Bishop Peter Elliot with hearing impaired Janelle Scobie
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In a letter to mark the International Day of People with Disability, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Bishops' Delegate for Disability, Peter Elliot, urged communities to embrace people with disability.
"The Church has taken this day as an opportunity to encourage a truly pastoral view that embraces our total community as the living Body of Christ," he wrote in the letter.
The day is observed annually on December 3 and coincides with the beginning of Advent.
This year's theme, "Empowering people with disabilities and their families" focuses on people with disability who live in poverty.
"People with disability are among the poorest in Australia and our world," said Bishop Elliot. "We are called and challenged to take action to ensure our communities are open and active in promoting opportunities that include people with disability.
"In particular we need to ensure that people with disability living in remote and rural areas, those who are new to our country and those struggling with the ever increasing daily expense of living are supported and encouraged in the most practical and appropriate manner."
FULL LETTER
International Day for People with Disability letter (Bishop Peter J Elliott)
FEATURE ARTICLE
Janelle's story