“Always proclaim his truth and the everlasting peace that it brings,” Bishop Mykola at the Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) conference
On Wednesday, March 19, Bishop Mykola Cardinal Bychok took part in the National Conference of Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA). Bishop Mykola delivered the opening speech, in which he reflected on the themes of peace and truth.
Catholic Social Services Australia (CSSA) is a network of more than 50 organisations working in different regions of the country. CSSA supports people in crisis and provides assistance to families, the elderly, people with disabilities, and the homeless. One of the main missions of CSSA is to implement social reforms and build a more just society in accordance with Catholic social teaching.
The conference, held on March 19–20, 2025, in Sydney, brought together Catholic religious leaders, academics, social workers, and human rights activists from all over Australia to discuss the theme “Hope in Action”. Among the keynote speakers at the conference were Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth, Professor David Gilchrist, Director, UWA Centre for Public Value, and Professor Ben Phillips of the Australian National University.
During the opening of the conference, Bishop Mykola thanked the participants for their service, noting, “The necessary work that you do in making known and practicing Catholic Social Teaching and by advocating for justice, especially for the most vulnerable in our communities, is a form of evangelisation — a way of proclaiming the Gospel.”
The bishop emphasised that true Christian peace is possible only through the truth that we recognise in the person of Jesus Christ: “It is only in confronting truth, face to face, that we are able to discover and experience peace. How so? Well, lies and falsehoods are not of God but come from darkness. Satan is known for being a deceiver, one who sows discord and division, and who uses lies to separate us from one another and to cause enmity. Truth then is necessary if we seek peace, reconciliation, and fraternal love with one another.”
“So, my dear friends, in the sacrificial work that you do in serving all of God’s people, always proclaim his truth and the everlasting peace that it brings. This is the Good News, that God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (Jn 3:16). In this way you will bring them the greatest of gifts, the gift of peace that transforms hearts and minds, and that contributes to the building up of God’s kingdom here and now and looks forward to the heavenly banquet,” the bishop urged, concluding his speech.
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