2023 RAILACO EVOLVES
It’s a quantum step forward for our relationship with Railaco to have a group of interested people around a table at the new St Canice Hub. They are keen to know more about how our Railaco relationship works and curious about how we raised a million dollars in a small parish environment since the start of the program.
It’s a quantum step forward for our relationship with Railaco to have a group of interested people around a table at the new St Canice Hub. They are keen to know more about how our Railaco relationship works and curious about how we raised a million dollars in a small parish environment since the start of the program.
Railaco – 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬
From our perspective, it’s important to have a representative group of new people of different ages to come on board to better understand the achievements in Railaco, and hopefully to get personally involved.
𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐨 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐖𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫
We’re backing a winner with Railaco. The whole St Canice Railaco project is a combined success story. The Feeding Program, Medical Clinic and Secondary School have ultimately been about social empowerment. Starting from pure handouts when they really needed it after the departure of Indonesian occupiers, the Railaco project has been evolving towards empowerment.
It’s a winner and it’s going somewhere. The Railaco parish needs us more than ever to maintain the momentum.
Stretched and struggling charities at the coalface of Australia’s housing crisis are in desperate need of a $150m helpline to save a wave of newly homeless Australians pushed onto the streets by rising rents, interest rates and cost of living pressures.
Canice’s Kitchen, an inner Sydney grassroots charity, connects with communities experiencing hardship, and for 30 years has helped individuals to manage homelessness or social exclusion. During Covid lockdowns, as with many organisations, they were forced to adapt their services so operations could continue. It was not straightforward, but they continued to safely prepare and deliver meals, and provide other vital services.
Thank you to the incredible generosity from the Sydney based Jesuit parish, St Canice, who has been a phenomenal supporter and companion to its sister Parish in Railaco, Timor-Leste since 2004.
During their recent St Ignatius Feast Day appeal, St Canice’s was able to reach a significant milestone of raising over $1 million for Railaco – thanks to 18 years of commitment and steadfast support from the St Canice’s community. “St Canice community, thank you! You found us at our rock bottom and you lifted us by feeding our hungry, providing service for our sick, and providing education to our youth! Thank you and God bless you for following Him in the mission,” said Fr Bong Abad Santos SJ, who runs the mobile medical clinic in Railaco.
Canice’s Kitchen featured on the ABC news to highlight the services offered to guests.
Fr Bong writes to us from Railaco:
St Canice community, thank you!
You have made us millionaires!
We are your poor sister community that by God’s grace made rich!
Our relationship goes back to 2004 when you found us at our rock bottom and you lifted us by feeding our hungry, providing service for our sick, & providing education to our youth!
Thank you & God bless you for following Him in the mission!!!
On behalf of the Sydney electorate, I wish to recognise the continued commitment of Canice’s Kitchen at St Canice’s Catholic Church in Elizabeth Bay to responding to people in need in our community.
For years St Vincent’s Hospital’s Homeless Health program has been taking healthcare to the people – now a new mobile health clinic is taking healthcare on the road.
