The joys and the hopes, the griefs and the anxieties of the people of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the joys and hopes, the griefs and anxieties of the followers of Christ. The Church in the Modern World #1 anrenpuoarlt 2015 383 Albert Street, East Melbourne Vic 3002. PO Box 146 East Melbourne 8002 Telephone: 03 9287 5566 Email: [email protected] Website: www.css.org.au ABN: 23 709 016 343 CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES VICTORIA annual report acknowledgements In carrying out its mission, Catholic Social Jan Hayes Anne Leyland Bishop Vincent Long Van Nguyen OFMConv Contents Services Victoria relies on the input of many Janet Cribbes Bernadette Steele Episcopal Vicar for Social Services people and organisations, as mentioned in Jenny Glare Bernie Cronin the various parts of this annual report. Rev Jim Curtain Patrice Scales Episcopal Vicar’s Report 3 Bernie Geary OAM Joan Donoghue Brenda Hubber Chair of Council Special mention has been made of our Joce Bignold Chair of Council’s Report 4-6 Sr Brigid Arthur csb member organisations, people from within Jose Quiroga Staff (at 31 December 2015) these bodies, the Bishops of Victoria and Julie Boffa David Schutz Executive Director’s Report 7-9 Fr Bruce Duncan CSsR Denis Fitzgerald others working with the Dioceses and other Julie Morgan Executive Director parts of the Church, and the members Julie Owens Fr Samir Haddad 2015 Activities Report` 10-15 of our Council and its Committees. Kairos Catholic Journal Professor Gabrielle McMullen Lucia Brick Financial contributions from our member Fr Kevin Mogg Gerard Jones Executive Assistant Finance Report 16 organisations, the Dioceses of Victoria and Kris Johnstone Monsignor Greg Bennet Helen Burt Catholic Social Services Australia have also Lansdowne Cafe Jenny Glare Senior Policy Advisor Council, Committees & 17-18 been highlighted. Laurie Findlay Hon Jenny Mikakos MP Lorraine Berends Peter Hudson Membership Jacqui Remond In this section, we also acknowledge with MacKillop Family Services Network & Member Support Co-ordinator Fr Joe Caddy Acknowledgements thanks the sponsorship, material support, Margaret Gearon Sophia Erikson and other special assistance, received from Margaret Nutbeam Kate Colvin Administrative Assistant the following: Marilyn Webster Libby Saunders Bishop Mark Edwards Sr Margaret Claver FCJ Aboriginal Catholic Ministry Mary MacKillop Heritage Centre Mark Northeast Mission of Catholic Social Services Victoria: Adrian Foley Sr Mary O’Shannassy sgs Melissa Brickell Alison Mann Matthew Etty-leal To assist the Catholic Church in Victoria to fulfil the gospel imperatives to: Micaela Cronin Anne Tuohey Michael Liddy Fr Max Vodola (a) Stand with and serve the poor, disadvantaged and marginalised; and Monsignor Anthony Ireland Michael Yore Fr Michael Casey (b) Work for a just, equitable and compassionate society. Antony McMullen Michelle Date Archbishop’s Office for Evangelisation Dr Nasir Butrous Br Michael Herry FMS Asylum Seekers Resource Centre Neil Cooper Fr Noel Connelly SSC Objectives: Australian Catholic University Dr Paul Taylor Patricia Faulkner AO Catholic Social Services Victoria is auspiced by the Archbishop and Bishops, and its member Belinda Cowie Rejoice Yigak Paul Carr organisations to act as a peak body for Catholic community service works in Victoria by: Bernadette Steele Roberto Guatemala Patrick Lawrence • Discerning and promoting within the Church and its agencies and ministries a contemporary Brenda Hubber Professor Ruth Webber Peter Charles vision and focus of the Church’s social mission Catholic Church Insurances Ltd Sally Parnell Peter Collery Catholic Communications Melbourne Sherry Balcombe Phil Glendenning • Representing its members and the Church in responding to social welfare issues so as to Catholic Development Fund, Archdiocese Sophia Erickson Phillip Steele bring about social change in accordance with Catholic Social Teaching of Melbourne St Ambrose Parish, Brunswick Ray Johnson • Resourcing the Bishops, Religious Institutes, Church agencies, ministries and other Church- Catholic Education Office, Melbourne Susan Sullivan Robyn McKay based groups with regard to their social welfare pastoral responsibilities and ministries Catholic Health Australia Tanya Corrie Catholic Social Services Australia Thomas Carr Centre Staff Fr Steve Curtain sj • Encouraging collaboration in the promotion of opportunities for service delivery and Catholic Super Tiffany Orbien Sandie Cornish mission development Che Stockley Tomasa Morales Tony Hollamby • Giving effective voice to the experiences and struggles of people who are disadvantaged and Christine Lai Vin Martin Vicki Clark marginalised through researching, publishing and speaking on issues of justice and equity. Cynthia Viti Pastoral Projects Office Bishop Vincent Long Evangelia Kladou Facilities & Reception staff The following members and friends The following sponsors have once again 383 Albert Street at Cardinal Knox Centre who gave presentations of various sorts been a generous and valuable support East Melbourne Vic 3002 Fr Greg Bourke during the year are also thanked and PO Box 146 East Melbourne 8002 Greg Pullen acknowledged: to the ministry of Catholic Social Telephone: 03 9287 5566 Jacinta Hyland Anne Kirwan Services Victoria Fax: 03 9287 5567 Email: [email protected] Website: www.css.org.au The following sponsors provided generous and valuable support to the ministry of Catholic Social Services Victoria ABN: 23 709 016 343 Design and print production by Communications Office, Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne 2 CATHOLIC SOCIAL SERVICES VICTORIA ANNUAL REPORT 2015 episcopal vicar’s report Dear Friends, This year has been believe that no one is ever beyond hope. God We are a society proclaimed by Pope does not give up on people, even if they give Francis as the Jubilee up on themselves. After all, we are not called which has of Mercy. By doing to have all the answers, understand all life’s forgotten how so, he wants it to be mysteries, or fix everyone’s problems. But we a special time for the are called to love especially the least of our to weep, how Church to contemplate brothers and sisters, to assuage their wounds, to experience the mystery of mercy to heal their hurt and brokenness. compassion – and become a more effective sign of God’s In this Jubilee of Mercy, let us reflect on and ‘suffering with’ action in the world. live out how we can best be the Church of the poor and for the poor; how we can others: the The Church, he be an oasis for the unchurched and the globalisation of maintains, is not a museum for saints disenchanted; how we can facilitate an indifference has but a hospital which heals the wounded, encounter with Christ’s radical equality, strengthens the weak and lifts up the lowly. inclusiveness and justice for the marginalized, taken from us the Its credibility is at stake when it lacks merciful wounded and victimized. Let us also reflect on ability to weep! and compassionate love for those who are and live out how we can be a more repentant, on the periphery or when it is removed and humble, listening and learning Church, the Pope Francis disengaged with the lived reality. Church that does not prefer status quo but at Lampedusa leads people in the direction of the kingdom, As Catholics and even more so as Catholic the Church that points humanity to fuller life, Social Service providers, we are called to be inclusion and justice. instruments of mercy, which means that we have to open our hearts to those living on the Bishop Vincent Long OFMConv., outmost fringes of society. We are called to Episcopal Vicar for Justice & Social Service CSSV Commissioning L to R: Deacon Jim Curtain, Fr Tony Kerin, Fr Maurizio Pettena, Fr Joe Caddy, Bishop Vincent Long, Bishop Mark Edwards 3 chair of council’s report “Mission is at once It would be very simple to look back on 2015 hope resonated with me very much. “It’s and see it only as another year of challenges best to not confuse optimism with hope,” a passion for Jesus and change for members of Catholic Social Francis is quoted as saying. “Optimism is a and a passion for Services Victoria. And indeed there have psychological attitude toward life. Hope goes been very difficult times as many face funding further. It is an anchor that one hurls toward his people.” uncertainties, increased demand for services, the future, it’s what lets you pull on the line and shortfalls in financial budgets, and the constant reach what you’re aiming for and head in ‘the Pope Francis need to re-configure the meaning of ‘mission’ right direction.’ Hope is also theological: in an increasingly secularized world. God is there, too.” Even in our not for profit sector, we still find Governance ourselves competing - for resources, for recognition of the complexity of the work, for Four priority areas guided our 2015 work acknowledgement that bigger is not always plan – the second year of CSSV’s three year better and that a local response is often better strategic plan. These priority areas - identity than a national solution. Uncertainty is never and shared commitment; the changing social easy, but at the very least change forces us to services environment; better outcomes for the disadvantaged and vulnerable, and our examine, re-examine and reflect on our shared response to the issue of sexual abuse – set mission of service for the disadvantaged. a taxing and challenging year of work for Boards, management and staff can feel proud Council, Committees and the Secretariat. that they have responded with such courage and intelligence in their mission-based work. Later in this report you will read a detailed review of the many activities and projects that In all this uncertainty, we must never forget that were completed during 2015. Of these, there we are ‘a people of hope’. As I come to the were many achievements, but I feel it worthy end of a four-year term as Chair of Council, I to mention the workshops on Catholic Social see beyond these challenges, to what I believe Teaching and the professional development is a future of great hope for our Catholic social program on Leadership for Mission that were service organisations.