Staff

Staff at the Suzanne Aubert Compassion Centre include a team of sisters, lay staff and a Chaplian

Paul McKerracher started as Kitchen Manager at the Soup Kitchen in April 2010. Here is a snapshot of his background.

Originally from Argyll in Western Scotland (where the argyle pattern originates from).

Paul has lived in New Zealand for the past 10 years. Before he started at the Compassion Centre, Paul had worked in hospitality in Wellington and most recently spent time at home caring for his children.

Prior to emigrating to Aotearoa, he worked as a chef in the United Kingdom for 10 years, in many different places, “east and west, up and down and all around,” according to him.

While working for a hotel in the small fishing village of Carradale he met his wife, a Kiwi, who was travelling on an OE. They eventually married, moved to New Zealand and have two children.

“It was quite a pleasant surprise to find such a nice dining room and kitchen,” Paul said of his first impression of the Compassion Centre. Paul is now settled in and is enjoying getting to know the guests, volunteers and staff at the Centre.

While not cooking for our guests Paul likes to relax by watching the Ranger Football Club of Glasgow. Although he admits that the Rangers don’t schedule their matches at convenient times since he’s moved to the southern hemisphere.

Sister Lusiana started at the Suzanne Aubert Compassion Centre in February 2010. Here is a snapshot of her background.

Originally from Niue, Sister Lusiana is the oldest of four children. She went to school in Niue but joined the Sisters of Compassion in Tonga, where she trained in Houma, on the island of Tongatapu.

Sr Lusiana lived with the Sisters in Wagga Wagga, Australia for a year, where she trained as a nurse at Cootmundra Hospital, completing a nursing certificate. She has worked with the Sisters in a number of communities in Australia and New Zealand.
Before coming to the Compassion Centre at the beginning of 2010 she was based in Niue for a year.

Sr Lusiana is now a full-time staff member at the Compassion Centre, working as part of the Soup Kitchen team. Sister Lusiana also works with some refugees families in the community and on Sunday she collects vegetables at the Harbourside Market for the Soup Kitchen.

Wayne Riggs started at the Suzanne Aubert Compassion Centre in February 2010. Here is a snapshot of his background.

Originally from Hastings, Wayne Riggs brings his sunny disposition and great sense of humour to his job as the Compassion Centre’s cleaner.

Wayne grew up in Hastings but was educated at the Sumner School for the Deaf (now Van Asch Deaf Education Centre) in Christchurch. Wayne is now very much a Wellingtonian.

Prior to joining the staff, Wayne was a volunteer at the Soup Kitchen for a number of years.

When he is not working, Wayne enjoys playing and watching soccer, watching movies and sleeping. Wayne is an active member of the Deaf Club in Wellington.

Wayne enjoys working at the Compassion Centre.

Fr Rob Devlin Father Rob Devlin continues as chaplain to the Soup Kitchen and Community Worker. The Eucharist is celebrated weekdays at noon in the chapel and anyone is welcome. Some of Fr Rob's community work is among refugees with RMS Refugee Resettlement. He also assists with the journey of life of our Soup Kitchen guests through such work as attending at court, assisting with housing and visiting on the street. “This work is fragmented, slow and challenging”, says Fr Rob. Assisting refugees with accessing agencies –Government and non-government, is a slow process especially when language is a barrier. Spending time with our guests on the streets or in their residences is an important outreach of Compassion care.

Father Rob says “It is a privilege to journey alongside people who live on the margins of life. Thanks to God, there are agencies like the Compassion Centre which enable us to bring the welcome of God to the afflicted.”