A NEPALESE priest gave an eye-witness account of the life-changing work being done by Caritas in his home country at the first ever Project Compassion launch from Brisbane’s Queen Street Mall on Ash Wednesday.
Fr Silas Bogati, of Kathmandu’s As-sumption parish, who is also executive director of Caritas Nepal, described how the organisation’s programs were helping farmers to create co-operatives and extend a helping hand to other struggling Nepalese families.
He was also guest speaker at other program launches around Queensland and New South Wales including the Vigil Mass at Toowoomba’s St Patrick’s Cathedral on Saturday, March 5.
Fr Bogati’s message highlighted the theme of this year’s Project Compassion campaign – “Partner with us to make a difference”.
Caritas Australia chief executive officer Jack de Groot, Archbishop John Bathersby of Brisbane and Consulate General of Nepal Michael Wille also spoke at the Brisbane launch.
Mr de Groot in his launch speech invited Australians, “who are generous to a fault, to make Caritas Australia their agency of choice”.
He described participation in Project Compassion as “a Lenten journey”.
“Through participation in Project Com-passion during the six weeks of Lent we answer Jesus’ invitation to open our hearts and hands with love and hope to the needs in our world,” he said.
“We are calling on Australians to live differently: to live in solidarity with marginalised communities, to live open to the stories of cultures different from our own and to live and be prepared to challenge unjust structures.
“Caritas is an institution which provides much hope for vulnerable communities.
“Last year, the generous support of Australians helped make Project Compassion its best yet at $9.3 million.
“We hope to see the same display of compassion this year to reach $10 million.”
Fr Bogati thanked the Australian people for their support to those living in hardship around the world, especially his own Nepalese people.
He noted this assistance had come through programs supporting refugees, opposing people trafficking and funding agricultural programs.
He told the story of 33-year-old farmer Kaluram, who lives with his wife and three children in Nepal’s densely populated south-west plains near India.
Caritas Australia has supported local partner Caritas Nepal to run farmer field schools in rice and vegetable farming since 2004.
Caritas Nepal helped establish a farmer’s co-operative, of which Kaluram became a member, to lease land and provide support and money for seeds and equipment.
Kaluram first heard about the program in 2006 and now earns enough money to educate his children.
Fr Bogati said more than 12,000 farmers, such as Kaluram, across Nepal had benefited from Caritas Nepal’s farmer field schools.
He said the success of such programs proved acts of mercy and compassion by Australians “go a long way to help people like Kaluram”.
Meanwhile, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference president Archbishop Philip Wil-son has urged Australians to support Caritas through Project Compassion.
“Caritas Australia gives expression to the Gospel imperative of pursuing justice and helping those suffering from poverty and disadvantage; Caritas, and the communities they support rely on the generosity of the Australian community,” he said.
“Our faith in Jesus Christ leads us to follow in his example of compassion for the poor.
“The Australian Catholic bishops wholeheartedly support this essential work of the Church that takes place through our international aid and development agency Caritas.”
