A sister relationship between Catholics in Haberfield and Wilcannia is sparking new friendships between the city and the outback town.
It’s a 12-hour drive between the inner west Sydney suburb and the remote NSW community of around 700 people who are served by the St John the Apostle Catholic Church, St Thérèse Primary School, and the Cooee Clothing op shop run by CatholicCare Wilcannia Forbes.
Over August and September St Joan of Arc parishioners, including its parish priest Fr Thomas Kurunthanam and former pastor Fr Phillip Zadro, helped to deliver four carloads of donated clothing, sheets, blankets and doonas to the op shop.
“We asked what we could do for them and they said it is very hard to get to Broken Hill to do their shopping for these sorts of purchases or to buy a gift for someone,” Fr Kurunthanam said.
“So we put the appeal to our parish with donations collected over one weekend in August and the response was overwhelming.
“When people heard about it they were very generous, including local shop owners who donated many brand-new items.”
Haberfield residents have regularly made the trip to Wilcannia in recent years and Parish Life Coordinator Sr Elizabeth Young RSM has joined the parish’s social justice group gatherings via Zoom.
“It’s a lovely connection and a very personal one,” she said.
“The great weakness here is the town’s remoteness and limited access to services but the Paakantyi people who form the majority of the people are a beautiful community to be part of.
“We’re grateful for this support for our op shop because it also provides an important service as a gathering place for people to socialise.”
St Joan of Arc’s social justice group member Margaret Cassidy said the partnership is all about putting Catholic social justice teaching into practice.
“We have an incredibly generous parish but it was important to us that we didn’t just give them money without forming real relationships with the Wilcannia community and finding out from them what their needs are,” she said.
Wilcannia Forbes Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green OSPPE is the parish priest and between him and other visiting clergy Mass is scheduled once a month.
Fr Kurunthanam said while the congregation, like its Darling River, has diminished in recent years Christ’s message and spirit are “very much alive and active” in Wilcannia.
“The message, charity and the nearness of Christ can be experienced there, even though his ministers are few and far between,” he said.