The Rev. Dorothy McRae-McMahon pushed for the recognition of clergy in committed same-sex relationships from the mid-1980s in the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) which was ratified by the church’s National Assembly in 2003. The naming of an aged care facility after her in the leadup to Mardi Gras was well timed.
Dorothy’s unwavering stand for this and other social justice issues allowed many people of faith who had been ostracised by the mainstream churches to take the risk to reengage. Dorothy is a member of the South Sydney parish that produces this paper and both she and her late partner Ali were actively involved with the SSH.
The push for an affordable aged care facility came from the Leichhardt UCA congregation which wanted to redevelop the site of a derelict aged care building. For 10 years they worked with Uniting, Inner West Council and the NSW government to create the affordable aged care outcome to maintain an integrated, mixed diverse community in the former working-class suburb. They hope a process can be put in place to facilitate additional affordable aged care facilities.
All parties involved in the opening on February 27 are recognised on the plaque.
