The Catholic Caring Foundation

Caring for Families and Communitites

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Ph: 09 360 3045
Email: [email protected]

Pregnant and over-whelmed – Story Seven

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Linh, a young Vietnamese woman, was on a student visa and halfway through her studies when she and her husband, Dahn came to visit the team at Pregnancy Help.

They were agitated, and sad, and  looking for a termination of their pregnancy. Their sadness was for the love they felt for their baby and for their inability to see the possibilities of keeping their baby.

The journey with Linh and Danh was quite typical of the women that Pregnancy Help see who at first feel overwhelmed by circumstances.

Many are not aware that someone cares enough to help them and has the resources and time to do so. It is at this stage that women make decisions that they often come to regret.

This is Linh’s testimony.

“My heart-felt thanks go to Pregnancy Help for their valuable support! When we first found out we were going to have our first baby, we felt on top of the world! But then worries started to overwhelm us, as I am an international student in NZ. Just thinking about the maternity cost here made me stressed and depressed. The negative thoughts were not good for the development of the baby or my studies.

I then came across Pregnancy Help on Facebook, and after reading several of their posts, I had a feeling that they could help us. We decided to pay a visit to their office where we were warmly welcomed by the lovely ladies – Hilda and Julia. They were wonderful supporters, they listened to us, introduced us to the free service they offer and suggested many feasible options.

They really helped lift the burden from our shoulders, making us feel very relieved. After many follow-up exchanges, Hilda brought us the fantastic news that I could get free maternity care in NZ! Can you imagine how much this meant to me?

Thanks to their practical assistance, I could go ahead with a more positive attitude and confidence as I knew that I would always have someone to turn too. As I move along with my pregnancy, Pregnancy Help continues their support by giving out maternity clothes and later on many, many necessary baby items. Every visit I make to Pregnancy Help makes me feel at home and well supported. I can’t thank them enough! I hope this place is known to more people in need especially for students like me.” 

 

If you or someone you know, needs help and support during pregnancy, please contact the following agencies: Pregnancy Help: (09) 373 2599 Family Life International: (09) 629 4360 or 0800 367 5433

 

 

I’ve been waiting 26 years to meet my daughter – Story Six

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For the last 26 years Patrick never forgot his daughter or his wife. When he was first referred to Catholic Social Services in 2013 for counselling, he told the social worker that he still considered himself a father and a husband despite not knowing where his wife was. She had been pregnant when she was deported from New Zealand, so he had never had the chance to meet his daughter.

Life had not been easy for Patrick. His home was a run-down small bed-sit in a residential complex surrounded by neighbours who weren’t easy to live with. For many years he had scraped by on a disability benefit which barely covered his living and health costs. He had limited mobility and found it increasingly difficult to leave his room. Patrick’s steadily deteriorating health resulted in heart failure and an emergency stay in hospital. Close to death, Patrick confided in the hospital social worker that it was his wish to find his daughter.

They managed to locate her and with the help of the social worker from CSS his daughter, Maria, was found.

Knowing that at last he could contact his daughter, was a huge boost to Patrick. Once home, he exchanged photos and emails with her and spoke with her over the phone.

But Patrick was scared and worried about what his daughter might think of him once he did meet her.

He was worried that his daughter would not be able to cope with the situation that he had ended up in and he was worried that he would have nothing to offer her.

CSS continued to be there to help with counselling and gaining access to other services.

When Patrick was eligible to go on the pension, he steadily put some money aside so that he would have something to offer his daughter once he met her. He eventually had enough money to pay for her to come and visit him in New Zealand. Finally, he was able to meet his girl!

“I was finally able to say to her – I’m your Dad and I can send you something. I can give you something after 26 years of wondering where you were,” he recounted.

Last Christmas, with financial support from Patrick, Maria come to New Zealand to stay with him for a couple of weeks.

Maria still keeps in regular contact with her dad and wants to come to New Zealand permanently to help care for her him.

If you or someone you know needs counselling or social work support, please contact Catholic Social Services on (09 378 9650) or email: [email protected] 

 

 

Catholic Social Services Catholic Social Service’s mission of “Christ’s compassion in our community” is lived in our daily commitment to serve Auckland’s most vulnerable families through the provision of social work and counselling services. We’ve continued this mission as an essential service even during lock-down in level 3 and 4. We run our services through our two offices in Ponsonby and Otara and remotely. We also work closely with other essential service agencies, such as St Vincent de Paul who were instrumental in ensuring that many families were able to get food. We are also grateful to parishes, businesses, and individuals for their contributions.

During lockdown, CSS’s main means of communication is by telephone, emails and zoom tele-conferencing.

 

When baby is a sign of hope, love and forgiveness – Story Four

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A very special occasion has happened at the recently-opened St Gianna’s Home for Mothers and Babies in Auckland – the first resident of the home has given birth to her first baby.

The news was shared in a message sent out by Family Life International’s Dame Colleen Bayer last month, in which she thanked God and “a magnificent team of medical professionals”.

“This tiny wee baby, who was fighting for her life, has the extra chromosome of unconditional love – she has been blessed with the gift of Down syndrome,” Dame Colleen wrote.

“Mum is very brave. She has shown great courage in accepting life in the face of adversity.  She, and her baby, are a sign of hope, love and forgiveness in a world so obsessed with abortion.

“This young family of two face many challenges in life, but with our faithful love and commitment, which is a hallmark of all FLI’s Friends for Life, mother, and her baby daughter will face their challenges head on and will share their love and joy with this broken world.”

Dame Colleen asked for prayers for “this mum and her precious daughter”.

Saint Gianna’s Home for Mothers and Babies was officially opened and blessed by Auxiliary Bishop Michael Gielen on June 19, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, as reported by NZ Catholic.

 

 

The home provides a safe and positive home for mothers who need urgent accommodation because of their particular situation.  Often, the mothers will be vulnerable to suggestions of abortion.

Each mother’s situation is different, and assistance is given to the mother for as long as she needs after the baby is born.

Printed with permission of NZ Catholic

 

Family Life International (Gianna’s Choice Pregnancy Options and Support) is a service which aims to reach abortion vulnerable women. They offer free pregnancy tests, practical help, and support and friendship for women, girls and families who are facing an unplanned or difficult pregnancy. Pregnant? Need help?

Call 0800 367 5433 or
text 027 448 80 70

 

I’ve found a place of love and hope – Story Three

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Coming to the Mother of Divine Mercy Refuge was the first time I had people that supported and uplifted me and my family.

I am a mother of two boys, one who is 16 and my younger son who is seven.

I grew up in the Islands and life was hard. I have a disability and my thinking is quite slow, and I have a speech impairment. My family always looked down on me. I was the girl who would do all the chores and was always teased and mocked for being the “slow one”. I remember that once in my late teens my eldest brother punched me in the face when I had done something wrong. I fell dead flat on the floor.

When I was 21, I moved to New Zealand. I was hoping for a better life. I met a guy and became pregnant with my first child. He was very abusive and an alcoholic, and he left me for another woman.  I heard later that he died of an overdose.

My life at home was not good either as I was always being beaten by my elder sister. She would use a cricket bat or baseball bat on me or my children.

She applied for my sickness benefit, but I was never allowed to touch my bank account.  I was told that I was useless, and I wouldn’t know how to handle my own money.

I was never given a chance to learn anything or to better myself. I always felt dumb and insecure because that is what I was always told. I felt helpless, depressed and tired. I had constant thoughts of taking my life.

Finally, I had a breakthrough when a support worker said she would try and get me out of my unsafe situation to somewhere safe.

This is where my life started to turn around. I found a new family within the Mother of Divine Refuge. I met Mother Susana who is the boss of the refuge but she serves all the families like she is a servant.

Mother Susana treats me like her own daughter, and talks to me with love and encouragement

even when I do wrong. She may be in her seventies, but she works and moves faster than the young ones.

I was raised a Catholic but this is the first time in my life that I have seen a real Catholic who lives for Jesus and lives like Jesus. Mother Susana loves Jesus and Mother Mary.

I have learnt so much in the Mother of Divine Mercy Refuge. I am a different person, even my children see that in me.

Today I am independent, strong and able to stand on my own. I am not stupid or weak. I believe and know that Jesus really loves me and my children and wants me to have a blessed life.  I have confidence that I didn’t have before.

The refuge is supporting me and my children to have a better future.  I thank God for this place and will never ever forget all that Jesus has done for me through the Mother of Divine Mercy Refuge.

 

Mother of Divine Mercy Women’s Refuge is one of two Pacific women’s refuges which offers front-line and wrap around support to women and their children fleeing domestic violence, using a ‘whole family approach’. Safe accommodation is provided as well as targeted programmes to help families, and counselling for victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.

 

Need help? Then call 09-820 0453.

In immediate danger? Ring police on 111, or if unsafe to speak push 55. 

 

From alcohol addiction to helping others – Story Two

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Living in van

 

With seven prior drink-drive convictions, John was told by the judge that if he didn’t sort out his alcohol issues then he was going to be serving time in prison.  

John had been battling with his alcohol addiction, 

 

 

and for the last three years had been homeless and living between his storage shed and his van. His future was looking grim. A referral to a social worker at Catholic Social Services (CSS), helped John on his way to accessing some vital programmes to help him with his addiction.

He managed to complete an eight-week residential bridge programme run by the Salvation Army and then went on to attend programmes run by Community Alcohol and Drug Services (CAD), with additional help from Care NZ.

Through advocacy provided by the CSS social worker, John was finally able to give up sleeping in his van and storage shed, and move into a secure and affordable home through Kainga Ora (HNZ).  John finally had a proper home.

John is now alcohol free and has successfully completed four months home detention. Despite all his challenges, John is helping others who have battled addiction issues, acting as a mentor and peer support to them.

 

 

Catholic Social Services Logo

 

Catholic Social Service’s mission of “Christ’s compassion in our community” is lived in their daily commitment to serve Auckland’s most vulnerable families through the provision of social work and counselling services.

They’ve continued this mission during lock-down in levels 3 and 4 as a designated essential service. They run their services through two offices in Ponsonby and Otara and remotely. They also work closely with other essential service agencies, such as St Vincent de Paul who were instrumental in ensuring that many families were able to get food. They are also grateful to parishes, businesses, and individuals for their contributions.

Manager

Ann Marie Parker

Ph: 09 360 3012

Email: [email protected]

Coordinator, Grant & Donor Administration

Claudia Cachay

Ph: 09 360 3045

Email: [email protected]