Friendship, fraternity, faith – the vision for St Raphael’s Residence

Fr Tony Percy

Helping young people obtain a deeper sense of fraternity, friendship, and a strengthening of faith is the vision behind a new accommodation initiative launched at St Gregory’s parish at Queanbeyan.

Parish priest Fr Tony Percy explained that the proposal involves the letting out of three bedrooms at affordable rates on the upper floor of the parish’s presbytery/office building.

The initiative is named after St Raphael, the archangel traditionally associated with healing and also of the church that bears the archangel’s name that runs alongside the proposed residence in Lowe Street, Queanbeyan.

“They built St Raphael’s in St Gregory’s parish in 1955,” Fr Tony said.

“The parish priest at the time was a guy called Dan Green. Some people say he was a bit gruff, but he had the sense to call [the church] St Raphael’s because, after the war, there was obviously a great need for healing.

“So, we thought let’s call what we’re doing, ‘St Raphael’s Residence’.

“It looks at the need young men have for friendship, which is very important for them because most of life depends on the company you keep. And that’s particularly true when you’re young.

“It’s intended as accommodation for men between the ages of 20 to 30 in full-time work, at a time when finding affordable rental accommodation can be really difficult. Three spaces are available at $250 a week.

Fr Tony told the Catholic Voice the residents don’t necessarily have to be Catholic but do need to be well disposed to the idea behind the project.

“It offers them a sense of community with a loose type of community rule where they can live their faith,” he said. “We’ll be expecting them to participate in the life of the parish in a way that may accord with their gifts.”

A small chapel is being set up near the bedrooms, along with a separate common area/lounge room and kitchen.

“It helps us, the parish, because we’ve got a lot of space here that’s not being used, which should be used, and this is a very good purpose to do it.

Fr Tony underlined that St Raphael’s Residence was not intended as a vocations house for prospective clergy.

“It’s just trying to help young people get a deeper sense of fraternity, friendship, and their faith,” he added.

“It’s like a foundation stone for them. In may well help some young men in their vocational calling, whatever that may be.”