His Grace Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane addressed a Christian Parliamentary Breakfast at the Queensland Parliament this month, speaking at the invitation of Minister for Multiculturalism and Women Fiona Simpson.
Bishop Bartholomew thanked the minister for the invitation and conveyed the “appreciation and blessing” of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia to attendees before delivering a keynote on “The Power of Unity.”
He stressed that “unity is an invitation for all of us to honour the dignity of every human being, to recognise the Image of God in each other and to choose cooperation over conflict.”
Citing His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, he added that unity is “not a luxury, but a necessity for the survival of the world.”
The Bishop also warned against forces that divide society, pointing to anti-Semitism as “a wound on the conscience of humanity,” and discussed how unity can be strengthened through practical action, including the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence guided by human wisdom.
He concluded by thanking MPs for the “love, generosity and sincerity” with which Queensland had welcomed him and wished them a Merry Christmas and a “safe, productive and fruitful 2026.”
Greek Australian MPs Charis Mullen and John Barounis were among those present.
