Catholic Outlook Magazine | Advent | Summer 2022 Issue

An open pantry door
STORY ISABELL PETRINIC
As we get closer to Christmas, more families
are needing assistance and the parishioners at
Mary, Queen of the Family Parish, Blacktown
have responded.
Devised at a meeting of the Mary, Queen of the
Family Parish social justice group in 2021, Mary’s
Pantry provides basic household goods for those
doing it tough, with support from Blacktown Ponds
Lions Club and St Patrick's Primary School Blacktown.
“We are seeing a 20 per cent increase in the need for
our services,” says Jude Besterwitch, president of
the social justice group.
Mary’s Pantry averages about 40 clients a month and
has distributed over 750 hampers to over 240 families.
With statistics showing 18 per cent of Blacktown
mortgage holders are paying 30 per cent of their
income on mortgage repayments, people are feeling
the effects of rising interest rates, rent hikes, and
job losses due to COVID. Women fleeing domestic
violence and other vulnerable groups including
people with disabilities and people sleeping rough
on our streets are also reflected in who needs help
through the pantry.
“We are a little worried because we are finding that
the volume of groceries we receive on our food
drives is coming down,” Jude explains.
He described how the service came to be. “As a
group we felt we needed to seek Christ in each other.
“With Fr Regie's [Fr Reginaldo Lavilla MSP, Parish
Priest of Mary, Queen of the Family Parish] help, we
contacted Blacktown Ponds Lions Club who started
conducting food drives for us.
“All the groceries and toiletries we have distributed
since we started have been donated.”
The packages are tailored to peoples’ cultures and
cater for any food intolerances. Extra groceries are
given to larger families.
The smiles of Mary's Pantry volunteers Terri
Sebastian (right) and Patricia 'Pat' Regan
greet people who are doing it tough.
Image: Diocese of Parramatta.