MISSIONS AND WELFARE COMMITTEE
Thank you Sandra and the members of the Archdiocesan Committee for asking me to speak today on a topic very dear to my heart – The Missions and Welfare Committee of which I have been a member for a number of years. Along with the other dedicated members of the Committee, we provide help to disadvantaged women and children here in Australia and overseas.
May I take you on a journey through history – a history which is as wide as it is long. It is a fascinating story.
First the Missions. This Committee was formed in the late 1940’s at the request of Archbishop Mannix who asked the Guild if they would be able to provide assistance to Papua and New Guinea which had been devastated during World War II. The Archbishop was particularly keen that those locals who had assisted the Australian Service men and women whilst on duty in the Pacific be repaid for the extra-ordinary dedication they had shown in aiding Australian Military Forces. Many of you will know the story of the “fuzzy wuzzies” as they were called. If you don’t know, might I suggest that you go to your local library or the internet and do some research. It is an interesting story.
Back to my topic – the ladies agreed with alacrity and the Governing Body approved the formation of the Christus Rex Committee with members from each of the Dioceses. Some members of this Committee had brothers and sisters in religious orders who were serving in the tropics. Hence it was easy to contact family members and ask what help could be given. Responses were received that bare necessities were in short supply.
So our ladies went to work and so started a request for League members to donate goods which could be transported by ship to Papua and New Guinea. What was needed? Soap, toothpaste, powder, powdered milk, shaving cream, razors, bandages, medicines, reading matter, combs and brushes, scissors, deoderants, personal hygiene items, pens, pencils, writing paper, used clothing, bedding sheets, dried foods and materials for sewing – by hand of course.
VicRail had a freight free service to carry charitable donations which could be collected at Spencer Street Station. Thus began the task of sorting and packing of goods which members had sent to Melbourne. A room was allocated to Christus Rex and much was achieved in that small space off the backyard. Large packages were arranged, wrapped and sewn in cotton material which, on arrival, was unpicked and cut up and used as bandages.
Here I would like to tell those of you who have not heard the story about the adventures of a former Secretary of the Committee. During the Christmas break, she came into Mary Glowrey House to do some packing of goods. She put her purse and the Mary Glowrey House key on the table in the kitchen and proceeded to the back room. Without thinking, she did not unsnib the door to return to the House. She merrily packed away for some time and then decided to go home. Problem – she could not get back into the House. The Caretakers were away and no-one was in the House. Was that a problem to Nell. No way! She had her own home key and her tram ticket in her pocket. She tied some sheets together, climbed up on the garbage bins, threw the sheets over the fence and slithered down into the lane, tossed the sheets back over the fence and went on her merry way home.
Over the years, financial donations were also sent to the overseas missions. Therein lies another story! As the years passed and we no longer had personal contact with the missionaries, it was decided that financial donations would be sent to organisations rather than a named person. We found that cheques were travelling around from place to place when the nominee moved. Cheques were lost and/or returned; the banks were charging exorbitant fees.
The decision was taken to donate to the Religious Orders here in Australia and let them process as they saw fit. In the past four years, we have sent $15,000 to the head office of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Sydney with the request that it be used to provide tanks in the Missions so that the women and girls do not have to walk miles to collect water and carry it back home. Each tank now costs $5,000 to install – when we first took the decision to help provide water, a tank cost $3,000.
Donations have also been sent to the Phillipines and to India. In India, we sponsored two children, orphaned by the tsunami, who had been placed in an orphanage specially built to house these children. Our donation paid for the accommodation, food and school costs for a year.
Not only does this Committee help overseas missions; it also supported mission stations in Central Australia and the Kimberleys. Places like Santa Theresa mission in the Northern Territory and Derby in Western Australia were supplied with goods and moneys.
I now turn to the Welfare Committee. Due to measures beyond our control, early records of this Committee – which was known as the Santa Casa Committee – have been lost. So, where to find when the Committee was established? Back copies of the early Horizon magazine should contain some information, I thought. Imagine my surprise to find that the very first mention of what was to become Santa Casa Committee was published in Women’s Social Worker [the Horizon predecessor] in the very first issue dated October 1916 and I quote:
“Dr Eileen Fitzgerald, with insistent logic, showed how prevention of disease would cost the State far less than the curing of disease, with special reference to children. Dr Fitzgerald then outlined a scheme for the establishment of a seaside rest home for ailing children, and proved that there is very great need for such a home. To this end, the Guild will hold a Gymkhana at the Richmond Racecourse, the use of which has been very kindly granted by Mr John Wren … “.
Thus began the Santa Casa Committee. In the next issue of the magazine was an account of the Gymkhana and the amount of money raised. Subsequent magazines listed monetary donations from members and others.
Over the years, the Mercy Sisters ran Santa Casa House in Queenscliff and many children, both girls and boys, were the recipients of the hospitality of the home. Many indeed enjoyed their first sight of the seaside as they resided in inland Victoria and had never seen the sea.
Members of this Committee visited hospitals where patients were given flowers and solace from a visitor. Often these patients were far from home and family were unable to visit. The Children’s Hospital in Melbourne was visited and children were given books and toys and had stories read to them by League members.
Donations were given to needy families and school children were helped with the provision of school books and some uniforms. For more than 20 years, with the help of Sr Margaret McKenna, who was the Pastoral Associate at Sacred Heart School in Fitzroy, a list of children, from the high rise flats in Fitzroy who attended the school and were to begin year 7, was given to our Committee. With Sr Margaret’s help, we paid for the books and school uniforms – summer, winter and sports – for these children. The most number of children helped in one year was 14 and the least number was 6. From these children, we have doctors, pharmacists, lawyers and successful business people.
When it was brought to the attention of the Committee that Sr Noela Farrell was running a home in Portarlington for stressed mothers with pre-school children, we paid for her rent for a couple of years. It was then suggested that we approach the Governing Body and ask if it was possible to purchase a permanent home for Sr Noela. Because she was renting holiday homes, she was required to pack up and move out for the summer season. Families who owned the properties either wished to use them for the summer or to rent them out to other people. The Governing Body agreed and a house was purchased for Sr Noela. This she used until ill health forced her into retirement and she subsequently died. MacKillop Family Services placed another Mercy sister in the house but her appointment did not last long. The House was subsequently sold to the Mercy Congregation as it was not being used for the purpose for which it was bought.
When Sr Margaret McKenna died, our link with the Sacred Heart School was lost. After much discussion, it was decided to visit the School and talk with the Principal. A very fruitful outcome led us to contact the Academy of Mary Immaculate in Fitzroy – where the girls from Sacred Heart had been attending – and we established contact with the Principal and representatives of the Academy and we continue to help with the provision of school needs for the children.
We also contacted the Principal of Simonds College on the advice of the Principal of Sacred Heart School. There we are able to help some of the boys who leave primary and start secondary education.
The Committee contacted the Principal of St Joseph’s School in Collingwood after we heard that it was one of the most disadvantaged Catholic schools in the Melbourne Archdiocese. We have been able to donate towards uniforms, books, etc. for the children.
In the financial year ended 31 March 2017, each of the Schools was given $1,000 with an extra $1,000 given to Collingwood to cover school expenses.
In the past four years, we have donated $1,000 to organisations in each of the Dioceses. At the annual general meeting each year, a guest speaker has been chosen to talk about the work they do; hence our donations to the Dioceses.
Before my time as a member of this Committee, I have been told that it was the policy of the Committee to rotate a donation to each Diocesan Committee for distribution as that Committee wished. This practice was stopped as one year a Diocese reported back that they did not know what to do with it and returned the money. Another year, the Diocese concerned had two projects which they wished to support but could not decide which one to choose and did not support either. It has always been the practice of the Committee that if a Diocese has a pet project that they wish to support, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate the project.
Early in this century, the Governing Body took the decision to change the name of Christus Rex to Missions Committee and to change the name of Santa Casa to Welfare Committee and to amalgamate the two Committees. Thus we became the Missions and Welfare Committee.
As a Committee, we are not permitted by the Constitution to raise money ourselves. We rely entirely on the Commitments from members to keep us afloat. I have said throughout this exercise that we donate – that is I should be saying that on your behalf you donate to these projects. We just manage the paper work. Thank you so much for the wonderful support you give to our Committee. We pray for all who support us. Thanks for listening and God bless.
Noreen Elliott