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38 years of Catherine House

On September 12, 38 years ago, Catherine House opened its doors to women experiencing homelessness, staffed by Sister Anne Gregory, Sister Pak Poy, Sister Margaret Tully, Michelle Saybe, Sister Maureen, and our first volunteer, Faye Mather.

On that first night, the Sisters waited in anticipation. Sandwiches, cups of tea and 12 warm beds were prepared. No one came.

Sister Anne was determined, she drove to the Adelaide parklands and approached a woman, inviting her to stay. The woman was hesitant at first.

“Why would I leave my tree and park to sleep in a room?” she asked. Sister Anne managed to coax her with the promise of a warm drink and a feed, so she came along, bringing her shopping trolley with her.

She slept upstairs, in the bedroom now named in her honour, Rita Miller’s room.

When Sister Anne went to greet her the next morning, Rita was gone. But word of mouth travelled, and before long, every bed was full.

Several months later, Rita returned to Catherine House. When Sister Anne asked why she’d left so suddenly, Rita told her of the shame she felt in asking for help, and that she felt undeserving of support.

For 38 years, Catherine House has supported thousands of women, many of whom, like Rita, have felt shame and hesitance in accepting help. Today, we want to thank our staff, volunteers and supporters for helping women know they are deserving of support and safety, regardless of where they’ve been. That they deserve to be heard, believed and respected.

Thank you for helping end women’s homelessness. 💜

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