For me, those visits were occasions when I received more mercy than I could ever have given. That couple and their friends taught me much about life, and death. One of the concerns expressed recently by the Reconciliation Task Force looking at various needs of people within the Church during this Jubilee Year was that of pastoral care for people living in these and other flats around Canberra. Because of the memory I carry, and because I have friends, parishioners from Our Lady of Mercy Parish, living in the flats, I was happy to carry the concern forward. From informal conversations with residents, with local clergy, both Catholic and Anglican, with a representative of the St Vincent de Paul Society and the local Anglican Pastoral Care Group, I have gleaned the following pen pictures, none of which, of course, is all inclusive and none true necessarily of any one resident.
Many residents live full active lives, whether in retirement or employment.
They are quite able to take part in the life of their faith community and some do. Fr Ken Heffernan told of a former parishioner, who was no longer able to go to Mass at St Mary's and did not then know it was possible to receive Communion in her home, now receives Communion regularly. One of the local Anglican priests conducts a service in the Braddon flats once a month. Many of those living in the flats still suffer from lack of material sustenance. Among these are women and children suffering from domestic violence and young women living away from home.