Priests, parishioners and parliamentarians were among the hundreds who showed their support for the poor by attending the Somascan Missions Dinner Dance at Liverpool’s Macquarie Paradiso on 21 February.
Organised by Somascan Missions, an Australian charity based at St Joseph’s parish in Moorebank, the annual event raised more than $347,000 for its local and global projects that assist orphaned, abandoned and impoverished children.
Over the past four years the evening of food, fun and fellowship has grown into a major fundraiser in Sydney’s south west, respected by local politicians who see the benefits of these local projects for their constituents.
Mayor of Liverpool Ned Manoun was among those in attendance along with the Federal member for Fowler Dai Le, State member for Liverpool Charishma Kaliyanda, State member for Holsworthy Tina Ayyad, Councillor for Canterbury/Bankstown Rachelle Harika and Federal member for Hughes Jenny Ware.
Manoun recognised Somascan Missions’ great contribution to his community in Liverpool and pledged his support to the charity’s community-building initiatives.
“I would like you to know that myself as the mayor of Liverpool City Council will always stand with you,” he said.
“We’ll always make sure that whatever it is that you need in the community to continue your mission, that you have the full support of Liverpool City Council.
“One day, the history books will write about Liverpool and they’re going to write about you and your children and about the contribution they made in this community.
“If we work together and have an ambitious vision for our community, an ambition that is based upon serving others and making this world better, we will make a better place for everyone.”
Moorebank/Holsworthy parish priest Fr Mathew Velliyamkandathil CRS and Glenmore Park parish priest Fr Johnson Malayil CRS were joined by their assistant priests Fr Chris de Sousa CRS, Fr David Romero Rodas CRS and Fr Sheldon Burke CRS with honoured guest Fr Hrudaya CRS, vice-provincial of the Somascan Indian province, which includes Australia.
Assistant priest at St Mary’s Cathedral Fr Benjamin Saliba returned to MC the event, entertaining the crowd along with fundraiser favourites DJ Mr Jayson and the Finesse Music Group.
New to the line-up was Almaza Caracoglia, an artist from Almaza Illustration who drew an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus live on stage throughout the course of the evening.
Delivering the keynote speech for the evening, Fr Chris de Sousa CRS gave an update on the charity’s local and global projects which include planning for a rehabilitation and formation retreat centre near Goulburn as well as the successful completion of remedial works to the Somascan Sanjivani community proposed as last year’s major cause.
“This community cares and educates poor tribal children in the interior of Telangana state in South Central India,” Fr de Sousa.
“These project works include newly restored toilet blocks for the schools, air conditioning for the dormitories and common rooms for the children and the community, where it can reach up to over 40 degrees in temperature indoors.”
“Also included were teachers’ funds, stationeries, fuel and maintenance costs for the buses and vehicles that transport these tribal children and provisions to poor families in the area.”
Turning towards NSW, the assistant priest spoke on two new projects aimed at giving local children the stability, community and education they need to develop into healthy adults.
The first is a new partnership between Somascan Missions and Settlement Services International SSI, a crucial service that provides advocacy and settlement of children into multicultural foster care, that will make a positive difference in the lives of local children who are no longer able to be cared for by their parents through no fault of their own.
The second is the recommencement of seeking approval for the establishment of Emiliani College in Sydney, to be a registered and accredited non-government K-12 school in the Somascan tradition.
Many generous donors added to the success of the evening with a number of silent auction prizes including a statue of Our Lady of Fatima which auctioned for $45,000, a record bid in the Dinner Dance’s four years.
For more information on Somascan Missions go to www.somascanmissions.org.au or email [email protected].