Working with the Homeless or those at risk

Angelus Projects ……….. From little things….

 

The journey began in the heart of Fr. Vincent Doyle, a Catholic priest, in the Bellingen Parish in New South Wales, Australia.  His diary notes reveal a love and a desire to form a support network to bring God’s salvation and peace to the Anawim.

‘God’s poor, who are heavily burdened and spiritually oppressed from their life experiences so in 1983, I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to write down an outline for the Anawim Ministry for God’s poor’.   (Extract from Fr. Doyle’s diary)  Bishop Satterthwaite supported the ministry from 1982 in the early days of the Mariah Community through to the formation of the Angelus.

Mrs. Murphy’s Vision

Mrs. Valerie Murphy is a wife, mother and grandmother as well as co-founder of the Angelus Association.

In 1982, with her husband, she co-foundered Moriah Community, a refuge and healing center for the marginalized in central NSW. While ministering to their obvious needs, Mrs. Murphy recognised a need existed for the poor to be able to minister to the poor and live in community.

They developed a support network for those who had no emotional, physical or spiritual support in place.

Fr. Doyle became the Chaplain to the Moriah Community as it became a safe haven where people could come and stay.  (Extract from Mrs Murphy’s notes)

A New Vision

A new vision started to grow flowing from their faithfulness to develop new groups and about thirteen years of witnessing the steady progression of people at Moriah  to  a group of forty people who gathered for the inauguration of the Angelus Association, on the 25th March 1996.

They came from different parts of Australia and under the guidance of Father Vincent Doyle and Mrs. Murphy, the group decided to create a community support network for God’s ‘Anawim’.

February 2011
Angelus Housing for the Anawim started with two houses and with the goal of housing up to ten residents.   The target group for this type of housing is for mature aged single women with no dependents on a pension or Centerlink payment.

September 2019
Mary of the Angelus Community Ltd was established. 
A review of the past provided the impetus to set new goals and direction for the community to embrace Prayer and Action.
As part of our committment to homelessness we started to focuses on tomorrow and what the community could do. With a vision to be part of a solution that contributes to the eradication of the growing problem of homelessness and people at risk we moved forward with lack of resources we called on people who could assist and contribute to the basic housing needs of the disadvantage and marginalised in our community.  We were carried along by volunteer time, energy and resources to help others in their need.
May 2020
“Project 2020 – Men over 55 at risk of homelessness”. We headleased a house in Mullumbimby from the Lismore Catholic Church to offer a specialist homelessness service for men exposed to homelessness.  We offered immediate accommodation when possible.  Firstly to put a roof over their head and help with stability as they try to re-establish themselves. Our support volunteers accompany them as they work through particular challenges that have brought them to this point.

January  2021.

“Project 2020  – Beds for 20 –  Women over 55 at risk of homelessness”.  – Moreton Bay

We extended the program to include a 10 room Boarding House in Moreton Bay – Queensland to  increase our stock for women over 55 –  “Project 2020 – Beds for 20 – Women over 55 at risk of homelessness”.   We were desperate to get women out of their cars – off the couches and firstly, to put a roof over their head and secondly support their stability as they try to re-establish themselves.  Again the service is completed supported with no funding and our volunteers.

July 2022.

Welcome Home to Monica and Mins  – Moreton Bay

We partnered with an Investor to build 2 new 5 bedroom homes with ensuites and shared spaces for 10 more women over 55 who are at risk.  These rooms are always full and there is a waiting list. Our investor put up the financial resources and we contributed with the housing expertise and volunteers.

March 2023

St Josephs House – Moreton Bay

This is a co living facility that can house 4 men at risk.  It is a headlease and the community sub leases to people at risk of homelessness.

August 2023.

“Project 100 by 2025  – the vision has increased to establish a 100 beds for men and women over 55. by 2025.   Moreton Bay

The community has headleased an established hostel in the Glasshouse Mountains for men over 55. This facility filled up in 2 weeks and has started a wait list for other vunerable men.

Our housing  projects are established as a homelessness service for women and men exposed to homelessness or at risk, often for the first time in their lives.

ADOPT-A – HOUSE

Our new project is to move forward  looking for expandsion into other areas with our local volunteers taking charge of a headlease and working with a vunerable family in their local community.

Homeless Projects with other stakeholders
We have been working with  Government groups and local community groups who support us with referrals and resources.

Lismore’s Anawim Community

Angelus members  visit and volunteer at the Winsome Hotel for the Homeless.

They often participate in the regular  activities for the morning  and then share a meal with the Soup Kitchen Patrons.

Angelus House in Lismore:
Angelus House has an open door policy of providing accommodation to those in emotional and financial distress.

They have provided support to a number of Nigerian and Ethiopian women over time as well as women from other ethnic backgrounds.

Many people choose to get involved to donate their  skills to this community to provide inclusiveness and  welcome to the Lismore Community.  We can help with household essentials such as sheets, blankets and kitchen resources for their rented houses.

Angelus House – Brisbane
On the 16th October 2013 we were invited by Archbishop Mark Coleridge to “pitch our tent” in the Brisbane Archdiocese.   With the financial assistance from Angelus friends an ‘Angelus Prayer House’ was established in North Brisbane.The house incorporated a Meeting Place, Teaching resource and Kitchen Facilities with a private prayer room. It catered for community gatherings and meeting areas, gardens and an office for the Angelus.  We have a caretaker on site and the facility continues to provide space for prayer and meetings.
We have established a volunteers Shed and Training room in Moreton Bay where our volunteers look after our resources. 

Angelus Community 

The volunteers at  Angelus Community  make an invaluable contribution to our organisation by generously donating their time, skills and expertise to benefit our community. We thank Business and Corporate donations and initiatives with their support and financial generosity.  We continue to respond to the to assist our Community groups which are equipped to assist or provide a referral depending on where the help is required.

After your initial contact you can be referred on to the best community or  government agencies that can help you.

Mary of the Angelus Community – Brisbane 

Mary of the Angelus Community – Lismore

Mary of the Angelus Community – Ocean Shores

Mary of the Angelus Community – Ballana

Mary of the Angelus Community – Casino

Mary of the Angelus Community – Yamba

Mary of the Angelus Community – Grafton

Email us at the bottom of the page for more information or if you have a project in mind