Outraged church and Aboriginal community leaders say Sydney
City Council’s plans for a street
upgrade in Redfern threaten the commemorative bench outside the St Vincent de
Paul church that is dedicated to her memory.
The plans – for Redfern and Regent streets – call for
footpaths to be widened, powerlines to be put underground and new lighting,
street furniture and trees to be installed.
Some church parishioners claim their local Catholic church
has supported the seat’s removal.
The nearby Aboriginal Medical Service has called on the Lord
Mayor, Clover Moore, to urgently intervene. “It would be considered a deep
insult to Mum Shirl’s family and to
Aboriginal people generally,” the service’s
chief executive officer, Naomi Mayers, wrote.
A spokesman for Ms Moore said the council had no intention
of permanently removing the memorial. “It is going to be replaced in
consultation with the local church, the medical service and any other community
stakeholders,” he said.
“I believe there is a difference of opinion between the
church and the medical centre, but whatever meets their needs we will do.”
The dispute further underlines tensions at St
Vincent’s between the
priests of the conservative Catholic movement, The Neocatechumenal Way, and the
parishioners loyal to the memory and legacy of Father Ted Kennedy.
Father Kennedy, who died in 2005, was a priest for 30 years
and collaborated with Mum Shirl in the often troubled suburb.
The Redfern church community’s
blog, the Church Mouse Journal, said Mum Shirl’s
seat was installed six or seven years ago and was part of the cultural history
of Redfern.
Reverend Bill Crews, the founder of the Exodus Foundation,
said any support given to remove the seat had failed to recognise Mum Shirl’s contribution. “That seat is symbolic of the
church that is open to the Aboriginal community in all situations, down at heel
or in need. The Aboriginal community is bruised and battered … this is just
another example of the church alienating people most in need.”
The Herald could not contact St Vincent’s priest for comment.
Photo: Jon Reid – On the bench … the seat, dedicated to
Mum Shirl, which is at the centre of a redevelopment row in Redfern Street.