Dear Columban Friend,
Pope Francis laments a world where homelessness and hunger is not news
Recently we published an article in The Far East by Columban Fr Dan Harding, the parish priest of San Columbano, Santiago, Chile. In a show of solidarity with the poor, some of the youth and other parishioners visited a nearby Shantytown and were shocked at what they saw.
“I felt really sad when I saw what their houses were like.” “They are made of cardboard and tin.” “The children have nowhere to play.” “There are babies living there.”
With your support, Fr Dan has been able to offer shelter, food and a sense of hope and community to the most needy in their area.
As St Oscar Romero said: ‘We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that. This enables us to do something and to do it very well. It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.’
In Peru, we see Columban parishioners putting faith into action by providing food, friendship and community to the homeless, as shown in the photo above. Most of the parishioners are living in poverty themselves. This is a fine example of not being able to do everything but of doing something.
I thank you once again for your commitment to mission and ask you to support the Christmas Appeal in response to the message of Pope Francis, who has condemned the huge divide between the world’s rich and poor.
Let us bring the light of Christ to all the world this Christmas.
To make a donation to the Columban Christmas Appeal 2019
- Donate Online
- PHONE: Columban Mission Centre on +61 3 9375 9475
Christmas blessings.
Fr Trevor Trotter
Regional Director
Australia/New Zealand Region
