Hi Everyone,
This year given Montmorency parishioners may not be familiar with the group I am providing some basic information inclusive of a brief history. We operate only as a very small group and would welcome any new members from Monty who might like to joins us. We hold our very brief, but friendly monthly meetings at 7.30pm, on the first Tuesdays of the month in the gathering area of OLHC. The commitment is not onerous and involves helping with raffles and a whist card night.
Our fundraising has reduced over the past few years
and this year we will struggle to send a corresponding amount to last year
($4,000) dependent upon the results of the Christmas raffle. At a pinch we
might be able to do so as the last raffle result for Father’s day was most
encouraging.
This year given Montmorency parishioners may not be familiar with the group I am providing some basic information inclusive of a brief history. We operate only as a very small group and would welcome any new members from Monty who might like to joins us. We hold our very brief, but friendly monthly meetings at 7.30pm, on the first Tuesdays of the month in the gathering area of OLHC. The commitment is not onerous and involves helping with raffles and a whist card night.
The Group was first
formed late in 1996 in Eltham, following circulation of a request from
the Cathedral to provide support to a parish in Africa. The idea of
formally providing material and spiritual support to a Sister Parish in a third
world country was eagerly accepted by Our Lady’s parishioners in January 1997.
We were finally linked with St Kizito’s Parish at Chigoneka, Lilongwe in May
1997. Each year we celebrate St Kizito’s Feast day (3rd June) at Our Lady’s
Parish on the nearest weekend, when a collection is taken up.
Money raised in the
earlier periods funded the renewal of two churches, accommodation for AIDS
orphans, classroom shelters and a compound wall to keep intruders out of the
grounds.
What followed were a number of projects
to provide improvements and additions to the school, establishing a health
clinic, the funding of a new church and nursery school plus more recently the
provision of educational scholarships.
The group became a registered charity
with its own ABN number and has received donations from Telstra and further generous
donations from individuals outside of the group who are attracted by the fact
100% of what is donated goes directly to the most needy within your sister
parish. We send funds directly to Fr Taylor’s parish account in Lilongwe via
the Catholic Development Fund who in turn arrange equivalent US dollars to be transferred
via the NAB.
Fr Taylor is a veteran with over 35 years of service in Malawi, with his only
support from an assistant priest. However he does get help from their local branch of St Vincent’s de Paul society at St Kizito, but apart
from that there is no secretarial or
parish support. The 6 parishes he supports cover more than 6,000 parishioners
and for the most part they reside in either shanty towns or mud brick huts with
thatched roofs. Scene below is driving through Ntandira.
The structure of Father’s outreach
to the parishes is facilitated by small community groups. Each has a head who look
after the communities needs as best they can. Within each parish is either a
community hut or house attached to the church, which is rented out to provide
funds for the needy. Fr Taylor keeps in contact this way to provide support
over and above their resources as far as he is able, in addition to liturgical
commitments. Confirmations can be quite large events of 300 at one time.
Below is a street scene taken just
outside the school gates at Mt Siriza, then elders conferring with Fr Taylor and their typical accommodation. Then a picture of the women’s new prison, constructed by the inmates under Fr Taylor’s
supervision from materials purchased by him. They leant new skills in
bricklaying and construction and additionally established a vegetable garden.
Previously the housing was deplorable. A similar exercise was undertaken for
the men’s gaol.
Given the size
of the group it was decided our future fund raising will comprise principally
from raffles and the Whist night which continues to be a very successful social
event.
Thanks again for
all you’re wonderful support which means your sister parish’s needy students
and orphans can continue with their education.
This year was
also a difficult year for Fr Taylor but he now has an Indian priest helping him
and continues to enjoy good health. In his last correspondence Fr. Taylor
informed us Malawi continues to struggle with poor leadership and escalating
prices, especially for students. Moral leadership has mostly failed and yet the
people go on smiling – the warm heart of Africa. I expect that position hasn’t
changed much this year. But I will shortly be writing to Fr Taylor
for an update which I will share with you when it comes to hand.
