“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.” 1 John 1:7
Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. It is a time to reflect on the importance being generous and “give without counting the cost”, as it suggests in the St Edmunds College prayer. So how can we do this and where are the opportunities in Canberra to do this. Below is a number of organisations worth getting involved with that provide opportunities to contribute in powerful ways to the wider Canberra community throughout lent. It is through giving that we receive.
Volunteering ACT
There are different types of volunteering; volunteering can be formal or informal; coordinated through an organisation, or just helping someone in your community. Our job is to connect people to formal volunteering opportunities with volunteer involving organisations in the community. You won’t be volunteering for us; you will be volunteering directly with a community organisation.
We screen all volunteering positions before we post them to our site and welcome your feedback on how things went. Each volunteering role is different and may have different criteria or skill requirements. Read the description carefully to choose the right volunteering opportunity for you.
Give Blood for Lent
Who your blood helps- Every blood donation can help save three lives
People of all walks of life need blood products. Some need it to get them through a serious event in their lives, like cancer or a difficult pregnancy. Others have medical conditions which mean they need blood products regularly to stay alive or be healthy.
Types of donation
There are about five litres of blood in the human body and it’s made up of several useful components.
You may be able to donate blood, plasma or platelets. Each type of blood donation is used for different medical treatments, and your blood type determines the best donation for you to make.
For more ways to help others, consider bone marrow or organ donation.
What is it?
Blood collected straight from a donor, without anything taken out. After it’s donated, we usually separate blood into red blood cells, plasma and platelets in our labs.
Who can donate?
You need to be 18-75 years old, weigh 50kg or more and be fit and healthy. Read more about the minimum age.
Used for:
Cancer, blood diseases, anaemia, heart disease, stomach disease, kidney disease, childbirth, operations, blood loss, trauma, burns.
Lasts for:
Red cells can be stored for 42 days.
How long does it take?
15 minutes to donate, 45 minutes for the appointment.
How often can I donate?
Every 12 weeks
Find out more about the donation process https://www.donateblood.com.au/
St Vincent De Paul
About the St Vincent de Paul Society
The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia has more than 60,000 members and volunteers, who work hard to assist people in need and combat social injustice across Australia. Internationally, the Society operates in 153 countries and has over 800,000 members.
St Vincent de Paul Society is always looking for motivated community minded people to get involved in our programs, events & services nationwide. Here are some ways you can help…
Caritas
“Aspire not to have more, but to be more.” – Saint Oscar Romero
‘Be More’ – 2021 theme.
Every year, countless people turn Lent into a demonstration of faith, love and generosity. You can be a part of this incredible community, who believe that there are simple actions we can all take to “be more” for our world.
Donate to Project Compassion, start a fundraiser with your school, parish or community; give something up for Lent… there are many ways to put your compassion into action. Whatever you choose to do, you’ll be contributing towards a more just and compassionate world.
https://lent.caritas.org.au/fundraising-ideas
We pray that by volunteering our time and money for others that we may enrich the lives of others and of ourselves.
Michael Monagle
Assistant Principal – Mission and Identity
Christus Lux Mea