Celebrating Margaret O'Donnell

I was struck by how many people we needed to let know about Margaret’s death. The call went out through the country and all around the globe that Margaret had gone home to Jesus. And the variety of people! From the Archbishop of Perth, to the Aboriginal folk in Redfern. In England, Belgium, Germany, The United States, Japan and New Zealand, people celebrated the life of this extraordinary woman, and grieved her loss.

Margaret was one of those rare people who loved with an unbounded heart, loving people with an intensity that was only matched by her fidelity in relationship. This fidelity provided so many people a refuge in a world that often struggles to love.

For myself there are few words that can express my grief for this woman who was:

• sometimes my Sister; who would ‘dob’ me in to my Mum and Dad and tell them when I was indeed smoking again when I’d told them I’d given up;
• sometimes my Mother; telling me to get a haircut and to “put your shoes on Lucy don’t you know you’re in the city?”;
• sometimes my Grandmother; clasping me to her bosom with those strong arms of hers and planting whiskery kisses on my cheek, telling me that she loved me when it seemed like she was the only one who did.

I have only ever received one marriage proposal in my life and that was from Margaret!

Most importantly though she was my friend and I am proud to say I was hers. But I know that I am not unique.

So many of you reading this were embraced by Margaret’s strong arms and held safe.  So many of you sat with Margaret in the last months of her life, finally able to be present to her in the way she had been so present to us.

Over the 10 years of my journey with Margaret I watched her love so many of the assistants who came to her home in Burwood. She loved each of them into life, over and over again. After their time with us they left as people with bigger hearts, missioned as it were by Margaret to share the love they had received from her.

So I give thanks to God for this woman, this wonderful amazing woman who changed the world just by being who God called her to be, and who I know is now with Jesus in the fullness of life.

Cameron Cutts

Community Weekend

“Who Are We?” was chosen as the timely theme for this year’s community weekend, held in the beautiful Christian Brothers centre at Mulgoa.  As usual, the weekend was a great opportunity for all members of the community to come together and enjoy each others’ gifts and to have fun.

We began on Friday night with a few songs, games, and a bit of belly-dancing(!), before settling in early to prepare for Saturday…. As well as group sessions and activities around the theme, on Saturday we also had some free time in which to play cricket, do some art, sit and have a cuppa and a chat, or whatever we wanted really. It was a great informal time to build our relationships with each other.

On Saturday night, we had a “talent night”, in which all were made to participate in at least one act. It was great fun, and revealed a lot of talents – cross-dressing seemed a particular theme of this year’s festivities…!!

The weekend finished up on Sunday, with our commitment ceremony. This year our symbol was a rock climbing carabina – a small but invaluable little device that keeps you connected to the rope that supports your climb. Climbers choose when they feel they need extra support, and click their carabina onto the rope. In a similar way, it is always our choice as to whether we are active in participating in our community, and whether or not we allow community to become an important part of who we are.

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Office Opening and Blessing

Officiated by Fr Michael Walsh, C.M. the Official Opening and Blessing of the new premises of the L’Arche Sydney office was held in July. 

The community gathered together for prayer and thanksgiving for the many blessings we have been given.

The administration staff, Anne and Julie, were given a special blessing and we unveiled portraits of each of our Core Members.

The afternoon was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and have fun.

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Unity in Diversity

Christmas celebrations were amazing this year in L’Arche Sydney. Our annual Christmas party held at Burwood house was great fun, especially with the arrival of Santa Claus. Raid, one of our overseas assistants, who is from Iraq, dressed up as the familiar figure and entertained everyone with ‘ho ho ho’s’ and handing out lollies.

At our Christmas luncheon, as is our custom every year, we enacted the Christmas story once again. This year it was extremely touching as Raid read the story of the birth of Jesus in Arabic from the Koran, after which Cameron read it again in English. As part of the pageant, the three wise men consisted of Raid, a Muslim man from Iraq, Manu, a Hindu man from India and Fabian, a Christian man from Germany. We can’t help feeling that the sacredness of this moment captured something of the unity inspired by the birth of Jesus.

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L'Arche Sydney Australia Day Celebrations

L’Arche Sydney members and friends gathered at our Burwood house for an inaugural Australia Day ‘barbie’ recently. Apart from sharing the odd ‘snag’ and indulging in pavlova, we entertained ourselves with traditional Australian songs, pin the tail on the merino and a very refined ‘thong tossing’ competition.

We were joined on the day by a group of Korean visitors including Mr Song and his family, who are involved in Friends of L’Arche in Korea. Mr Song is currently on the board in Korea and is hoping that a L’Arche Community will be able to begin in the very near future. We are not sure what our visitors made of our celebrations but are sure they will have lots of stories to tell about the Australian culture!

Michael Hill carries the torch for L'Arche Sydney

L’Arche Sydney nominated Michael Hill to carry the Queen’s Baton as part of the Commonwealth Games relay.  Michael carried the torch on Wednesday 25th January in Merrylands and did the Community proud. 

He had stated prior to the event that he would be walking with the torch over the 500 metres but those of us who watched him can testify that he ran the length of his journey in style.  (Needless to say, he required physiotherapy after the event and had to forgo his usual tennis and golf commitments the following week!)

Michael has been involved in L’Arche Sydney for more than 20 years and has volunteered hundreds of hours each year as a board and council member. 

Apart from being the Chairperson of the Board, Michael looks after the maintenance in our three houses, takes a keen interest in the well being of each of our members with disability, accompanies Assistants and plays the odd golf and tennis game with those people willing to take up his challenge. 

Our Community would be a very different place without Michael Hill.  Thank you for your love and commitment to us.