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Harmony Week,
St Aloysius College

Catherine House

Providing emergency accommodation for homeless women, offering them safety and security.

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Catherine House was founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1988, in partnership with the South Australian Housing Trust and the Adelaide City Council, to support women experiencing homelessness. The first administrator was St Aloysius College old scholar and Sister of Mercy, Sr Anne Gregory who named the organisation after Catherine McAuley, the foundress of the Sisters of Mercy.

Now an independent, non-profit organisation, Catherine House provides emergency accommodation for homeless women, offering them safety and security. They are given support to address the issues that have resulted in homelessness by linking them with support services in the community. Through the Catherine House outreach program, the women are supported in their transition to independent living.

Sr Anne Gregory
Sr Anne Gregory, St Aloysius College Archives
Year 8 Catherine House
Welcome packs for Catherine House 2021, St Aloysius College Archives

The Sisters of Mercy have always valued education and Catherine House provides women with access to education and employment opportunities that will expand their options for the future to build a life that is meaningful and purposeful.

St Aloysius College supports Catherine House by packing donated toiletries into Welcome Packs for women arriving at Catherine House. Funds raised through the Mercy Day Carnival and the Colour Run also contribute to supporting their vital work.

By Carol Grantham
St Aloysius College Archivist, 2026

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Catherine House (n.d.). Supporting women experiencing homelessness. https://catherinehouse.org.au/

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