By Paul Dobbyn
AWARENESS of how Catholics are supporting struggling parts of the world, including the Philippines and South America, was central to this year’s Queensland Project Compassion launch.
Guest speakers Caritas Australia chief executive officer Paul O’Callaghan and Latin America programs co-ordinator Siobhan Jordan presented challenging yet uplifting stories to students from Catholic schools across Brisbane.
Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge was also present to officially launch Project Compassion 2014.
The launch, held near the Francis Rush Centre in the St Stephen’s Cathedral precinct on March 4, also celebrated 50 years of Project Compassion in Australia.
Three weeks earlier, with Caritas chairman Adelaide Archbishop Philip Wilson, Mr O’Callaghan had visited an area of the Philippines devastated by Typhoon Haiyan.
“Here in Brisbane we have a beautiful, happy moment of singing, sharing the universal language of music,” he said.
“On our visit to the Philippines, in a small village near Bogo, we celebrated Mass in the church, one of few buildings intact; suddenly more than 1200 people turned up – more than could fit.
“Archbishop Philip and I were assuming nobody would be that joyful, nobody could be that hopeful … there had been so many deaths in that immediate area just two months before we arrived.
“Yet it was quite extraordinary … the choir was so strong, confident and vibrant; exuding hope and faith.”
Ms Jordan noted the confronting gap between favela dwellers and the affluent in Brazil “the world’s sixth-largest economy”.
She offered hope in her story of Maristely, a young woman helped by funds from Project Compassion.
Maristely grew up in a Brazilian favela in a house built of cardboard, with no electricity or sewerage.
Now, thanks to Caritas Australia’s support through Project Compassion, she is thriving in a home that is safe and well built.
Last year Project Compassion raised more than $11 million across Australia. Supporters from Brisbane Archdiocese contributed almost $1.3 million of this.
View the photo gallery below:
Photos: kissphotography
