Changing Landscapes
Ritual marks formal partnership between Sisters of Mercy parramatta Congregation and Women’s Community Shelters (WCS)
Date Posted:
04-Sep-2018
L-R: Margaret Sheppard - Congregation Councillor, Maria Lawton - Congregation Vicar, Annabella Daniel - WCS CEO, Kris Neil - WCS Chair of Board, Mary-Louise Petro - Congregation Leader, Margaret Jones - Congregation Councillor, Patricia Bolster - Congregation Councillor
A significant historical event in the history of St. Michael’s Baulkham Hills took place for our Congregation on Saturday, 16th June. A fresh ‘landscape’ was celebrated in the form of a moving ritual which marked the formation of a formal partnership between ourselves and Women’s Community Shelters (WCS), an organisation which provides Shelters for women and children escaping domestic violence.
The ritual, marking the formal ‘moment’ started with a photo story which captured in images the 116 years of St. Michael’s and showed how St. Michael’s Orphanage had creatively adapted and embraced the changing faces of social welfare.
Transforming across the years, the Orphanage, founded in 1902, had become a Children’s Centre and finally a Family Centre which offered on site Family Day Care, Long Day care, Occasional Day Care and crisis accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence on-site and in five houses off-site. Following its closure an initiative titled St. Michael’s Fund had been established in 2016, and continues to fund organisations which mirror the mission of St. Michael’s.
As part of the ritual, and flowing from the photo story, the lighting of four candles recognising each major step of St. Michael’s history, was followed by the reflective reading of a section from our Chapter Statement which highlighted a section: “We will open our hearts to the cries of the poor, using our energies, gifts and resources to address violence and discrimination, especially for women and children”.
Annabelle Daniel, Chief Executive Officer of WCS, then spoke touchingly about WCS’s deep connection with St. Michael’s and the Parramatta Sisters of Mercy, especially recognising the Congregation’s connection with one of WCS’s Shelters – The Sanctuary – which, together with some other similar organisations, have been filling a much-needed gap in services in the Hills Area following the formal closing of St. Michael’s. It was this connection and other networking that led the Congregation to formally welcome WCS as a partner – in spirit, in participation and in financial support.
L-R: Annabelle Daniel (CEO WCS), Kris Neil (Board Chair WCS)