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Homeless Project
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11 Happy years at St Catharines As a Sister of the Society of the Sacred Heart, I had spent my entire religious life involved in the apostolate of education of young people, in different schools and countries, finding this ministry so inspiring and engrossing that I sometimes found myself thinking; ‘Is there a life for me after school?’ But indeed there was, and it began when I walked into the large airy dining room at St Catharine’s Homeless Project one sunny morning in August 1996. From that very first day I sensed the open friendly atmosphere in which each guest was welcomed, by Christian name – if possible – and at once made to feel at home. Conversation and sharing of ideas was encouraged. The busy days passed in helping and learning to be alert to needs, to listen to life-stories with their joys and sorrows and trying to respond with sensitivity, to make each one feel accepted and at home, to find a cheerful word for someone ‘out-of-sorts’ due to some mishap. It did not take long to realise that the great majority of our guests came for human contact and support as much as for food. I never forgot a remark made by one of them, ‘friendship and acceptance are very important when you feel lonely and unwanted – and we get that here.’ And so the years passed – eleven of them – amazingly quickly. One of the great benefits as a volunteer at St Catharine’s was the feeling of really ‘belonging’ to a team working to make life a little happier and easier for those less fortunate than ourselves. There was a real spirit of friendship and enthusiasm binding us together, generated by Sister Aelred who gave such an example of caring and dedication herself. So – after all – there was a life after school – not a new life – but a continuation of the former, one motivated and inspired by the unfailing love and compassion of the heart of Christ. Catherine Farrell RSCJ
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| © St Catharine's Mercy Centre 2007 | |||
