Archbishop of Sydney

National Police Remembrance Day

St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney
Is 40:28-31; Mt 20:25-28

By + Cardinal George Pell
Archbishop of Sydney
28/9/2007

White cars with blue-and-white chequered striping roam the streets and highways of Sydney and beyond every minute of every day and every night. 

Each one of those cars carries men and women who are sworn to protect and serve the citizens of New South Wales.

They are dispatched to their police duties by offices and departments in various places, but they are also sent by spouses and partners by families and friends.

The life and work of police officers can be captured by one word service: service of city, state and country, service to the community and, most importantly, service and love of family.

This family is not only made up of spouses and children, parents and siblings.  No, this family is extended today to some 14,454 brothers and sisters in the NSW Police Force, and to thousands more officers across our nation.  All around Australia today, in our cities and towns and, throughout the outback.

National Police Remembrance day is an opportunity for the police and for the wider community, a very grateful community, to come together to remember those men and women who have been killed, or who have died, in the course of their duties.

Here in New South Wales there are some 266 names listed on the Honour Roll.  There will always be an empty spot at roll call for each of those men and women who are no longer with us. 

Their future with the force is no more, but we will honour their past service always, until that day when, God willing, they salute us at our homecoming in Heaven. 

Until then, whenever that day may be, it is up to each one of us to live our lives in that same spirit of love and service in which police officers are called to live and to die.

The work of the police is not easy; the constant exposure to human suffering and evil is daunting and depressing to most of us.  But those whose calling is service draw their strength from serving others, for it is in serving one another that we show our love, and love is the greatest strength of all.

St. John tells us that God is love, and whoever lives in love, lives in God, and God lives in him.  In the reading from the Prophet Isaiah this morning, we heard that God does not grow tired or weary, and His understanding is beyond fathoming. 

And so all of you who serve in the Police Force can turn to Him, can call out to Him when you face difficulty and frustration.  Yes, others may grow tired or weary, others may stumble; but those who hope in the Lord renew their strength, they put out wings like eagles. 

The soaring eagle is depicted on the Police Force badge; clutched in the eagle’s talons is Nemesis, the Greek goddess of chastisement and retribution.  That is to remind all of us that the duty of our police is to protect the people and bring wrongdoers to justice.

The very fine service of our NSW Police Force was most recently seen in the APEC conference of world leaders held here in Sydney last month. 

There was some minor criticism of the way one or two situations were handled; but, we know there will always be some criticism from somewhere.

But we citizens can be forever grateful that there were no riots, no major disturbances, no deaths as there have been at other similar events in other cities.

The best example of unselfish service of course, is found in Jesus Christ.  He was God in the flesh, but He did not lord it over others when He lived in our midst.  As the Gospel told us today, Jesus came not to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

The police are invested with authority, an authority which the great majority of people today still respect as they should.  All of us, police, clergy, and citizens at large must learn and re-learn the proper use of authority from the loving example of Jesus. 

People do not respond well to bullying, but they will respond, slowly but surely, to our care and concern, to a consistent, strong and fair application of justice.

As we remember those hard-working men and women who served in the Police Force and have now gone before us, we turn again in prayer to Jesus.  We commend their souls to Him, for He alone promises resurrection and life to all who believe in Him and who walk in His way of loving service.

Jesus has told us that when this life ends for each one of us, we will be measured and judged by how well we have loved.

May all the men and women of our Police Force who have served us faithfully and well and who have given their lives in service to us receive the wreath of victory and life which is depicted on the Police Force badge, that wreath which God promises to all who promoted His justice, to all who give their lives out of love for others.  Indeed, they have given their lives for us all.

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon them.  May they rest in peace.  Amen.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.