OVER the course of three weeks recently, Lutwyche parishioners collected more than 8000 toiletry items for the homeless and needy.
On July 25, 110 people aged eight to 80 from across the parish and Holy Cross School, Wooloowin and St Mary of the Cross School, Windsor packed the items into 618 Basic Bags for Micah Projects to distribute to the homeless and others in great need.
Over the same period parishioners from the four parish communities gave a total $3735 for the work of its two St Vincent de Paul conferences.
The Micah Night project was organised by the Lutwyche Parish Pastoral Council.
“I was absolutely delighted with the involvement and generosity of the parishioners and school communities,” parish priest Fr Jose Thekkemuriyil said.
“It was a wonderful night and a unifying experience for the whole parish.”
Pastoral council chair Geoff Gowdie said the project worked so well because “it was practical and allowed for the involvement of all ages”.
“Whole families could participate – and did,” he said.
“People who could not attend the night could still donate items and cash.
“It supported both our own homegrown charities (SVdP) and a charity beyond ourselves (Micah Projects).
“It involved all six parish and school communities, as well as parishioner contact networks – workplaces and other schools like (St Joseph Gregory) Terrace and Padua College, Kedron).
“It was not one dimensional – as well as action, there was education (speakers from Micah Projects and SVdP), prayer and reflection, and other experiences – a meal of soup and bread rolls prepared by parishioners to emulate what is supplied by night vans that feed the homeless.”
Mre Gowdie said photos were taken and a short video snapshot of the night was made.
“These were shown to parishioners at Mass in the weekends following so those who could not attend the night could see the fruit of their efforts,” he said.
The parish is planning to hold a major social justice outreach event each year.
In 2013 it held a SWAG Night along similar lines where the focus activity was the folding and packing of sleeping swags for the Street Swags organisation to distribute to the homeless.
