Next week is National Homelessness Week. It’s an opportunity to recall that responding to the needs of our neighbours—especially people without basic necessities like stable housing—is a central part of our Catholic faith.
Bishop Daniel Meagher challenged us at a recent Mass for St Vincent’s Private Hospital in Sydney. He drew from the parable that describes the rich man who fails to notice the sick and homeless Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).
The bishop asked whether the hospital community know the people who frequent Green Park, just across the road, who are often marginalised and homeless.
“The danger is that we can talk about helping the vulnerable, but do nothing, like the rich man in the Gospel, who did not even notice Lazarus at his doorstep,” Bishop Daniel said.
In response, he received an invitation: meet us at 5:45am at the top of Sydney’s Martin Place. The bishop was introduced to two St Vincent’s nurses, Erin Longbottom and Col Cheers, and a representative from the Department of Housing.
When they arrived it was still dark, with some people rising from bedding and waiting for the breakfast at St Stephen’s Uniting Church to start.
“We walked till about 8:30am, through Martin Place, the State Library, George Street, Wynyard, the train stations. Some were on the streets because the rents were too high. One person was forced out because of family violence,” Bishop Daniel said.
“Col and Erin offered first aid. We offered temporary accommodation to others. There was one fellow who was so cold that he couldn’t really think—Col bandaged the sores on his feet. Later, I saw him hobbling away. It was good to hear Col and Erin looking for different people whom they knew, where they normally slept.”
Homelessness in Australia is a tragedy on a grand scale. The causes are both diverse and complex, as are the solutions, but they’re not out of reach. Both health and housing are critical. We can bandage the wounds of Lazarus, but without a safe place to live he’ll continue to suffer.
The principle of solidarity in Catholic Social Teaching reminds us that we will find genuine solutions only by standing close to those in need and committing ourselves to their dignity.
Many people who sleep rough say they struggle with loneliness. They may love a chat, as one man told me, but most people just walk by them. As the city awakes, invisibility envelops the homeless.
“It became lighter and the construction workers arrived about 7am. The homeless were packing up their things and looking for somewhere to spend the day,” Bishop Meagher said.
“Soon the office workers began to arrive and the homeless became less and less visible. The face of the city was changing.
“Erin, Col and I had a cup of coffee to warm us up and then we went our separate ways. Over coffee I asked about the people at Green Park. The good news is that St Vincent’s has a BBQ for people in Green Park every Thursday.
“So, the question I raised at my homily—”Do we know our brothers and sisters at Green Park?”—was answered. Yes, we do.
“And, thanks be to God, the people of St Vincent’s go out of their way and with the government, get to know and assist our sisters and brothers throughout the city.”
St Vincent’s has been supporting people sleeping rough since our first hospitals were built more than 165 years ago. Today, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney operates NSW’s only designated homeless health unit, and St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne’s Emergency Department receives more than one quarter of Victoria’s presentations from homeless people.
Homelessness is a collective responsibility. Our advocacy as much as our understanding requires us to take the time to stop and listen to the people who are sleeping rough in our community.
That’s our experience at St Vincent’s: homelessness action begins with solidarity.
Bishop Danny’s homily offers a challenge to us all for National Homelessness Week: we belong to a society that continues to let people sleep rough on the street, and women and children shelter in their cars for lack of accommodation.
If we are to do better than the rich man in the parable, we must respond to their needs. We can help our community do more and better for our most vulnerable brothers and sisters by first taking time to get to know the real Lazarus on our doorsteps.