16 May
Mercy Family Services Multicultural Program is seeking experienced, enthusiastic people with the capacity to work in a dynamic environment to join us in the Community Detention program to provide Community Care and Support Services in Brisbane and Logan.
Please email your response to the Selection Criteria below by 5:00pm Friday 25 May 2012.
For more information please contact email admin@romerocentre.org.au
10 May
“To speak with Sr. de Lourdes, even for a few minutes, was to feel love.”
THE Romero Centre is this week honouring the life of one of its founders, Sister Mary de Lourdes Jarrett, who passed away last Friday 4 May, aged 85.
Loved by all those who knew her, Sr. de Lourdes was the original coordinator of Romero and assisted many hundreds of families during her time here.
Compassion for strangers and respect for human dignity were the messages that drove her work – and it was on these principles that she devoted eight years of her life to the Centre.
All those who visited Romero were touched by the gentle welcome of Sr. Mary de Lourdes. She ensured all refugees, regardless of circumstance, received the care that others were unwilling to give.
Romero volunteer and long-time friend Frederika Steen recalls Sr. de Lourdes as a woman with a gentle heart and a passion for assisting the world’s vulnerable.
“One of her great gifts was to listen to people,” Frederika said.
“She stood in place of the absent mothers, aunties and grandmothers – and the people loved her for that.”
Born in Nambour in 1927 and joining the Sisters of Mercy in 1948, Sr. de Lourdes was passionate about social justice, working with refugees from Indochina, South America and the Middle East throughout her career.
A professional infant teacher, she retired from education to join Romero in 2000, where she spent the ensuing years advocating tirelessly for the Centre’s mission. There were difficult times, when Romero had no permanent home, but that did not dampen the dedication of Sr. de Lourdes.
Recalls Frederika Steen: “She would jump into her little white car and drive to the upper reaches of Brisbane, to Springfield Lakes or Carole Park, where the refugee women lived – she brought her care and love to where the women were; she didn’t wait for people to come to the Centre.”
Fellow friend and Romero researcher Denise Phillips also shares her memories: “I will always remember the first time I met Sr. de Lourdes; she held my hand and spoke directly to me in a way people rarely do. To speak with Sr. de Lourdes, even for a few minutes, was to feel love. Her presence made me set aside my agnostic nature to believe in divinity. Sr. de Lourdes, with her clarity, kindness and respect for the human dignity of all, was exceptional. I will remember her each day with the hope, however small, of following her example.”
Sr. de Lourdes retired from active Romero duties in 2008, however the Centre and its work remained close to her heart.
She passed away peacefully last Friday at the Emmaus Nursing Home, Nudgee.
***Sister Mary de Lourdes: 19/03/1927 – 04/05/2012
2 May
ROMERO’S regular women’s group has discovered a way to stitch together fun, friendship and fashion through participating in an innovative program created by students and lecturers from QUT.
The Stitchery Collective, co-founded by dressmakers and designers Paula Dunlop and Kath Horton, is a not-for-profit, artist-run initiative using fashion to establish inclusive communities.
Over the past year the collective has teamed with Romero to offer our women’s sewing group the opportunity to undertake a program focused on contemporary mediums of fabric and design.
At the Stitchery studio in Fortitude Valley the women paint silk scarves and explore ways of combining their existing traditional skills with modern techniques to produce fashion items that can be worn and displayed.
Any interested participants can contact the Centre for further information, however group capacity is limited. Lunch and transport will be provided.
The Romero Centre is a regular meeting place for women from Iraqi and Afghani backgrounds. Our women’s group, held on Thursday mornings, provides a chance for women to come together and share stories, make friends and develop/ increase sewing skills. Everyone is welcome to join this group.
24 Apr
It was easy to forget you were in Queensland the recent Mercy Family Service/Romero Centre International Women’s day celebration, held at the State Library of Queensland in March.
The vibrant colours and unique styles of traditional costumes from accross the world were showcased by our beautiful volunteer models as part of the special fashion parade event, which was set against the stunning backdrop of the library’s Queensland terrace.
The day began with a stirring performance from All Hallows’ string Quartet, who impressed the audience with a range of classical pieces.
Next up was our special guest speaker for the day, Sallymatu Aderonmu-Apooyin, the founder of The Wanwod Association of Queensland. Sallymatu, who arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2005, drew on the theme of International Women’s Day 2012 – Connecting girls, Inspiring Futures – to discuss the importance of connecting women across generations.
It was then time for the highlight of the event, the cultural fashion parade, which showcased everything from Saudi Arabian kaftans and Fijian wedding dresses to Pakistani Shalwal Khamis and Sudanese Toubs. MC and University of Queensland gender studies lecturer Nicole George enlightened us with the cultural significance for each of the dresses, as our beautiful models took to the catwalk.
Finishing the day were performances from local musician Bill Anderson on the traditional Turkish instrument, the oud, and Iraqi singer Merna.
Mercy Family Services and Romero Centre would like to acknowledge all volunteers, staff and supporters who helped make the day such a success, with special thanks to the Queensland State Library and QUT Stitchery representative and parade curator Kristy Robyn Glynn and Romero volunteer Towfiq Al-qudy.
24 Apr
New figures from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has found asylum claims in industrialised nations soared by 20 per cent last year, with 441,300 applications registered across 44 countries surveyed.
The United States of America remains the single largest recipient of asylum claims, however southern European nations also recorded a significant rise, on the back of turmoil in north Africa.
Despite the global increase, the number of people arriving in Australia to claim asylum dropped 9 per cent to 11,500.
Afghanistan was again the main country of origin for asylum seekers, followed by China, Iraq, Serbia, Pakistan and Iran.
While on shore asylum claims across the industrialised world have risen, it is developing nations such as Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya that continue to host the majority of the world’s displaced peoples.
For more information:
http://www.unhcr.org/4e9beaa19.html
http://unhcr.org.au/unhcr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=241&cati
d=35&Itemid=63
20 Oct
Watch this space for Romero Centre volunteer opportunities. We move fast and there are new things happening regularly. Please forward an email to Andrea, Romero’s volunteer coordinator at volunteer@romerocentre.org.au and she will keep your details to contact you with any updates in opportunities.
