Mentone branch supporting St Columbans Mission Society

St Elizabeth Hospital medical staff attend to flood victims in Sindh province. Photo:Fr Robert McCullochSt Elizabeth Hospital medical staff attend to flood victims in Sindh province. Photo:Fr Robert McCulloch

This article was prepared by Bob Razga about Columban Fr Robert McCulloch's visit to Mentone in August this year. The article appears in the December 2022 issue of the Crusader, the official journal of the Knights of the Southern Cross in Victoria.

At the invitation of the Mentone Branch of the Knights of the Southern Cross, Fr Robert McCulloch SSC, visited our branch on Monday the 15th August with Fr Cameron Forbes, St Patrick’s Mentone Parish Priest, and Fr Usulu Weliwatte, currently based at St Patrick’s Mentone, concelebrated Mass. Immediately after Mass, Fr Robert spoke about his missionary work in Pakistan, to the many who attended consisting of Mentone Branch members, other members from District Eight, and parishioners, not only from St Patrick’s Parish, but also from neighbouring parishes.

These attendees donated over $8000 towards Fr Robert’s projects; this does not include the donation the Branch itself was able to contribute.  Anyone wishing to donate funds to Fr Robert’s projects may do so through the St Columban’s Mission Society, PO Box 752, Niddrie  Vic 3042, specifying that “it is a donation for the St Elizabeth Hospital, Hyderabad, through Fr Robert McCulloch”. 

Fr Robert McCulloch, Procurator General for St Columbans Mission Society, is based in Rome, but reguarly visits Pakistan overseeing his projects there, which no only include St Elizabeth Hospital, but also the Catholic Centre for Academic Excellence (CCAC) and the Catholic Youth Development Centre (CYDC) and there are other activities he is involved in.

The attached picture with Fr Robert (left) Fr Cameron Forbes (centre) and Fr Andrew Kwiatkowski (right) from St Anne’s Parish Seaford, was taken at this year’s Priests Support and Education Fund dinner, which they attended as guests of the Mentone and Longreach Branches.

Written by Bob Razga, Mentone Branch, KSC

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