The 2001 Christmas HelpLine

Sunday December 16
to
Sunday December 30

Telephone: (08) 9444 1334

Fax: (08) 9443 8761

email: m.gatt@perthcatholic.org.au




Father Michael Gatt’s gift at Christmas is his ear

Father Gatt lends an ear to help the needy

Father Michael Gatt’s gift at Christmas is his ear.

Instead of spending Christmas lounging with friends, as many of us do, the Tuart Hill priest spends his Christmas supporting people who are hurting.

For the past 10 years, Fr Gatt has run a 24-hour counselling line for people who feel down during the Christmas season.

He said that most support services closed over Christmas – which was traditionally the most stressful time of the year.

The fact that Christmas is the most joyous time of the year for many people just highlights the absence of joy for people who are experiencing hurt.

Last year, Fr Gatt received more than 80 calls from sad and hurt people, including several callers considering suicide.

People spoke to him of problems including alcohol, drugs and broken homes.

Other callers could not cope with the financial pressures of the season.

"It is a stressful time," Fr Gatt said.

Fr Gatt’s Christmas Helpline is open until December 30. His services include visitation and food parcels.

He also refers people to services such as doctors, lawyers and psychologists, and other support agencies such as Lifeline and Anglicare.

People can call 9444 1334 or 9444 8650 or they can also contact him by e-mail on: m.gatt@perthcatholic.org.au

 

Fr Gatt’s Help-line will be ready for Christmas

For some people, Christmas is the loneliest time of the year, so Father Michael Gatt will again provide a lifeline for those in need this festive season.

Fr Gatt, parish priest of St Kieran’s Parish, Osborne Park, has been running his annual Christmas Help-Line for 10 years.

He told The Record on Monday, 10 December, that he may have helped 1000 people in the past 10 years with his help-line and was in contact with Crisis Care, which referred calls to him.

He has set up telephone lines and again put aside his Christmas celebrations to provide a non-judgemental and confidential counselling service. People experiencing family breakdown, financial difficulties, drug issues and people contemplating suicide has used the help-line in previous years, Fr Gatt said.

Those needing further counselling will be referred to appropriate professionals.

The help-line will be open for two weeks from Sunday 16 December to Sunday 30 December inclusively, 24 hours a day, by calling 9444 1334 or 9444 8650.

The fax number for those who prefer to write their messages is 9443 8761 and his e-mail address is: m.gatt@perthcatholic.org.au

- Glynnis Grainger The Record 13/12/2001

 

On call for Christmas

Father Michael Gatt’s gift at Christmas is his ear.

Instead of spending Christmas lounging with friends, the Tuart Hill priest spends his Christmas supporting people who are hurting.

For the past 10 years, Fr Gatt has run a 24-hour counselling line for people who feel down during the Christmas season.

He said that most support services closed over Christmas – traditionally the most stressful time of the year.

Last year, Fr Gatt received more than 80 calls from sad and hurt people, including several suicide calls.

People spoke to him of problems with alcohol, drugs and broken homes. Other callers could not cope with the financial pressures of the season.

"It is a stressful time," Fr Gatt said. "Ten years ago I heard there was a need for a service and started it."

"Once people heard about it, it flourished. People call me because it is anonymous and non-judgemental, so people are open and honest – they feel free and comfortable to talk to me."

Fr Gatt’s Christmas Helpline is open until December 30. His services also include referrals, visits and food parcels.

People can call 9444 1334 or 9444 8650 or e-mail him at m.gatt@perthcatholic.org.au

 

Feeling sad, alone? – call Father Gatt

Father Michael Gatt’s gift at Christmas is his ear.

Instead of spending Christmas lounging with friends, the Tuart Hill priest spends his Christmas supporting people who are hurting.

For the past 10 years, Fr Gatt has run a 24-hour counselling line for people who feel down during the Christmas season.

He said that most support services closed over Christmas – which was traditionally the most stressful time of the year.

Last year, Fr Gatt received more than 80 calls from sad and hurt people, including several suicide calls.

People spoke to him of problems with alcohol, drugs and broken homes. Other callers could not cope with the financial pressures of the season.

"It is a stressful time," Fr Gatt said. "Ten years ago I heard there was a need for a service and started it."

"Once people heard about it, it flourished. People call me because it is anonymous and non-judgemental, so people are open and honest – they feel free and comfortable to talk to me."

Fr Gatt’s Christmas Helpline is open until December 30. His services include visitation and food parcels.

He also refers people to doctors, lawyers and psychologists, and other support agencies such as Lifeline and Anglicare.

People can call 9444 1334 or 9444 8650 or they can also contact him by e-mail on: m.gatt@perthcatholic.org.au

- Jane Ewers-Verge Stirling Times 18/12/2001

 
Courtesy of The Record 3 January 2002


Fr Gatt's help-line in its 10th year
While some of us were tucking into the Christmas turkey with all the trimmings, some people were alone and despairing. Fr Michael Gatt, parish priest of St Kieran's Parish, Osborne Park, provided a lifeline for those in need this festive season. He has been running his annual Christmas telephone Help-Line for 10 years and this year received and attended to more than 60 calls. He told The Record this week his Christmas Help-Line "has always been well-received since its inception on Christmas Day 1991." "I can recall it was then published in The West Australian and The Record newspapers and somebody picked up the story from The Record 'Christmas cries for help' and reprinted it in the London Catholic newspaper The Universe, " he said. "It is a good story because it is a story of compassion - very much related to the Christmas story. The Christmas Help-Line is an emergency help-line for the Christmas season and it proved to be necessary and successful." Fr Gatt provided a non-judgemental and confidential counselling service from 16 December to 30 December. People experiencing family breakdown, financial difficulties, drug issues and people contemplating suicide have used the help-line in previous years.
- Glynnis Grainger




P.S. Courtesy of The Stirling Times 5 February 2002


Suicide rate cut by 9 per cent
TELEPHONE counsellors have helped cut the national suicide rate by almost 9 per cent, Lifeline chief executive Tim Hawkins says. The rate has dropped 8.9 per cent to 12.3 people per 100,000, according to the Australian Bureaux of Statistics. "While the rate is still far too high for us to be complacent, especially when we consider the road toll of 9.5 people per 100,000, the downward trend in the suicide rate is cause for community-wide celebration," Mr Hawkins said. "Several Lifeline programmes have contributed to the downward trend, including our telephone counselling services. "The service provides people contemplating suicide, as well as people concerned for others who they believe may be considering suicide, with real assistance and advice to work through problems. "These figures give staff and volunteers incentives to continue with their work, knowing that they are making a difference." Mr Hawkins credited the success to the availability of telephone counsellors 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week. Each Lifeline telephone counsellor undergoes an extensive six-month training programme, as well as regular debriefing sessions. Training included gaining an understanding of suicidal behaviour and developing and practising skills to recognise, engage and refer a person at risk of suicide. "At certain times of the year, when the celebration of life is emphasised, people at risk are more vulnerable to ending their life," Mr Hawkins said. "In fact, our volunteers received nine suicide-related calls on Christmas Day." Lifeline's telephone counselling service was available across metropolitan and regional W.A. Statistics revealed that over the past decade men were four times more likely to suicide than women. "To address this issue in W.A., Lifeline provides the Lone Fathers Family Support Service, which is having a positive effect on reducing the rate of suicide among single fathers." Mr Hawkins said. Lifeline is a not-for-profit organisation that depends on community donations and volunteers. Call 13 11 14 for guidance or advice.

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