“City Streets” by Julie Hill is a song with special meaning for Anne Jordan PVBM, director of Cana Communities. The lyric speaks of the pain of life on the streets, as well as solidarity and the promise of healing relationships: “Who will hear their song, who will sing along …?” City Streets magazine was published over two decades. Its editor, Aleida Jansen, has now edited a book to celebrate Cana’s 40th anniversary. Cana Communities – Celebrating 40 Years was launched by Margaret Cannane PVBM on Sunday May 3 at Redfern Park. As befits the Cana story thus far, the event was a joyous and chaotic, musical and liturgical celebration.
The Cana story begins in 1975 with Mark Brereton, a Dominican brother who dreamed of a house with an “open door”. Father Luke Rawlings OP came with him to establish De Porres House (after the Peruvian brother, St Martin De Porres) in Abercrombie Street, Chippendale. A group of young people joined them, welcoming people in need, including some with mental health and addiction issues. Men and women from other religious orders joined too.
Parish priest at St Vincent’s in Redfern, Father Ted Kennedy, and Ted’s sister Marnie Kennedy RSCJ, were active supporters from the early days. As were Sister Dom OSU, Mum Shirl, and a network of people attracted to the mission. In the 1980s a number of houses were rented. In 1986 Anne Jordan came to De Porres at 228 Bourke Street, Darlinghurst, where Mark Brereton was living at the time. Noel Davis and Trish Delaney had moved into the house at 257 Abercrombie Street.
While sharing a room at De Porres with seven others, Anne worked in after-school care and was engaged in university studies. In 1988 Mark asked Anne to take on the leadership of the community for 12 months while he was overseas. As events transpired, he didn’t come back to the community. “I trusted that this was the right place for me,” Anne remembers.
“In 1990, Father Brian Stoney [SJ] joined the community and we started Cana. We chose the name with reference to the miracle story in John’s Gospel. When we know we have nothing, a miracle can happen. The water might be turned into wine, the ordinary might become extraordinary – might be revealed as extraordinary.”
De Porres was designated for “home and hospitality”; Cana House for “prayer and hospitality”. 1995 saw incorporation of the mission as Cana Communities. And so there were two houses. Always run on donations, by volunteers. “If there are insufficient volunteers to continue a program, then it doesn’t continue. That’s one of our firm principles.” Support came from churches, schools and individuals. “The Internet has broadened communication and appeal,” Anne explains. “We now receive volunteers and funds from people of all belief systems.”
The 1990s saw a period of expansion – a café and café gala nights, children’s programs like Cana Kids Can Cook, and church shelters. “Bernie Breen had the inspiration for a shelter in a local church hall. The Garden Shelter at South Sydney Uniting Church and the Shelter at Christ Church St Lawrence offer hospitality and connection to the broader community.”
More recently, Cana has comprised four inner-city houses and Cana Farm in Orchard Hills. St Francis House, established by Pauline Fitzwalter SGS, Teresa House, Nagle House for women, and a prison support program have enriched the mission, along with outreach programs and the annual Cana Camp at St Ignatius College in Riverview.
It is indeed extraordinary what has been achieved in the spirit of a shared vision. Anne pays tribute to her “soulmate” Brian Stoney. “Brian was a charismatic man, he attracted people,” she says. “There was a prophetic quality to his personality and his words.” Brian’s funeral in 2008 was held at St Canice’s in Elizabeth Bay. The church was full to overflowing, with everyone given an opportunity to say something in remembrance.
In the light of the anniversary, Anne reflects on what’s most important. “The transformation I see in people’s lives, that’s most inspiring for me,” she says. “The importance of simple ritual as a means of naming our truths, claiming connections. Through weakness and fallibility owned and shared, there is a strength that can’t be broken. This kind of honesty changes experience and therefore thinking. It’s actually experience [rather than knowledge] that changes you.
“Every day, I imagine at least 40 interactions of significance in our various houses – life-changing interactions, meetings, lunches. These continue to be based on a spirituality model rather than a service model – a valuing of life at every level. The key values are celebration and forgiveness – valuing every person for who they are, not for what they can do. As a community, we can help each other to do that, to share opportunities to start again.”
