LifeLink Day 2018

Alexsia Alvaro, Michael Fosberry and Thomas Eggington, were selected to attend the launch of Life Link Day for 2018. They travelled to Newman College with Miss Moffat and Mr Colangelo to celebrate the launch of Life Link Day in the Archdiocese of Perth. They were fortunate to listen to both Bishop Don Sproxton and Archbishop Timothy Costello speak about the works of the many agencies in our church that are supported from the funds collected on Lifelink Day. The Archbishop’s talk reminded us how we work with all agencies to celebrate the life giving presence of young people in the local Church and society and how we need to be good shepherds for all.

At school today we also raised money for LifeLink.

If you haven’t made a donation yet – the following website will take your donation. https://lifelink.com.au/donate/

Sarah’s Story: The Power of Prayer

Sarah is a softly spoken women, a loving mother to three children aged five and under and devoted wife to her husband. We sit at her dining room table as we chat. She apologises for being distracted as she attends to her two small children, one of whom is recovering from the flu. They have only just returned from dropping her son at school.

Although only a ten minute bus ride to the school, it’s hard, as she manages the three children and a pram on her own. Her husband needs the car to get to his work as a book-keeper, so public transport is the only option, even on rainy days like today.

Sarah and her family are originally from Jordan.

Life there was very hard.

“I worked as an Accountant and my husband worked as a Book-keeper but despite this, we couldn’t earn enough to survive each month. There were limited opportunities as members of a Christian minority, and we were very concerned about the future.

We moved to Perth almost three years ago, as my husband did research on the Internet and it seemed job opportunities here were plentiful. We already had working visa’s, so we left behind our family, our home, and came here for the sake of our children. Unfortunately, finding employment and a place to live was not so easy. Without references, employment, we couldn’t find anywhere to rent. It was months before we secured a very, very small unit.

We knew no one here and it was very lonely. After many months my husband found work packing shelves at Coles during the night. Money was scarce. Often, we would not have enough to feed ourselves but we always made sure that our children were fed first.

I found out about The Shopfront from some friends I had made at the local library, where I would take the children each day to escape our tiny unit. At The Shopfront, I found friends, a family, support… and for the first time, I did not feel lonely or sad or a stranger. I felt more positive and a strength grow within me.

The people at The Shopfront are truly wonderful. When we needed food, or clothes, or guidance, they have always been there for us. I am sharing my prayers with them every day at 11am, and feel blessed”.

Sarah and her family now live in a small, but lovely Homeswest unit. Thanks to an excellent reference provided by a friend she met at The Shopfront, her husband found work as a book-keeper, although they still face significant financial hardship each and every day. Sarah said “I pray to The Virgin Mary when I feel worried or most in need of help and you know what, every time I do, my prayers are answered”.

I asked Sarah what her hopes and dreams are for the future. She replied “I want my husband to be happy and not to have to work so hard and be so tired. I want my children to be happy and healthy and that we have enough to give them a good life”.

In 1994, the Archdiocese of Perth established the LifeLink an organisation, which includes community based social service agencies who can respond immediately and compassionately to anyone who is in need, and who reaches out for help.

This this act of reaching out is seen as a practical demonstration of ‘Faith in Action’.

We recognise in those we meet the face of Jesus… and we reach out with love.

LifeLink Day provides a wonderful opportunity to join together to support the many Church social service agencies – agencies which on behalf of us all, reach out to provide practical care and direct assistance to thousands of people in need within the community each year.

We don’t ask why people are in need; we don’t ask them to explain how; we don’t judge them nor do we condemn them, we simply say, “here’s someone in need; here’s someone who is finding life a real struggle at the moment; here’s someone who has the same hopes and dreams as we do, but whose life hasn’t work out the way they would have hoped – and we ask ‘How can I help?’

In his message to parishioners at the ‘2018 Winter Appeal for LifeLink’ Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB asks us to reflect on:

the plight of the homeless, who increasingly have a much more visible presence on our streets both here in Perth and nationally
the one in five children in Australia who are going hungry one day each week as families struggle to provide for life’s basic needs
the neglect and ill treatment of the elderly in poorly run nursing homes

We recognise these needs within our communities and through our faith, are called to –

Walk in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd.

Jesus presented Himself as the Good Shepherd, who has come “so that they may have life and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10).

How do we walk in the footsteps of the Good Shepherd?

And show mercy as in the parable of the Good Samaritan.

‘But the Samaritan…saw him and was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds …..and took care of him.’ (Luke 10: 25-37).

How can we be merciful/show mercy ….as the parable of the Good Samaritan?

It is the life and teachings of Jesus which make clear for us just how important it is that we demonstrate and express compassion, understanding and love for our brothers and sisters in need: that we lift our eyes, extend our hands, open our hearts and walk with those in need”.

We are all called to “do some good” in helping to heal the sick, caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, supporting the abused and the isolated, offering forgiveness and hope or in extending protection and care to those who seek it.

“Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18)

John summarises the need for Christians to act on love, not just think about it. It is important to communicate through our words, but we must also do so through our actions.

Jesus not only spoke about love, He provided powerful actions to match His teachings.

We pray……

Good and gracious God

We thank you for all we are, and all we have.

Everything we have is a gift from your generosity.

We wonder at your great kindness and rest in appreciation of your enduring mercy.

As we explore our responsibility as witnesses,

Fill us with the compassion of Jesus, your Son.

Give us eyes to see the needs of those around us,

In the faces of our neighbours near and far.

Give us hearts that are moved by the pleas of those in need

Give us hands that are eager to share what has been entrusted to us.