NT Newsletter/May 2010
Mass Times
From the President
Mass at Bakhita last Wednesday of every month.
We have had such a great start to 2010 where we have already seen many of our ideas and plans evolve and put into practice in the community.
NT Council Meeting Dates 2010 13 March 22 May 31 July 25 September 27 November Annual General Meeting 28 October 2010 New Volunteers & Members The successful work of the Society is due to our members and volunteers! The Society is continually seeking new members and volunteers. Please ask someone you know to join us. We will find a position that suits their time and needs. Contact 8948 8100 or admin@svdpnt.org.au
St Vincent de Paul Society (NT) Inc. 107 Dickward Drive Coconut Grove, 0810, Northern Territory Phone: (08) 8948 8100 Fax: (08) 8948 2844 Email: admin@svdpnt.org.au Website: www.vinnies.org.au/nt
I was delighted to attend the first event of Families in Friendship program where families from Our Lady of the Sacred Heart School Alice Springs travelled to Santa Teresa to meet families from Santa Teresa School for the purpose of establishing and developing ongoing relationships. This event was a great success with everybody involved eager to continue developing the cross cultural relationships. Families in Friendship has been initiated by Vinnies in the spirit of reconciliation in action, recognising that people’s lives are enriched and are healthier when they form meaningful relationships. The supported affordable housing initiative has also kicked off with the turning of the first sod on Friday 5th March. We look forward to seeing further action on the Bakhita site as the 20 new dwellings start to take shape. I was pleased to host the group of young Vinnies involved in the Immersion Program after their return from Palumpa. They were buzzing with their amazing cross cultural experience with the community for 10 days. The Immersion program is an annual event and is co-ordinated by the Vinnies NT and funded by the National Council. Thanks to Benita de Vincentiis and Fr Dan for being such excellent leaders of the program. Again, I invite you to offer ideas or feedback, either through your team leader or directly to the office, as your opinions are greatly valued. I thank you all for your continued work with the Society that benefits so many people in our community. Marg Lambert President
St Vincent de Paul Society Assist a Student Appeal 2010 The NT continues to be the leading supporter of this important education program for young people from developing countries. This year, students from Timor Leste will be supported by the program. Thank You for your generosity! We invite you to continue your support by assisting a student this year for a one-off $70 donation. The full amount goes towards the student’s education needs and all donations are tax deductible. Please Assist a Student today! – Contact Vinnies directly or keep an eye out in Parish Newsletters.
NT Newsletter/May 2010
PICTURED: O’LOUGHLIN CATHOLIC COLLEGE SOCIAL ACTION GROUP
Youth Corner Coordinators meeting
In February this year Vinnies had their annual Youth Coordinators Conference. Many topics were discussed such as the Youth Website, Youth Recruiting, World Youth Day 2011, and the Immersion Program. It is important for the NT to be represented at meetings like these, as sharing ideas locally and creating networks help us to establish new initiatives.
Immersion
The Immersion program has just been run over Easter. This year seven young people from NSW and Victoria were immersed into the community and culture of the Nganmarriyanga (Palumpa) community. The participants ran youth/kids activities, experienced community living, attended Easter services and amongst other things went fishing!!
ABOVE: NATIONAL YOUTH TEAM AT A RECENT MEETING IN CANBERRA
Schools
In the last month a Vinnies School Conference has been re-established at St Johns College. The Conference will aim to meet once a week to look at issues such as poverty awareness, fundraising, and to gain an understanding of what Vinnies does. In addition seven students will undertake voluntary work at Bakhita and Ozanam House as part of their Year 11 studies. O’Loughlin Catholic College have formed a Social Action Group. This group is passionate about changing the world to be a better place and are working hard at creating awareness about poverty among their peers. Lynette Trau Youth Coordinator
ABOVE: 2010 IMMERSION PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS WITH BISHOP EUGENE AT DINNER, HOSTED BY MARG LAMBERT
NT Newsletter/May 2010
Palmerston Centre
Katherine Centre
The Centre has been at their old Easter tricks again!
The Scouts help out in Katherine!
We tried to stop them again this year, but the ladies at the Centre insisted on wearing their rabbit ears to work and giving out chocolates, even to the kids! We ran the Mr Rabbit Raffle (basket of eggs) which was a huge success. All customers got a free ticket when they made a purchase in the Centre. The customers loved it!
The Caring & Sharing Badge is a Joey Scouts Program that focuses on engaging the Joeys to undertake caring and sharing activities.
Coming up is our Giant Sale Day – the theme this year is ‘Mad as a Hatter.’ Thanks to the donations from all the lovely businesses around Palmerston. They really are generous when needed and provide support for our Sale Day. On the Shop floor, donations have slowed a little, however we are receiving some nice furniture and donations are sure to pick up soon. The Shop renovations are complete and we are looking forward to the rest of the year. Yvonne Cowell Palmerston Centre Manager
The Joeys asked if Vinnies Katherine would like to receive the fruits of their ‘caring and sharing.’ The Joeys organised a basket and stuffed it with bunnies to be given to a local family associated with our Society’s Assistance services. The Joeys presented the baskets to Jan Abbs (Centre Manager), and at the presentation Jan talked about what Vinnies does for the community and how people can help. Vinnies gave the basket to a family in time for Easter. The family were very thankful and made a thank you sign for the Joeys. As a follow up on 5 June the Joeys will help with the Vinnies Open Day (Katherine Centre), and run the ‘jelly bean in the jar’ fundraiser. Jan Abbs Katherine Centre Manager
Easter Hope and Hospitality “Have you caught anything friends?...” [Gospel John 21:1-19, Third Sunday of Easter] The Season of Easter runs for 50 days until Pentecost. It is longer than Lent! It is a reflective, not a penitential journey. We value time to reflect upon the startling initiative of God, to raise Jesus from the dead. Our response as Vincentians draws us into deeper friendship with God, with others and with ourselves. The Resurrected Jesus turns up on the seashore of life and asks: Have you caught anything friends? Caught what? Caught whom? Or, have we reflectively “caught on” to Jesus’ line of interacting? Just when the disciples feel distanced from their deceased Jesus, from others and from themselves, friendship reignites. What a relief! The Risen Jesus saves us from loneliness, to live in friendship with Him, others to whom we minister and to ourselves. Think about it. What could be more inviting and reassuring
than to believe that all our relationships are attractive to the hospitable heart of God. It is enough to make our hearts burn with enthusiasm and reassurance. The Easter journey is the time to deepen our relationships, to launch out into the deep once again, just like St Peter, St Paul, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, and Blessed Rosalie Rendu. What a catch! Fr John Kelliher msc Spiritual Advisor
NT Newsletter/May 2010
Vincentcare – Homeless Connect On April 7 Vinnies (Vincentcare) participated in Darwin’s first ever Homeless Connect event. Homeless Connect is an initiative of the Darwin City Council and as the Lord Mayor said “It’s about bringing people together in a practical and genuine way…It (homelessness) is an important issue that should not go unnoticed.” Homeless Connect brings together business and community groups to give free services to the homeless, or to those at risk of homelessness. Services included medical care, legal advice, accommodation referral, personal grooming items, clothes and food. On the day these support agencies were kept busy providing haircuts, dental and first aid services, make up, art, craft, food, health and hygiene packs. Street swags were in high demand and the live music kept everyone entertained. Vinnies took a lead role in the catering department. David Taylor, Vinnies Chef, coordinated a number of agencies, restaurants and donors to ensure there was great variety of beautiful food including antipasto, roast pork and pesto, pasta, through to the traditional snag and sauce. Restaurants that supplied services included Spellman’s Tramontana in the city, Bogarts at Parap and Mr Barra at Fisherman’s Wharf just to name a few. It would be good to support these restaurants!
ABOVE: VINNIES FOOD COURT A GREAT SUCCESS!
Vinnies provided very popular Health and Hygiene packs, which included deodorant, tooth brush and razor, a vitamin supplement and a bottle of hand sanitiser, small luxuries that those doing it tough cannot afford. Vinnies also assisted in the distribution of Street Swags and provided tea and coffee through our St John’s College volunteers. Some of our Ozanam House clients were involved in the entertainment, such as organising the living sculptures, story telling and not to forget the official poster design. The event was considered a success by the scores of agencies and the 100s of people that attended and showed that there are plenty of people out there who care - good works by all!
ABOVE: MIKE GREEN (VICE-PRESIDENT, V/CARE), MIKE BYRNE (OPS MANAGER, V/CARE), LYNETTE TRAU, BRADLEY AND SHELLEY, HELPING OUT AT THE VINNIES STAND.
OLSH CONFERENCE ALICE SPRINGS The OLSH Conference was re-established in March 2009. It currently has 12 active members and approximately 30 volunteers. The Food Van and the Emergency Relief Program are the major services the conference operates. The Food Van has volunteers from numerous churches, and the youth group from OLSH College. The Van was busy over Easter, catering for the large numbers of visitors in Town. The aim of the Van, is not just about serving food, but rather to connect with our marginalised community members and share some time together. This experience has a profound effect on many of the volunteers and the needy, as relationships and trust levels develop. Client numbers can vary from 3 to 50 on any night, which keeps the Volunteers on their toes. ABOVE: OLSH STUDENTS VOLUNTEERING ON THE NEW ALICE SPRINGS FOOD VAN.
Emergency Relief is a program whereby Vinnies supply assistance
NT Newsletter/May 2010
Families in Friendship The Ltyentye Apurte Community Education Centre (Santa Teresa School) and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College (OLSH) together with the St Vincent de Paul Society have established a new relationship building program called the ‘Families in Friendship Program.’ Behind the scenes the program started in March 2009 and had it’s first formal gathering at Santa Teresa community on 14 February 2010. The program comes from the understanding that many students and families would like the opportunity to have a positive relationship and build connections with families from a different culture. The Program provides an opportunity for children and families to have fun and learn about other cultures and build friendship connections. The initial program is working with Year 4 students and their families. On Sunday 14 February 12 families (45 parents and kids) caught the bus from Alice Springs to Santa Teresa. The families were greeted by the Santa Teresa community. The first half hour or so was spent preparing for the BBQ while the kids played in the school playground. It was then time for a swim in the oasis of the tranquil Santa Teresa Community Swimming Pool. After a good swim and a heap of tricks – everyone was pretty hungry. It didn’t take long for the feast of BBQ, salad and sweets to be consumed. The day finished with a game of cricket in the car park while the ‘adults’ cleaned up. A lovely afternoon; everyone is looking forward to the next fun day. Anthony Fogarty Programs Manager
TOP LEFT: THE KIDS LINED UP TO JUMP IN THE POOL MIDDLE: A SPOT OF CRICKET BEFORE LUNCH BOTTOM LEFT: SANTA TERESA PRINCIPAL GREG CROWE SHARING HIS WICKET KEEPING SKILLS!
ranging from food packs, clothing, and essential household items through to bill payments and referrals to other agencies. Four Vinnies Conference members voluntarily operate this service from the Vinnies’ shop four days a week. Around 170 people have utilised the Program since January, which highlights the large amount of people doing it tough. To join the Alice Springs OLSH Conference, please contact Bernie O’Grady on 0447 414 992.
OLHC Conference Palmerston
Pictured left to right: Erica, Jill, Kay, Sarah and Kath
A themed get-together ‘Bring a plate to share starting with any of the letters with SVDP’ was a great start to a wonderful OLHC Conference get-together. We had Seafood, Vino, Dips, and Pies. Thanks to Kay and Jack for your hospitality. It was great to be able to share stories of our busy lives outside of our Vinnies work. This get-together shows we may need to party more often and get to know our fellow volunteers better!
NT Newsletter/May 2010
ABOVE: Family associated with Vinnies East Timor
Twinning – Assist a Student Australia’s St Vincent de Paul Society is “twinned” in partnership with 14 countries. The object of the partnership is to assist our twinned countries establishing self-sufficiency through the support of local Vinnies groups. Conferences (parish groups of Society members) express their twinning commitment by sharing their spirituality through prayer, their culture through letters and financial resources through a basic quarterly contribution. Each of the Northern Territory Conferences is twinned to one or two overseas Conferences. Most of these are situated in Indonesia. For example, the Holy Spirit Conference in Casuarina is twinned to a Conference in Dili, Timor Leste.
ABOVE: Polly at the Van
An extension of this “Twinning” is the ‘Assist a Student Program.’ The Assist a Student’ program gives individuals the opportunity to provide funding for an education scholarship to a student from the twinned country. The Northern Territory has been very involved in this scheme with usually more than 200 students annually being sponsored. Most of these students are from Indonesia and East Timor. Refer to the front page for more information regarding the 2010 appeal.
People Profile - Young Achiever Awards
Reflection on Pentecost
This year Vinnies nominated two of its young people for various NT Young Achiever Awards.
I had a wonderful opportunity to go on pilgrimage early this year to Israel and Rome with Fr John, Bernie O’Grady and the Catholic Education Team. What an inspirational journey; to walk on the ground where Jesus walked and spread his message; his concern and love for the one’s in need – the ones who hungered for the loving touch - the healing hand - the word of hope - the forgiveness for mistakes made - to start to live a meaningful life right now – and the courage to pass the message on.
Polly Henry won the Community Services Award. Polly has been volunteering on the Vinnies SOS Van for over two years, and she also volunteers with other organisations and at Kormilda College, where she completed Year 12 in 2009. Congratulations Polly on this great achievement and for your efforts. This sentiment was supported by one of our clients to the food van, who said (when Polly took a cake down to the food van) “Thank you for sharing your beautiful cake and your beautiful you.” Daly Kelly made the finals in three categories – Community Service, Science and Engineering and Excellence in Youth Leadership. Daly was a founding member of Vinnies Youth (Mary Mackillop Conference) in the Northern Territory. He was the President from 2007 to early 2010. He regularly volunteers at ‘Buddies Day’ where the kids love him. He also provides mentoring to the other Buddies Day leaders. As well as volunteering at Vinnies, Daly excelled at University while completing his Engineering degree and has recently become a dad with his lovely wife Jacinta, also an active member of Vinnies.
This great spirit of God that transformed the apostles on Pentecost and converted Paul to go everywhere to share this transforming love to all near and far, was alive and strong during the pilgrimage. As I stood at St Peter’s in Rome, I saw the statue of St Vincent de Paul, spreading God’s redemptive power, so that people would see the light of Christ. I thank God for all the gifts of the Spirit that are poured out upon those who are open to God’s universal love, so they in kind will be able to reach out to all those around them, especially those in greatest of need. This is our vision as members of the Society, respecting dignity, sharing our hope, and encouraging people to love God and each other. What gifts & fruits of the Spirit do we possess and are willing to share in love? Erica McMaster, OLHC member and pilgrim to The Holy Land
NT Newsletter/May 2010
ABOVE: CRICKET BEFORE LUNCH – Families in Friendship Program at the Santa Teresa community
ABOVE: NATIONAL YOUTH COORDINATORS MEETING
ABOVE: Social Housing, ‘turning the first sod’ Damian Hale MP (Member for Solomon), Marg, Dr Chris Burns, MLA (NT Minister for Housing), and Janet.
ABOVE: VAL, GETTING INTO THE EASTER SPIRIT AT THE PALMERSTON CENTRE
ABOVE & TOP: Vinnies Immersion Program - big and small kids all having fuN!
NT Newsletter/May 2010
St Vincent de Paul Society (NT) Inc. 107 Dickward Drive Coconut Grove, 0810, Northern Territory Phone: (08) 8948 8100 Fax: (08) 8948 2844 Email: admin@svdpnt.org.au Website: www.vinnies.org.au/nt