Living with Strength and Kindliness
This week is National Homelessness Week 1 – 7 August 2021
Everybody needs a Home!
National Homelessness Week is celebrated annually. Our College usually participates in the Sandhurst Winter Sleepout during this week. Disappointingly, this diocesan event has been cancelled due to Covid restrictions. However, it is important that we recognise this important event in our national calendar.
It has been with a sense of relief really that we have seen unprecedented support from governments and communities across Australia to help people sleeping rough during the current pandemic.
In recent weeks the Dan Andrews’ government has pledged a massive $150 million for a From Homelessness to a Home package, which will support over 2,000 Victorians to break the cycle of rough sleeping homelessness and transition into stable, long-term housing.
These investments from our state governments in addressing homelessness are welcome.
Did you know: In Australia there are over 116,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night?
Living Justice Living Peace
Our Living Justice Living Peace Guidelines call us to walk in solidarity with those who are vulnerable and on the margins of society. The guidelines also ask for us to seek change. As members of the body of Christ we are called to look for ways to bring the common good to all people in our world.
Access to housing is a basic human right, we need to take seriously the idea that,
“The starting point here is that housing is an inalienable human right. The next part of making sure all people have a home is a strong and sustained commitment to affordable, social housing. And bound up with all this is the need for a massive public education campaign. For far too long, people experiencing homelessness have been stigmatised.” (Professor Bell, Castan Centre for Human Rights, Monash University)
Did you know: Homelessness doesn’t discriminate – the homeless population comprises people of all ages and backgrounds?
Ending homelessness is possible, but not without leadership. Unfortunately, for too many of us, we have become desensitised to this issue. To see people sleeping on the streets and in parks as normal, inevitable and intractable. It is anything but, and our response to COVID-19 shows that. On any given night there are about 8,200 people sleeping rough in Australia and so far we estimate that 7,000 people have been temporarily sheltered since the crisis began.
What does our Catholic tradition have to say about taking care of those who are homeless.
The scriptures are pretty serious about the duty of Christians and the Church to care for the practical needs of the least in society.
Matthew 25:34-40
Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? …Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.
In this scripture passage we are reminded that those who feed the hungry, house the stranger etc., are by proxy serving God and will be welcome in his house. We are also learning that Jesus rebukes those who claim to be righteous while not helping their neighbour.
More information about advocacy for the homeless:
Visit Vinnies - https://www.vinnies.org.au/page/Our_Impact/homelessness-in-Australia/
Probono Australia: Read the 12-part series from ‘Housing All Australians’ which explores the role that housing can and should play within Australian society and why it is important to our economy that we house all Australians, rich or poor.
https://probonoaustralia.com.au/category/communities/housing-and-homelessness/
There has never been a better time to seek an end to rough sleeping homelessness in Australia than right now. It has taken a pandemic to necessitate some of the significant changes that we seen happening to help those who are homeless during this health crisis. Hopefully the changes we have seen are just the beginning of an intention to find a home for all.
Kirrilee Westblade
Catholic Identity Leader
Sandpiper and the Australian Catholics magazines have now gone digital!
Please see the link below to access: