CatholicCare has a number of staff who got their foot in the door through a volunteer role, but none have endured like Mary Brown. In fact, Mary is currently CatholicCare's longest serving member of staff, having clocked up 32 years with the organisation; 33 if you count her first year as a volunteer.
Mary began volunteering at the Catholic Family Welfare Bureau (as CatholicCare was known back then) in early 1987, to work on the development of the Family Week school engagement project. Mary had previously worked as a teacher but left in order to find a job working with families. During her time as a volunteer, Mary met a man named John who was on a social work placement at CatholicCare. By the end of the year, Mary and John were engaged to be married and the young couple were asked to join CatholicCare’s team of pre-marriage educators.
Since then, Mary hasn't looked back, and she has continued to work in the Marriage and Relationship Education team, providing Marriage Preparation and Enrichment workshops for couples, as well as Relationships Matter! workshops for school students. She also took over the role as Family Resource Coordinator and worked with parishes to support families. This role also involved looking after and promoting the GodStart program.
Images, clockwise from top left: At the East Melbourne office; chatting with delegates at the MAREM Conference 2009; with Sr Mary O’Shannessy at CatholicCare Day (staff conference) 2015; preparing a relationship workshop with Glenn Manton.
"I love my work and I love the people I work with and for," says Mary. "I also believe that good marriages and loving relationships are the bedrock of a healthy society and - while not the only way - a good way for rearing happy children, our future citizens."
"Some of my proudest moments have been when we have played a significant part in the hosting of both the Victorian and National Marriage Educator Conferences. These have always been a great success under the leadership of Denise Lacey [now Regional Manager in Gippsland] who has had an enormous influence on the marriage education field in Australia over the decades."
Mary has seen a number of changes during her 33 years at CatholicCare, including a number of office relocations.
"When I first volunteered, the Bureau office was in Nicholson Street, and before finally settling at the Cardinal Knox Centre, we were in a terrace in Albert Street. It was at that terrace where a break-in occurred. When the police looked in my room (which was not much bigger than a cupboard) they were convinced that the intruders had been there. The rest of the staff had to reassure them that the mess was my own decorating!"
"Actually, after a couple of weeks I realised that the intruders had indeed moved some of my mess, but only I could tell! Maybe they were trying to tidy it up?!"
As CatholicCare celebrates its 85th anniversary, we acknowledge that our history is enriched by the people who have played a role in our mission to serve the community. People like Mary, who have embraced the mission to help people live "Life to the Full".
"‘Life to the Full’ means that I have come to know, believe and experience that I am fully loved and acceptable to myself and God, and to be able to facilitate that conversion in others by being present to them, from them being self-critical and shaming, to self-acceptance and honouring … and a freedom to be who they truly are; a reflection of the Divine."
“I believe that good marriages and loving relationships are the bedrock of a healthy society and - while not the only way - a good way for rearing happy children, our future citizens."
Mary Brown
Marriage & Relationship Educator, CatholicCare
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