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St Vincent de Paul Society -Continuing their good works in our Diocese“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, protect the rights of those who are destitute. Speakout and pronounce a sentence of justice, defend the cause of the needy and the poor.” (Proverbs 31:8-9)WarracknabealIn early August 2007, I received a request to assist Bert and Joan to obtain a permanent Visa in Australia. This was anarranged marriage in the Philippines, one which they can be justly proud of.This family had been sponsored by a local machinery dealership to work as a qualified mechanic in Warracknabeal. They wereloaned money for temporary Visas, travel and associated costs to resettle in the small country town in my region, eg. rent,furnishings, etc. These costs were then deducted from his wage, which meant there was little to live on. Then they wereexpecting their first child – there were no Medicare benefits available to them due to the restrictions of the temporary Visa. Weused all our contacts to assist them through the pregnancy and eminent birth to a beautiful little daughter.Whilst settling in Joan showed an amazing ability to utilise all resources, eg. she bought a huge roll of material from a secondhandshop for $5.00, borrowed a sewing machine and made new and bright covers for her second-hand lounge suite. Weeventually gave her a sewing machine, which has proved most valuable. The cost of applying for this Visa was $5365.00. Thenumerous documents, eg. passport, birth certificates, marriage contract, police clearance, certified copy of licencedqualifications, was never ending. Checking the progress with the Department of Immigration takes months and tries one’spatience.With the assistance of John McLean and ABC Global Services (long and detailed), who were the agents who sourced andrecruited this family, plus interaction with the employer, we eventually obtained the necessary finance to apply for a permanentVisa. This also included a small loan, which the family diligently repaid.As you can imagine, the many letters, emails, phone calls, faxes and visits to the family were ongoing, but it was so rewardingas this family was so grateful and really appreciated our efforts. Only at the end of last year did we find out our application wasgranted, so allowing the family to eventually obtain the benefits we all enjoy.At our Regional Conference, we invited Bert and Joan to be our Guest Speakers on their experiences. They respondedbeautifully and all in attendance were so impressed, which makes our work so interesting and fruitful, not to mention myeducation into Government protocol and patience.Bride Schaefer, Wimmera Regional President, St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria Inc.Joan & Bert’s StoryPutting my pen down to write something about our life backhome is like reminiscing of what we left behind. It’s been awhile, but it seems like this page could not encompass thejoy and pains and the kind of life we had grown to love andaccept, but had to leave behind for the great opportunities -for a greater future that was laid at our feet.Bert and I both came from the lovely mountainous region ofthe Philippines and proud to say, a lovely place enrichedwith beautiful people and a culture that tourists love to comeand see. We both hail from the so-called “Igorot Tribes”,which is an ethnic minority of the country. Though we grewup with a culture that has its own tribal customs andpractices that we grew to love, accept and respect, we alsogrew up with a Christian faith that greatly differentiates usand separates us on the traditional practices of our ethnicity.Amidst the beauty of our roots and the luscious greenery ofour environs, it is also easy to proclaim the phenomenon offinancial instability and how the poor and average standard of living for people fills the major percentage of the levels of society.Beneath the rhetoric lies the reality of a system that puts personal profits ahead of millions of lives. That’s why we grew up withparents inculcating on our minds the value of education and how it is the best and only inheritance they could ever impart on us.It is the key of the good life we have always aimed for.Our parents strove to send us to school and university to be somebody, as only Batchelor Degree holders could hold a positionor a job in the society. But then employment is so hard that we have always dreamed and tried our luck in applying for jobsabroad. Before Bert and I got married, he was like a working treadmill of long, low paid hours, knowing not when he is going toget paid – in the next month or next three months – or maybe not. And there I was, not keeping a good job also as the monthlypay was too low or the opportunity was too unlikely for me. I ended up helping my Mum in a business that didn’t work out aswell, as competition was too tight.
We were both in a position thinking of how we could finance our upcoming wedding. But we lived in faith that God wouldprovide all our needs. Indeed, by God’s grace, we had a beautiful wedding – more than we could ever have hoped for.Ironically, just a few weeks after the wedding, Bert left for this beautiful country for a job he was so blessed to have. It’s like wejust got married and then he’s going away again. Though the time was too short for us to be together, we have always lookedforward to that day when we could be together again, in this new country our God had set forth for us to build our new lives.We came from a place where income alone is insufficient to provide a decent standard of living and well-being, wherein life isthe tyranny of late or unpaid bills and escalating debts without the hope of being able to pay it off. Now, here we are in abeautiful place, enriched with beautiful people and enjoying every moment of it. Though sometimes it really gets tough, we justtake one day at a time and thank God always that He is really looking after us as He had always done. Truly, we started withnothing but wherever, whatever and whoever you are, we’ve always believed that life is what you strive to make it - and notforgetting who you were and where you came from and who were with you - because it’s what makes you distinct and moveforward.Birchip – The Garcia Family StoryAs I set forth to sail to Australia, I am very much hopeful that Icould one day have my family with me and be raised in thisplace. I thought to myself that I am really so lucky to be chosenas one of the five Mechanics that our employer selected towork in J J O’Connors Company, out of 18 applicants.During my first days here, I observed the good traits that theAustralians have towards foreign workers. They are veryfriendly, trusting, honest and always greet you whenever theysee you in the street. They are very warm, generous andcaring people. That’s why when my boss told me I could nowget my family, it’s really an answered prayer.As soon as my family arrived, that’s the time that we reallywere in need of financial aid. Well, with the four kids and I wasthe only one earning at that time and with piles of bills thatneeded to be settled, we were really in financial distress.Thank goodness that one day St Vincent de Paul played Santa,as it was nearly Christmas time when my family arrived here,offering some goods not only for the kids, but for the entire family. It was really a memorable Christmas that we had. And itdoesn’t end there, because when the school year started, St Vinnie’s again showed their generosity by giving us the schooluniforms, bags and all the things that my kids would be needing for their schooling, plus the payment of their school fees. I wasalso helped by the School Principal, Mr John Richmond, who bought shoes for my kids out of his own pocket. He even helpedmy wife get a job, by being one of her referees.Maybe the workers of St Vinnie’s had seen my difficulties in our settlement here, because one day Mrs Merrilyn Kelly, togetherwith Mrs Moya Connelly and Mr Brian Lea, came to our house asking what else we needed, and I took that opportunity to sharemy problems with regards to my residency status. Having permanent residency, it would surely lighten my load. And I also letthem see what I am receiving as my wages and what is left after paying all the bills. And they noted that I am really in need offinancial aid. They decided to help me in the process of my application for permanent residency.During the processing of my permanent residency, maybe I was struck by bad luck. I say that because our permanentresidency application was denied or disapproved on the first attempt due to some reasons. It takes us six months to wait, thenwe received that information. It was really very depressing that time because we were hopeful that we would get the approvaland then it was not.Then we asked the help of Mrs Merrilyn Kelly, who has been very supportive to us, and she tried her best to be of help, to thepoint that she is ringing our Case Officer and asking them what else we need to submit just to be able to get the approval.Then on February 25, 2009, after more than a year in the making and with our Case Manager who handled our case, we got ourresidency at long last. This we owed to the unending support that we got from the good people of St Vincent de Paul. Really, Ifeel blessed to have had their help in our settlement in this beautiful place of Birchip. Now I can say that I, too, can do my shareand be one of them, that’s why I joined St Vincent de Paul. In addition to that, I am also an active Church worker - being acollector – and also a Lions Club member of Birchip. I am happy to be part of these, because somehow that’s my way ofrepaying all the good things that I have received.Now-a-days I am happily working still at J J O’Connor’s, my wife is with the Hospital and the IGA supermarket and is hoping topursue her Nursing course. And with my kids, they are doing well in their school.In fact my older boys are enjoying their footy games, which serves as our family bonding during Saturday’s. I can finally saythat we are completely settled in, we have our own house too and all things are in the right places.I am really a lifetime indebted to those people who helped us out.Arnel, Tina, Nikko, Mikko, Nariel & Neril Garcia.
Page 3: David Armstrong was a Protestant mi
Page 7: 50 YEARS OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION IN R
Page 11 and 12: MINISTRY TO 30 - 49 YEAR OLDSIn the
Page 13 and 14: SS. MICHAEL AND JOHN’S PRIMARY SC
Page 15 and 16: On 29th May the restoration of the
Page 17 and 18: BIRCHIPSeventeen gallant believers
Page 19 and 20: Sovereign Hill celebrated Catholic
Page 21 and 22: CONTINUED SUCCESS FOR THE CATHOLIC
Page 23 and 24: Reconciliation & Right Relationship

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