Interview conducted by Theresia Titus and Amanda Murthy
We are privileged to have with us today, Caritas Australia Social & Ecological Justice Animator WA/SA Deacon Paul Reid. Welcome to the show.
Deacon Paul: First, let me explain my title as it has the name animator in it. My role is bringing social and ecological justice to life!
Doing charity work like yours, I can imagine it may not always be a smooth sailing ride – having to ask for donations constantly and campaigning to raise money. Can you share what inspired you to get involved with Caritas Australia?
I believe this has much to do with my faith journey – I am in my 15th year of ordination to the Permanent Diaconate. The word diaconate comes from the Greek word Diokonia, the Christian theological term that encompasses the call to serve the poor and oppressed. The purpose of a deacon includes serving ministries of charity, with our model being Christ, the Servant. Four years ago, I was given this opportunity to serve Caritas. And so, I believe my faith journey connected me to this role in a great way.
What is your mission with Caritas Australia?
Caritas Australia is an international aid and development agency of the Catholic Church in Australia. We are one of 162 agencies operating in 200 countries. Our mission is to help end poverty, promote justice and uphold dignity through effective partnerships in humanitarian relief and development by transforming hearts and minds in the Australian community. My role here is extensive. With six dioceses under the WA/SA banner, I need to keep focused on going back to Pope Francis’ words in Laudato Si “…hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.’ In my role, I engage with clergy, parishes, schools, and the wider community and be Caritas’s voice through awareness and fundraising initiatives. I need to be the voice of the voiceless. Fundamentally the role demands good leadership of teams – volunteers and diocesan directors. I need to empower, delegate, and trust their capabilities to handle the task given to them to serve the poor.
This year’s Project Compassion theme emulates the prayer of Caritas’ patron saint Oscar Romero ‘Aspire not to have more but to BE MORE.’ What can you share about the impact the ‘spare change’ can have on the recipients’ lives?
Over the past 55 years of PC, our donations have grown in dollars, and how we receive donations – the Project Compassion boxes are the best way of collecting these funds. These days, we also can use the envelopes provided online and by phone for donations. The impact these donations have on the lives of those that we serve is quite profound. Our Caritas partners in those countries where we have programs give us first-hand accounts of what the communities are experiencing in real-time. When the pandemic eases, we will be able to travel and see for ourselves. But for now, we have produced videos of people from all around the world who have received help via PC. The Catholic community in Australia has helped us to help them to become self-sustaining.
To give everyone an idea – Roughly how much is collected for Project Compassion per year?
For years 2016-2019, we collected roughly $11 million per year. The Archdiocese of Perth contributed around $1.2 million from that amount. However, we experienced a 30 per cent drop in donations in the Archdiocese and nationally due to the pandemic.
How does Caritas Australia determine which country or which group of people are chosen to receive the funds?
We receive as many requests for help as you can imagine—our work incudes our own First Australians, Pacific, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. We need to carefully research programs by meeting communities to understand their situation – shaped by Catholic Social Teaching principles of subsidiarity and participation.
Besides supporting PC, what are some of the ways the public can get involved and ‘do their part’ to help those suffering worldwide?
That’s an excellent question. I’m glad that you asked how the ‘public’ can get involved because we also want to reach out beyond our parishes, schools, and Catholic organisations to build a broader supporter base. Along with PC, we have other appeals in times of humanitarian emergencies – cyclones, earthquakes, famine and pandemics included. Catholic Earthcare is now a program of Caritas. We need volunteers, particularly for our advocacy initiatives for climate change. We also need to be prayerful, and Caritas offers online sessions during Lent via Zoom. Each Thursday at 7pm WA time, you can join us for a time of prayer, reflection and discussion from the comfort of your home. In these sessions, you will also be able to engage in a Q&A session with a Caritas representative from the country of the PC story of the week. Details are on our website.
Why is compassion a vital part of being more in today’s world?
Our Gospel from PC Sunday was taken from Mark 1:40 to 45 – It speaks about a leper that was isolated but defied the Jewish law and went to Jesus, who did the unconventional thing – He reached out His hand and touched the leper and healed him. This was the perfect demonstration of hope in action. Jesus was going in a bold direction, irrespective of the cost. Jesus’ compassion showed us what it is to BE MORE.
** Please note this is a condensed version of the podcast.
For more information on Caritas Australia, go to www.caritas.org.au