Catholic women help fund Catherine House project
News
It was a very welcome Christmas present for one of South Australia’s best known homelessness services when around 20 members of the Catholic Women’s League (Archdiocese of Adelaide branch) gathered at the Adelaide Diocesan Centre in early December.
The CWLSA, which was founded in 1914 under the motto of ‘Charity, Work and Loyalty’, proved true to its auspice of promoting social justice when it donated more than $1million to support building a new Catherine House.
This new building will support South Australian women who are experiencing homelessness and domestic and family violence.
CWLSA State president Sue Williams said Catherine House was well known to CWL members.
“A lot of branches like Catherine House because it fits with the CWL mission of building culture of life and advocating respect for human beings,” she said.
The CWL supports a current initiative of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference for Pastoral Life called ‘Walking with Love’ of which one of the aims is the prevention of domestic violence.
The donation will go towards an outdoor area within the new premises and fits the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations planting Hope campaign which encourages members to plant trees to help combat climate change.
The money for the CWL donation came from the sale of a childcare centre on East Terrace in Adelaide the building had previously been a hostel dating back to 1918 and also a World War II armaments factory.
Jaylee Cooper, manager for philanthropy and engagement at Catherine House, said the charity had a close relationship with the CWL through its collaborations on social justice issues with the Sisters of Mercy, the founders of Catherine House.
The present home for Catherine House was built in 1987 by the Mercy Sisters in partnership with the South Housing Trust and the Adelaide City Council.
Construction is already underway on the $36 million New Generation Catherine House, a purpose-built accommodation facility which will transform how women experiencing homelessness, domestic and family violence and trauma are supported in SA.
Delivered in partnership between Catherine House and Housing Choices SA, the project will deliver 52 new apartments alongside a dedicated Women’s Centre offering trauma-informed recovery, education, wellbeing and training programs under one roof.
“Each month, Catherine House receives 180 self-referrals and 40 agency referrals with over 60 per cent of enquiries linked to domestic and family violence,” said Catherine House director Julie Duncan.
The new home will provide more women, including infants and children, with vital access to crisis accommodation and recovery-focused services, to help support the most vulnerable members of society, she said.
As well as support from the CWL, the project is receiving Federal and State funding and other philanthropic donations.
Construction of the new home is expected to be completed next year.
