St Catherine Laboure parish at Gymea has just reached a major milestone in its Pacific Mission program - sending its 250th shipping container to help the disadvantaged in Fiji.
Parish Priest Monsignor Brian Rayner and a group of parishioners were on hand this week to pack the container, which left Sydney today bound for the Archdiocese of Suva. From there the goods will be distributed to a variety of charities supporting Fiji's most needy, including families, schools, two Boys Town homes and aged care centres.
Monsignor Rayner said the shipping container that left today included wheelchairs, tables and chairs, school desks, 140 handmade blankets provided by Wrap with Love volunteers, linen, school supplies and even razors donated by parishioners after he put out a call.
"Because I was over there about two months ago and I saw the boys shaving just with a blade I asked for razors with handles," he said.
The charities sell some of the items to pay costs associated with receiving the shipment as well as fund tuition at the local seminary and provide other services to the needy.
Monsignor Rayner first began sending boxes of donated items to Fiji in 1993 after he was posted to HMAS Cerberus in Melbourne, where he served as chaplain.
He has been coordinating St Catherine Laboure's Pacific Mission program since 2005 and has overseen the shipment of containers packed with everything from clothes to tractors ever since.
Monsignor Rayner said Fiji had been hit with a number of natural disasters in recent years, including Cyclone Winston in 2016.
With Catholics making up just 10 per cent of Fiji's population, Monsignor Rayner said donations support other denominations.
Monsignor Rayner said items were donated by St Catherine Laboure's parishioners and the wider community. Payce Foundation donated 10 container-loads of good each year, while other organisations and schools also helped.
Monsignor Rayner said dedicated parish volunteers including Barry Elliott, Bernie Brennan, Peter McGrath and Peter Cozzi spend hours each week sorting and packing goods. Each container-load weighs three tonnes and costs $3000 to ship.
The number of donations has been so great recently that this week's shipment was the third in as many weeks.
"We send a container every week and a half," he said.
As well as donating goods. Monsignor Rayner said the parish took up two additional collections for its Pacific Mission program each year.
"Last year it raised $25,000 at Christmas and this year it raised $15,000 at Easter to support disadvantaged communities in Fiji," he said.
Donations of clothes, footwear, linen, toys, tools, fishing equipment, small electrical appliances, furniture, bikes and school supplies are always welcome and can be left in the garage at the church residence.
