Our Rosies volunteers joined motorcycle enthusiasts from the Harley Owners Group (HOGS) Gold Coast Chapter for the ride of the year. Over 70 bikes and two Rosies vans rode from Coolangatta up the Gold Coast Highway to Southport. Rosies was fortunate to thumb a ride and receive loads of toys and other donations for our many friends for our Christmas on the Street celebrations (see more on page 5). Thank you to the HOGS for such an awesome event and for nominating Rosies as your charity of choice. We love your support and friendship, we had a blast!
Our team of volunteers has enthusiastically put the final touches on their new outreach room. The room has been inaugurated. Rosies is most thankful to Centacare for lending us our new premises and helping us transform it into a very functional outreach room. Thank you.
Find out how you support your local branch.
Since its infancy in 2006, our branch has been actively involved with the community and in particular, working closely with St Eugene Catholic College and the local Catholic Parish. Our collaboration, along with many others, has made a huge difference to our many friends in the local community. It’s all about team work. Well done and thank you.
In late January I had the sad privilege of attending a memorial service for Shorty, a long-time friend on the street of Rosies in Surfers Paradise. Shorty’s memorial service was beautifully arranged by the Anglican community led by their minister Fr Jon Brooks.
Some of Shorty’s friends on the street poured out their hearts and souls in eulogies of tremendous power and humour. Along with providing basic material and emotional support, burying the dead is a traditional act of mercy.
It brought home to me that our Rosies volunteers, well represented at Shorty’s memorial, are there at every moment, including the last, for our friends on the street earthly lives. Our prayers are with Shorty forever.
Over recent months our network of collaborating organisations and individuals has grown, importantly at the outreach level and also in the areas of research, leadership development, and systems. Together we can achieve so much more.
I trust you continue to be inspired by the work of Rosies through our dedicated volunteers, collaborating organisations, and wonderful supporters. You will see in this newsletter the breadth and diversity of those connected through Rosies. Whatever trials are facing our friends there is always joy and hope in our gatherings on the street.
Andrew O’Brien
Rosies General Manager
Find out more about getting involved.
This Autumn there are a number of reasons for Rosies, and you, our extended family community to celebrate and to take pause. Firstly, it is the 200th anniversary of our founding Oblates of Mary Immaculate priests. Rosies and the Oblates both aspire to our patron saint, St Eugene de Mazenod’s charism, to support those most abandoned in our community. So please, celebrate with us on St Eugene’s feast day 21 May 2016.
During Easter, I would also like to invite you to take a moment of contemplative action. Think not only about your own family but of those within our extended community who may be less fortunate than us.
Is there someone experiencing difficulties, like those in the Roberts story in your extended family you can support with friendship this Easter?
I am grateful as always that our family of Rosies wonderful volunteers are out providing a sense of community and friendship to those in need like the Roberts family. I invite you to celebrate their passion, daring, loyalty, and community with us during National Volunteer Week 11-17 May 2016.
John Scoble
Rosies Board Chair
Find out how you can get involved.
St Eugene de Mazenod – the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and Rosies patron Saint – inspires four key characteristics that we invite you to consider applying to your everyday life. Show passion in your response to those in need – put your entire heart and soul into the service that you undertake.
Be daring in your approach to service – think outside the box, try a new initiative or approach and do not be afraid of risk or possible failure. Be loyal in your approach to life – stand with, and for, those in need. Finally, make an extra effort to promote the concept of community – both within your Church and wider society. Go on, we know you can do it!
Find out more or get involved.
Easter is a time when Christians remember the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made dying on the cross for us and the life he gives through his resurrection. His Spirit empowers his followers to restore each person their dignity and the knowledge that they are truly valued for who they are. Today, Rosies – founded by the Oblates – continues to support those most in need within our communities; an aspiration that our patron saint, St Eugene de Mazenod inspired. This year is the 200th anniversary, 1816-2016 of our Oblates. We would like to invite you to celebrate with us by joining in a day of contemplation. So please take a moment with us on St Eugene’s feast day on Saturday, 21 May 2016. Contemplative action, at its simplest, is about taking the time to reflect before taking positive action… a day that we hope will inspire you to reflect upon the deep connection between contemplative life and our mission. Take a moment, share a thought, and then act with Rosies and our many friends within our community.
Find out how you can get involved.
Domestic and family violence is most unfortunately a pervasive community issue that can affect anyone regardless of their social, economic, or cultural group – it does not discriminate. It often consumes families from the inside. St Eugene de Mazenod – our Oblate of Mary Immaculate founder – is in fact the patron saint of families in need. Rosies is a Ministry of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate.
Originally part of the French nobility, St Eugene’s family fled France during the Revolution. Hit by financial distress and the instability of a refugee life the de Mazenod family was torn apart. As a result of his experience, St Eugene dedicated his life to those without the support of their families and especially the poorest of the poor.
The Oblates celebrate 200 years of St Eugene’s charism and daring this year. We invite you to celebrate too. Easter is also a time of renewal, a time of compassion and of understanding. We are invited at this time to reflect on our family lives. As Pope Francis asks us to ponder “In my home, do we yell, or do we speak with love and tenderness? This is a good way to recognise our love.”.
Fr John David
Rosies Chaplain
