FATHER Bob Maguire sang the praises of Ballarat’s Soup Bus volunteers when the popular Catholic priest visited the facility last night.
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Fr Bob, who toured the bus and met with some of its clients, described the project as “a magnificent expression of community”.
“Faith and saying prayers is a good thing but equally good is faith in action,” he said.
“This is the coalface.
“The tucker comes from your own community...it’s been going on long enough to become the reassurance that no other agency, government or religious, can provide.”
Fr Bob said the Ballarat bus was a “magnificent operation” dishing out quality meals and respect to those in need.
“They’re not bludgers at all – they’ve got less access than the rest of us to power over their lives,” he said.
“We’ve run food vans and we’ve done so for 30 years in South Melbourne.
“You’ve got to get to where the people are.”
Fr Bob was also the keynote speaker at yesterday’s Ballarat Interfaith Network forum.
The forum, planned on the eve of World Environment Day, focused on the connection between spiritual growth and regard for the environment.
Fr Bob spoke about the importance for members of all faiths to unite and work together for the common good.
“The people in Australia agreed to form a commonwealth so why don’t we get on with it?”
