Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion

This year we continue to support Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion and Unite Against Poverty.

Unite Against Poverty resonates deeply with the teachings of Jesus, who emphasised the importance of caring for the poor and marginalised. In Matthew 25, Jesus said, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” These words remind us of our duty to support those in need and to work towards a world where everyone can live with dignity and hope.

We will be reminded of this during Lent as we explore three inspiring stories of people from Samoa, Vietnam and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Though they have faced very different challenges in their day-to-day lives, they have collaborated with local partners to reduce poverty and marginalisation within their own communities.

Lent is a season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is a time when we are called to examine our lives and make sacrifices to help those less fortunate. During Lent, our challenge is to respond to these stories courageously, with a yes to God’s call to us all, to act for social and ecological justice.

Taking up alms for the poor is a simple yet powerful way to make a real difference in the lives of those who need it most. By supporting Project Compassion, you’re helping provide food, shelter, education, and healthcare to people facing hardship. It’s a chance for us to show compassion and remind ourselves that even small acts of kindness can create big change.

As an Ursuline community founded on the Gospel, service is our core value that calls us to make a difference in the lives of others. By taking up alms for the poor in support of Project Compassion, we live out this value by offering our time, resources, and care to those who are less fortunate. Angela Merici also emphasised the importance of giving alms with humility and in private, recognising that the true spirit of charity is not about seeking recognition, but about genuinely helping those in need. When we give alms privately, we are following her example of quiet service—acting out of love and compassion, without the need for applause. This aligns with the Ursuline value of service, where our actions speak louder than words and are focused on the wellbeing of others, not on personal gain or recognition. By giving in this way, we honour Angela’s teachings and continue her legacy of discreet, loving service.

How are we called to be an example of quiet service this Lent? I may choose to go without my coffee purchase for a week and donate the money in PC on Tuesday morning. I may ask my family to skip the takeaway meal one night a week and donate the money to Caritas. I may make a conscious effort to spend time with God during Lent and get to Rosary on Monday or Friday morning Mass. I may choose to make a conscious choice to be more inclusive to people on the playground and seek out conversations with people I do not know. I may humble myself and apologise to anyone I have hurt with my words and actions. All actions that I do quietly – not for any glory or reward but to show a deep commitment to living as God called me to – with respect and dignity for self and others.

Let us come together once again for Project Compassion, in this Year of Jubilee, as pilgrims of hope, and Unite Against Poverty!

Antoinette Nader
Service and Outreach Coordinator