[Applause] appearing on TED talk is something very
appearing on TED talk is something very
appearing on TED talk is something very unexpected for me but I’m honored to be
unexpected for me but I’m honored to be
unexpected for me but I’m honored to be included among the many luminaries that
included among the many luminaries that
included among the many luminaries that have graced this stage but along with
have graced this stage but along with
have graced this stage but along with the honor I realized that there was a
the honor I realized that there was a
the honor I realized that there was a major obligation how could I have
major obligation how could I have
major obligation how could I have something to say that would be of
something to say that would be of
something to say that would be of interest to my listeners and I wondered
interest to my listeners and I wondered
interest to my listeners and I wondered what does have any impact whatever I
what does have any impact whatever I
what does have any impact whatever I said and that would impact a struck a
said and that would impact a struck a
said and that would impact a struck a chord because a few months ago I was
chord because a few months ago I was
chord because a few months ago I was invited to give a talk at the Catholic
invited to give a talk at the Catholic
invited to give a talk at the Catholic National Catholic University in Canberra
National Catholic University in Canberra
National Catholic University in Canberra to the senior leaders and their their
to the senior leaders and their their
to the senior leaders and their their main their brand is impact through
main their brand is impact through
main their brand is impact through empathy so today and for a different
empathy so today and for a different
empathy so today and for a different sitting I thought I could delve again
sitting I thought I could delve again
sitting I thought I could delve again into that same theme and by looking back
into that same theme and by looking back
into that same theme and by looking back on my long life share with you through
on my long life share with you through
on my long life share with you through stories some instances as I have
stories some instances as I have
stories some instances as I have experienced them of the benefits of
experienced them of the benefits of
experienced them of the benefits of impact through empathy it seems to me
impact through empathy it seems to me
impact through empathy it seems to me that if we are to stand up and be
that if we are to stand up and be
that if we are to stand up and be counted we need a great deal of love in
counted we need a great deal of love in
counted we need a great deal of love in our hearts there’s a whole world out
our hearts there’s a whole world out
our hearts there’s a whole world out there desperately in need of impact
there desperately in need of impact
there desperately in need of impact through empathy Hubert Humphrey jr. who
through empathy Hubert Humphrey jr. who
through empathy Hubert Humphrey jr. who served as vice president of the United
served as vice president of the United
served as vice president of the United States of America from 1963 to 1969 and
States of America from 1963 to 1969 and
States of America from 1963 to 1969 and he was a known spokesman for justice and
he was a known spokesman for justice and
he was a known spokesman for justice and compassion he had this to say about the
compassion he had this to say about the
compassion he had this to say about the role of government in the role of
role of government in the role of
role of government in the role of suffering the moral test of government
suffering the moral test of government
suffering the moral test of government is how it treats those who are in the
is how it treats those who are in the
is how it treats those who are in the dawn of life the children those who are
dawn of life the children those who are
dawn of life the children those who are in the twilight of life the aged and
in the twilight of life the aged and
in the twilight of life the aged and those in the shadows of life the sick
those in the shadows of life the sick
those in the shadows of life the sick the needy and the handicapped in
the needy and the handicapped in
the needy and the handicapped in Australia in 1980s
Australia in 1980s
Australia in 1980s kans a very serious question of how best
kans a very serious question of how best
kans a very serious question of how best to respond to the hiv/aids issue this
to respond to the hiv/aids issue this
to respond to the hiv/aids issue this was a divisive community question which
was a divisive community question which
was a divisive community question which resulted in only some being willing to
resulted in only some being willing to
resulted in only some being willing to become involved in Queensland the
become involved in Queensland the
become involved in Queensland the premiere of the day stated in the daily
premiere of the day stated in the daily
premiere of the day stated in the daily paper that when these people became ill
paper that when these people became ill
paper that when these people became ill nobody should help them in their illness
nobody should help them in their illness
nobody should help them in their illness because their illness was a direct
because their illness was a direct
because their illness was a direct punishment from God he believed this and
punishment from God he believed this and
punishment from God he believed this and at the time he was a popular political
at the time he was a popular political
at the time he was a popular political figure as well there was widespread fear
figure as well there was widespread fear
figure as well there was widespread fear that the virus could be acquired simply
that the virus could be acquired simply
that the virus could be acquired simply by touching the clothes of somebody we
by touching the clothes of somebody we
by touching the clothes of somebody we met in the bus you may remember how
met in the bus you may remember how
met in the bus you may remember how dramatic it was when Princess Diana
dramatic it was when Princess Diana
dramatic it was when Princess Diana shook the hands of a man known to have
shook the hands of a man known to have
shook the hands of a man known to have the virus as Sisters of Mercy founder
the virus as Sisters of Mercy founder
the virus as Sisters of Mercy founder for the poor the sick education and for
for the poor the sick education and for
for the poor the sick education and for the needy particularly people with unmet
the needy particularly people with unmet
the needy particularly people with unmet needs
needs
needs we waited I did many others we waited
we waited I did many others we waited
we waited I did many others we waited for the medical profession the churches
for the medical profession the churches
for the medical profession the churches anyone to speak out against this stance
anyone to speak out against this stance
anyone to speak out against this stance of government but nothing happened
of government but nothing happened
of government but nothing happened the president of the queensland aids
the president of the queensland aids
the president of the queensland aids council approached our congregational
council approached our congregational
council approached our congregational leader at the time to ask if we may help
leader at the time to ask if we may help
leader at the time to ask if we may help as the public face of the matter
as the public face of the matter
as the public face of the matter hospital at the time i was the obvious
hospital at the time i was the obvious
hospital at the time i was the obvious person to help or establish a link
person to help or establish a link
person to help or establish a link across the three groups Queens and AIDS
across the three groups Queens and AIDS
across the three groups Queens and AIDS Council the Sisters of Mercy and the
Council the Sisters of Mercy and the
Council the Sisters of Mercy and the matter hospitals Brisbane at the outset
matter hospitals Brisbane at the outset
matter hospitals Brisbane at the outset I could foresee some serious problems I
I could foresee some serious problems I
I could foresee some serious problems I knew nothing of the virus nothing of how
knew nothing of the virus nothing of how
knew nothing of the virus nothing of how it was was not transmitted and I
it was was not transmitted and I
it was was not transmitted and I wondered how I could be of assistance to
wondered how I could be of assistance to
wondered how I could be of assistance to people whom I had never met and about
people whom I had never met and about
people whom I had never met and about who his lifestyle or needs I knew
who his lifestyle or needs I knew
who his lifestyle or needs I knew nothing as well-dressed as I am and as I
nothing as well-dressed as I am and as I
nothing as well-dressed as I am and as I was I could see it could seem to the men
was I could see it could seem to the men
was I could see it could seem to the men that I was just descending on them
that I was just descending on them
that I was just descending on them merely to impose values or to express
merely to impose values or to express
merely to impose values or to express judgments
judgments
judgments as a prerequisite for any help I might
as a prerequisite for any help I might
as a prerequisite for any help I might give however when I perceived as
give however when I perceived as
give however when I perceived as problems actually became moments of
problems actually became moments of
problems actually became moments of learning for us all in a public
learning for us all in a public
learning for us all in a public statement we announced the Sisters of
statement we announced the Sisters of
statement we announced the Sisters of Mercy wish to offer compassionate
Mercy wish to offer compassionate
Mercy wish to offer compassionate non-judgmental support to those who need
non-judgmental support to those who need
non-judgmental support to those who need it we will not impose services but we
it we will not impose services but we
it we will not impose services but we request that we be allowed to walk
request that we be allowed to walk
request that we be allowed to walk alongside those who have HIV AIDS and to
alongside those who have HIV AIDS and to
alongside those who have HIV AIDS and to be available when needed the martyr
be available when needed the martyr
be available when needed the martyr provided the AIDS Council with a meeting
provided the AIDS Council with a meeting
provided the AIDS Council with a meeting place office space and three houses
place office space and three houses
place office space and three houses rent-free so fearful was the average
rent-free so fearful was the average
rent-free so fearful was the average person of acquiring the disease that
person of acquiring the disease that
person of acquiring the disease that these men knew what they must not under
these men knew what they must not under
these men knew what they must not under any circumstances reveal to anybody
any circumstances reveal to anybody
any circumstances reveal to anybody particularly neighbors what their
particularly neighbors what their
particularly neighbors what their medical condition was however one of our
medical condition was however one of our
medical condition was however one of our specialist medical physicians and said
specialist medical physicians and said
specialist medical physicians and said to me bring them to my outpatient clinic
to me bring them to my outpatient clinic
to me bring them to my outpatient clinic and I’ll see them so there they said
and I’ll see them so there they said
and I’ll see them so there they said comfortably among all the other patients
comfortably among all the other patients
comfortably among all the other patients nobody knew I spent many evenings with
nobody knew I spent many evenings with
nobody knew I spent many evenings with groups of these men in their hideouts in
groups of these men in their hideouts in
groups of these men in their hideouts in Stanley Street South Brisbane listening
Stanley Street South Brisbane listening
Stanley Street South Brisbane listening to their needs to determine how I could
to their needs to determine how I could
to their needs to determine how I could help as it turned out wearing religious
help as it turned out wearing religious
help as it turned out wearing religious garb far from being a deterrent enabled
garb far from being a deterrent enabled
garb far from being a deterrent enabled me to go to places where other women
me to go to places where other women
me to go to places where other women might hesitate to go it’s strange now to
might hesitate to go it’s strange now to
might hesitate to go it’s strange now to look back on those times our involvement
look back on those times our involvement
look back on those times our involvement though was not without serious risk we
though was not without serious risk we
though was not without serious risk we were acting against the wishes of the
were acting against the wishes of the
were acting against the wishes of the premier on whose government we depended
premier on whose government we depended
premier on whose government we depended for support for our three public
for support for our three public
for support for our three public hospitals to complicate matters further
hospitals to complicate matters further
hospitals to complicate matters further because the Queensland Government would
because the Queensland Government would
because the Queensland Government would not provide financial aid to the local
not provide financial aid to the local
not provide financial aid to the local aids council these was sort of a rare
aids council these was sort of a rare
aids council these was sort of a rare secret agreement between the federal
secret agreement between the federal
secret agreement between the federal government and the matter was created
government and the matter was created
government and the matter was created for about two years without the
for about two years without the
for about two years without the knowledge of the premier and with the
knowledge of the premier and with the
knowledge of the premier and with the guarded approval of the MARTA board
guarded approval of the MARTA board
guarded approval of the MARTA board federal monies for the Queen today’s
federal monies for the Queen today’s
federal monies for the Queen today’s council came directly to the matter
council came directly to the matter
council came directly to the matter years later I read that the then Federal
years later I read that the then Federal
years later I read that the then Federal Minister for health dr. nian Blewett
Minister for health dr. nian Blewett
Minister for health dr. nian Blewett described the Sisters of Mercy as the
described the Sisters of Mercy as the
described the Sisters of Mercy as the most altruistic of money launderers
but for us these were worrying and
but for us these were worrying and dangerous times
dangerous times
dangerous times despite that our task was not to judge
despite that our task was not to judge
despite that our task was not to judge but to help where we could and that’s
but to help where we could and that’s
but to help where we could and that’s what we did for me there were many
what we did for me there were many
what we did for me there were many learning curves as you can imagine I was
learning curves as you can imagine I was
learning curves as you can imagine I was so ignorant of the whole situation but
so ignorant of the whole situation but
so ignorant of the whole situation but one incident remains embedded in my mind
one incident remains embedded in my mind
one incident remains embedded in my mind the president of the AIDS Council
the president of the AIDS Council
the president of the AIDS Council invited me to attend a mass that was to
invited me to attend a mass that was to
invited me to attend a mass that was to be celebrated in a unit in Dutton Park
be celebrated in a unit in Dutton Park
be celebrated in a unit in Dutton Park Brisbane and at the bedside of a man who
Brisbane and at the bedside of a man who
Brisbane and at the bedside of a man who was dying of AIDS on arrival at the
was dying of AIDS on arrival at the
was dying of AIDS on arrival at the bedside I realized that the man was near
bedside I realized that the man was near
bedside I realized that the man was near death
death
death there were only four persons in the room
there were only four persons in the room
there were only four persons in the room because in those days it was a practice
because in those days it was a practice
because in those days it was a practice of somebody once he discovered that he
of somebody once he discovered that he
of somebody once he discovered that he had the virus to advise his family that
had the virus to advise his family that
had the virus to advise his family that he had been fortunate enough to get a
he had been fortunate enough to get a
he had been fortunate enough to get a very good position in another state so I
very good position in another state so I
very good position in another state so I knew that this man had no near relatives
knew that this man had no near relatives
knew that this man had no near relatives in Brisbane at the end of Mass when it
in Brisbane at the end of Mass when it
in Brisbane at the end of Mass when it was obvious that the man had died his
was obvious that the man had died his
was obvious that the man had died his partner threw himself across the bed in
partner threw himself across the bed in
partner threw himself across the bed in a paroxysm of grief and I stood there
a paroxysm of grief and I stood there
a paroxysm of grief and I stood there looking at them and I realized that here
looking at them and I realized that here
looking at them and I realized that here were two men loved by God as much as all
were two men loved by God as much as all
were two men loved by God as much as all others and I are loved so I bent down
others and I are loved so I bent down
others and I are loved so I bent down put my arms around him raised him up and
put my arms around him raised him up and
put my arms around him raised him up and held him at that moment the strange
held him at that moment the strange
held him at that moment the strange outcome of it all was that all my fear
outcome of it all was that all my fear
outcome of it all was that all my fear about not knowing how to help these men
about not knowing how to help these men
about not knowing how to help these men left me I realized it was all a matter
left me I realized it was all a matter
left me I realized it was all a matter of love for about seven years we
of love for about seven years we
of love for about seven years we continued to work with these men after
continued to work with these men after
continued to work with these men after which time they were able to deal
which time they were able to deal
which time they were able to deal directly with the community and with the
directly with the community and with the
directly with the community and with the Queensland government because there had
Queensland government because there had
Queensland government because there had been a change of government now a
been a change of government now a
been a change of government now a finalist story some years ago my sister
finalist story some years ago my sister
finalist story some years ago my sister and I were on holidays in Ireland our
and I were on holidays in Ireland our
and I were on holidays in Ireland our family took us to see the Celtic furrow
family took us to see the Celtic furrow
family took us to see the Celtic furrow a Center the trace
a Center the trace
a Center the trace is cultural historical and spiritual
is cultural historical and spiritual
is cultural historical and spiritual roots in Ireland over 5,000 years all
roots in Ireland over 5,000 years all
roots in Ireland over 5,000 years all graphically depicted we view beautiful
graphically depicted we view beautiful
graphically depicted we view beautiful gardens fountains stonework bog oaks and
gardens fountains stonework bog oaks and
gardens fountains stonework bog oaks and murals informing us of the golden age of
murals informing us of the golden age of
murals informing us of the golden age of Christianity in Ireland when art culture
Christianity in Ireland when art culture
Christianity in Ireland when art culture and learning flourished they followed a
and learning flourished they followed a
and learning flourished they followed a walk through a meandering labyrinth
walk through a meandering labyrinth
walk through a meandering labyrinth which depicted a thousand years of stand
which depicted a thousand years of stand
which depicted a thousand years of stand history in Ireland persecution invasion
history in Ireland persecution invasion
history in Ireland persecution invasion and famine all took toll on our
and famine all took toll on our
and famine all took toll on our ancestors but they remained a people of
ancestors but they remained a people of
ancestors but they remained a people of hope as symbolized by the Celtic cross
hope as symbolized by the Celtic cross
hope as symbolized by the Celtic cross that stands resolutely in the center of
that stands resolutely in the center of
that stands resolutely in the center of the labyrinth as we emerged from the
the labyrinth as we emerged from the
the labyrinth as we emerged from the labyrinth we were confronted by a
labyrinth we were confronted by a
labyrinth we were confronted by a message rich large over the exit the
message rich large over the exit the
message rich large over the exit the message read 3080 we are what we are
message read 3080 we are what we are
message read 3080 we are what we are today mainly because of your decisions
so I ask you today how do you make
so I ask you today how do you make decisions about others are you
decisions about others are you
decisions about others are you judgmental or do you bring empathy into
judgmental or do you bring empathy into
judgmental or do you bring empathy into your relationships with others
your relationships with others
your relationships with others regardless of the circumstances the
regardless of the circumstances the
regardless of the circumstances the founders of the Sisters of Mercy
founders of the Sisters of Mercy
founders of the Sisters of Mercy Catherine McAuley answered this question
Catherine McAuley answered this question
Catherine McAuley answered this question she described three levels of care
sympathy which can be an intellectual
sympathy which can be an intellectual understanding that others are suffering
understanding that others are suffering
understanding that others are suffering but it can be all brain and not much
but it can be all brain and not much
but it can be all brain and not much heart empathy a genuine understanding of
heart empathy a genuine understanding of
heart empathy a genuine understanding of others which engages the brain and the
others which engages the brain and the
others which engages the brain and the heart but Catherine defined an even
heart but Catherine defined an even
heart but Catherine defined an even greater calling compassion mercy which
greater calling compassion mercy which
greater calling compassion mercy which she described as having an exquisite
she described as having an exquisite
she described as having an exquisite nose for the sufferings of others this
nose for the sufferings of others this
nose for the sufferings of others this is a lovely standard to which we should
is a lovely standard to which we should
is a lovely standard to which we should all aspire in every relationship we have
all aspire in every relationship we have
all aspire in every relationship we have and I believe it’s the key to
and I believe it’s the key to
and I believe it’s the key to having a real and positive impact on the
having a real and positive impact on the
having a real and positive impact on the lives of those around us and even on our
lives of those around us and even on our
lives of those around us and even on our loved country may God bless each one of
loved country may God bless each one of
loved country may God bless each one of us
us
us [Applause]
[Music]
[Music] you
”
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