“You are part of Australia and Australia is part of you,” Pope John Paul II told Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples at Blatherskite Park in Alice Springs on 29 November 1986.
The Archdiocesan Catholic Community is invited to mark the 40th anniversary of that address on Sunday 29 November 2026 at the Catholic Education Centre in Leederville.
Perth Auxiliary Bishop Donald Sproxton will join Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders and members of the Catholic community for a Liturgy of the Word, during which the congregation will hear excerpts from the address.
In his address in 1986, John Paul II affirmed the place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Church and recognised the cultures they had sustained over thousands of years.
He said the Church in Australia would only become fully the Church Jesus wanted when Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples contributed to its life and others joyfully received their contribution.
His address acknowledged the consequences of dispossession, racism and the separation of families from their lands and communities.
He supported recognition of Aboriginal land rights and called for reconciliation and forgiveness.
John Paul II urged Aboriginal people to share their cultural gifts and teach them to their children. He spoke of the spiritual significance of their relationship with the land, their care for children and the responsibilities they taught young people.
“The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ speaks all languages. It esteems and embraces all cultures,” he said.
He encouraged Aboriginal Catholics to express their faith through their own languages and traditions. “Jesus calls you to accept his words and his values into your own culture.”
The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference have encouraged parishes, schools and Catholic groups to commemorate the anniversary on 29 November.
The council has prepared resources to help communities reflect on the address and consider practical responses.
The Archdiocese of Perth has produced a commemorative edition of the speech, with an introduction by Bishop Sproxton and artwork by Acacia Collard and Kevin Bynder.
Bishop Sproxton’s introduction recognises the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholics to their communities. He acknowledges past wounds and continuing challenges for First Nations peoples, and encourages the faithful to read the address.
The Catholic Education Centre has its own connection with the papal visit. John Paul II opened the centre on 30 November 1986, the day after he spoke in Alice Springs.
The Perth celebration will take place at the Catholic Education Centre, 50 Ruislip Street, Leederville.
Organisers welcome guests from 4.45pm for a 5pm start, with the gathering concluding at 6.45pm.
Organisers will serve a light supper and invite all guests to make a gold coin donation.
All proceeds will support the Archbishop’s 2026 Christmas LifeLink Appeal.
To register, please visit https://www.trybooking.com/DQZXA