All In — A Reflection on National Reconciliation Week 2026
This year's theme, All In, is a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation — not as a once-a-year gesture, but every single day. It's a phrase that carries real weight.
National Reconciliation Week runs from 27 May to 3 June, marking two significant milestones: the 1967 referendum and the High Court's landmark Mabo decision. These aren't just dates on a calendar — they represent hard-fought turning points in a longer story that is still being written.
All In challenges comfortable passivity. Reconciliation is not a spectator sport, and it is not solely the responsibility of First Nations people, who have carried the weight of championing, explaining and acting for far too long. That reminder lands each year differently, depending on where we each stand.
This year also marks Reconciliation Australia's 25th anniversary — a moment to reflect on progress made, and a renewed invitation to lift our collective commitment to the work still to be done. Twenty-five years is long enough to take stock honestly: what has changed, what hasn't, and what we've been slow to face.
To be all in means showing up in the everyday — in how we listen, learn, and act in our workplaces, schools, and communities. It means sitting with discomfort rather than retreating from it. Reconciliation isn't a destination reached by the willing few; it's a shared responsibility that asks something real of each of us.
This week is a beginning, not a boundary.
Let us pray…
God
of Mercy and Justice,
As we journey through National
Reconciliation Week,
we pause to listen, to learn, and to walk
together with humility and hope.
We
give thanks for the rich cultures, wisdom, and spirituality
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
peoples,
the First Peoples of this land.
May we honour their enduring connection to
Country,
community, story, and spirit.
Forgive
us for the times
when dignity was denied, voices ignored,
and wounds left unhealed.
Open our hearts to truth,
our minds to understanding,
and our lives to the work of reconciliation.
May
we be people who build bridges rather than barriers,
who seek justice with compassion,
and who walk gently alongside one another.
Inspired
by the Gospel and the Mercy tradition,
may we become communities
where every person is welcomed, respected,
and valued.
Guide
us, God of peace,
to move beyond words into action,
so that reconciliation may grow
in our schools, our communities, and our
nation.
We
ask this in the spirit of hope and unity.
Amen.
