Caritas Diocesan Co-Ordinator Sister Janet Palafox has this week thanked generous supporters, including schools and parishes across Western Australia, for their help in raising a record-breaking $11.57 million nationally during Project Compassion 2015, joining in solidarity with the world’s poor.
Project Compassion is the major fundraiser of Caritas Australia, the Catholic Church’s international aid and development agency, and is held annually for six weeks during Lent.
The Archdiocese of Perth, and Dioceses of Broome, Bunbury and Geraldton, raised a total of nearly $1.54m towards the total, an increase of more than $43,000 in 2014.
Money raised will help thousands of vulnerable communities in more than 30 countries globally in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Pacific and Australia.
Sr Janet Palafox said she is overwhelmed and humbled by the generosity of the Perth community.
“Our Archdiocese raised more than $1.327 million, an increase of about $40,000 from last year.
“This is truly amazing, considering that, as we are all aware, there is a downturn in the economy in WA and that many families are feeling the pinch.
“It means so much, especially with the government reducing its foreign aid budget and will most likely continue to do so,” Sr Janet Palafox said.
This year’s theme for Project Compassion was Food for Life and focused on Caritas Australia’s support for the world’s poorest people to establish sustainable food sources for life.
Head of Community Engagement for Caritas Australia, Helen Forde, said Project Compassion is an extraordinary, ongoing demonstration of the faith, love and generosity of caring supporters, all in the name of justice and peace.
“Pope Francis last year said, in response to the global food crisis, that it is truly scandalous. The Australian Catholic community has responded to that call, through their overwhelming generosity to Project Compassion in solidarity with those facing global injustice and extreme poverty,” Ms Forde said.
“Words can’t actually describe how I feel, because not only have our supporters, parishes, schools, bishops, clergy, volunteers, and staff all given so much during Project Compassion; this time, they’ve also responded generously with millions of dollars in support for communities affected by Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu and the devastating earthquakes in Nepal.”
Perth-based Caritas Global Education Advisor, Kerry Troost, said dozens of Just Leadership Days held across Western Australia demonstrated exceptional student and teacher leadership on global social justice. Just Leadership Days encourage students to become leaders for justice, in their schools and their communities, for both local and global change.
More than 150 schools and over 150 parishes in Western Australia fundraised for Project Compassion.
“Dozens of our schools across WA held the most extraordinary events during Project Compassion, from car washes to fashion parades, cake stalls and sponsored solidarity walks,” Ms Troost said.
“This money raised really helps us enable those communities globally to transform their lives, but by participating in learning more about global poverty, the students and teachers fundraising or participating in Just Leadership Days are themselves changed for the better.”
Find out more about Just Leadership Days or how you, your school or parish can get involved in Project Compassion in 2016 by phoning 1800 024 413 or visiting www.caritas.org.au/.