We cannot ignore the poor and the suffering; social justice is a necessary and vital task for all Christians.

But what is social justice? Is it the same as fundraising? Definitely not. Although fundraising may be a means of pursuing or achieving social justice, it is not what social justice is all about. Social justice is about raising awareness and taking action for change. Social justice is about making people aware of what is going on in the world we live in and then doing something about it.

Many people believe that the pursuit of social justice is not followed as feverishly as it should because we feel powerless; “What can I do to change the whole world?” Although each individual, as Pope John Paul II told us, is responsible for social justice, we are not asked to achieve this on our own. We must work together. This is where the Monican community can truly make a difference.

There are myriad programs which fall under the banner of SMC’s ministry team that aim to achieve social justice, something to which St Monica’s College is deeply committed. From the community service programs and Be More groups, to the Masses and environmental awareness programs that run, each student has an opportunity to be involved in social justice.