Catholic Outlook Magazine Lent & Easter Edition 2022

Peter and Robyn Lewis first turned to Catholic Care
Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains in 2014, in
desperate need of support and community.
“In 2013 I was very unwell,” recalls Peter.
“I continued to work even though I was ill but when
the bushfires came to the Blue Mountains everything
we owned was destroyed, and it escalated the
problems with my health.
“I was lucky and 12 months later I received a double
lung transplant, but by the time I came out of hospital,
we were effectively homeless while our house was
being rebuilt. Throughout the process of trying to get
our lives back together and dealing with the trauma of
my donor family, I had become very anxious and was
not coping well. I realised I needed help.”
While trying to recover from his surgery, Peter and
Robyn were forced to leave their neighbourhood while
their house was rebuilt. Community means so much
to them, and now they’d lost their neighbours and the
stability of their town as well as their beloved home.
Around this time, Catholic Care set up a drop-in
centre in Springwood to support the community and
families who were impacted by the devastating fires,
and Peter started talking with a counsellor there.
“I was seeing Michelle and she helped
tremendously. She gave me tools to use when I get
stressed and experience anxiety. I apply them as
best I can, and they help me a lot.”
When bushfires again impacted the Blue Mountains
in 2019, fortunately, Peter and Robyn’s rebuilt
home was left intact. However, Peter experienced
numerous flashbacks after weeks of watching the
fire front approach. Thanks to the support of our
counsellors, he was once again able to manage his
anxiety attacks and reduce his stress levels.
“I’m very appreciative of what Catholic Care has
done for me. They helped me cope better with my
life and I can always go in or call there to talk to
somebody if I need to.”
While many social services have moved online due to
the pandemic, Catholic Care is continuing to expand
their community activities to give people more
opportunities to safely gather face-to-face for vital
social interaction.
Manager of Community Engagement, Celia Vagg,
explains the importance of this approach.
“Catholic Care’s community centres are a lifeline for
a lot of people, particularly those who are lonely and
isolated, or find it hard to connect with others. They’re
safe places where people can come to and connect
with us and our volunteers, over time, at their own
pace. Our overarching organisational value is
“ ”
we embrace every journey
with gratitude and love
God calls us to show unconditional love to our
neighbours with acts of Christian compassion, just
as the Good Samaritan in Jesus’ parable stopped to
help a man who’d been robbed, beaten and ignored
by other passers-by, who simply kept walking,
refusing to help.
As Christians, we affirm our beliefs through our
actions in our daily lives. With a compassionate gift
today, you can help Catholic Care to continue the
vital support given to people like Peter and Robyn,
whenever they need it, across Western Sydney and
the Blue Mountains.
Drop-in to Catholic Care
www.ccss.org.au
or call (02) 8843 2500
To donate, please call
(02) 8838 3482 or visit
yourcatholicfoundation.org.
au/appeal-neighbours
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