“Volunteering is a feature of our society that is needed and precious. Volunteers are truly signs of hope in action and in their acts of service, Perth Auxiliary Bishop Don Sproxton has said.
Speaking Sunday 25 May at the Mass for the Sixth Sunday of Easter at St Mary’s Cathedral, Bishop Don congratulated and thanked volunteers from across the Archdiocese in celebration of National Volunteers Week.
Head of Mission Enhancement for the Archdiocese, Dr Debra Sayce said the Mass was a unique opportunity to bring volunteers from across the Archdiocese together.
“Particularly to celebrate those who give generously of their time and energy to support Church agencies, ministries, and wider community efforts throughout Western Australia,” Dr Sayce said.
“We have some 350 volunteers supporting our agencies and each one of these people have been gifted with a skill and spirit of service which is a sign of God working in them,” she said.
Reflecting on the deep significance of volunteer service, Bishop Sproxton looked to both scripture and personal experience to convey its transformative impact.
Referring to the Gospel for the Sixth Sunday of Easter, Bishop Don emphasised Christ’s final discourse with His disciples, highlighting the unity and mission that flows from life in the Trinity.
He recalled his visit to Chisholm Catholic College for the blessing of its new Flexi Learning Centre, reflecting on the deep spirit of community that shaped his early education there.
“I spoke about the commitment of our parents to spend their Saturdays doing a number of jobs around the school,” he said.
“My father was one of those who contributed to carpentry work together with others in the building industry.”
Bishop Sproxton also remembered the humble example of his mother, who worked in a local St Vincent de Paul Society shop and occasionally gave clothes freely to those in need—often paying for the items herself when necessary.
“Mum got into some trouble, though, when she gave articles of clothing to some customers who were unable to pay,” he recalled with warmth.
“The supervisor told Mum she would have to stop doing this, ‘How will we be able to keep the shop going?’ Mum listened and from that point onward would pay for the items herself that were needed by a person in obvious need.”
It is stories like these, Bishop Don explained, that reveal the heart of volunteering—not just as service, but as witness to the Gospel and to the dignity of each person.
“Among the things that flow from this kind of service are the creation of lasting relationships, enrichment of lives and strengthening of communities by the presence of the volunteer and their engagement and connection with the people they serve,” he said.
“People feel that they are important and valued, and that they belong. Communities flourish.”
The Mass marked the conclusion of National Volunteer Week, which ran from 20 to 26 May under the theme “Something for Everyone.”
Archdiocesan agencies and Catholic organisations across Western Australia, including Vinnies WA, Catholic Outreach, The Shopfront, Identitywa, Centacare, and others, rely heavily on the commitment of volunteers to extend their reach and support some of the most vulnerable in our community.
According to Volunteering WA, more than 1.5 million people in the state contribute their time to formal and informal volunteering every year.
In the Catholic Church, volunteers support everything from parish liturgies and youth ministry to food relief, refugee assistance, aged care, and chaplaincy services.
As the Cathedral congregation gave thanks for these efforts, Bishop Don reminded all present that the Spirit is the source of love that inspires such giving.
“The Spirit offers us the gifts that produce love and the desire to serve without expecting anything back,” he concluded.
The Mass was followed by light refreshments in the Cathedral Parish Centre, where volunteers shared stories, reconnected with fellow workers in mission, and celebrated the community they help to build every day.