry Wake, Brett Rowling, Gai Rowling

In a special supplement to the Statement, the Australian Bishops outlined a number of steps we could take ‘toward dignity and justice for Indigenous Australians’. As a high priority they suggested that we place an Acknowledgement Plaque in our buildings to show our respect for these people.

The decision by our parish to install the plaque was made more than 3 years ago. We acknowledge the contribution of Anne Lanyon from St Anthony in the Fields parish, Terrey Hills for the basis for the design and wording and Phil Jones for his assistance. Both the Aboriginal Heritage Office (a joint venture of several Northern Sydney councils) and the Guringai Tribal Link Aboriginal Corporation have helped with the final wording on the plaque. We are most grateful to the anonymous parishioner who very generously provided the funds to have the plaque made.

In 1788 more than 750,000 Aboriginal people inhabited the Australian continent. They comprised many different language groups, with what is now referred to as ‘Guringai’ being spoken by those in the ‘North-coastal Sydney region’ (from Wyong to Kirribilli and as far west as the ‘Lane Cove river valley’). Our plaque to be unveiled on May 29 (during National Reconciliation Week) recognizes the Guringai Aboriginal People as those who owned and occupied the traditional lands on which Sacred Heart church stands.  Furthermore, the plaque states that ‘we recognize and embrace our connections to the long, continuous and rich history of Australia’s Indigenous people.’

Brett Rowling

A representative of the Guringai people, Brett Rowling, participated in the unveiling ceremony – he presented the ‘Welcome to Country’, as well as giving a brief history of the Guringai people.