From the Director - Written with a shaky hand

Columban Fr Gary WalkerThe Columban 2014 Christmas Appeal is nearly over but Columban benefactors still send in their donations months later. These days an increasing number of people donate online but I still receive letters written with a shaky hand. These letters are a cause for humility on my part and thanksgiving to our donors as well.

They write that they are getting old now and living on the pension; with increased expenses due to sickness and sometimes the death of a spouse, they don’t have money to spare to donate to St Columban’s Mission. Therefore, with great regret they ask us to take their name off our mailing list.

Or a variation is that they don’t read much now and don’t want to receive The Far East magazine any more but they have loved the magazine and the interesting stories of the missionaries working for God; but all good things come to an end. They have especially loved the trials and tribulations of the young school boy in Mickey Daly’s Diary.

Sometimes, I have telephoned a benefactor to thank them for their generosity. They are surprised and then delighted that I have contacted them personally. It is not possible to do this with everyone so this column is an attempt to say ‘thank you’ to all the people who support Columban Mission. And especially to those benefactors who are getting older and who have been so faithful to us for such a long time.

There is regret in the words and the shaky handwriting is a clue to the age of the donor. ‘I am 86 years old now, and I have been a supporter of the Columban Mission for 50 years...’ or ‘My wife died five months ago and I feel as if a part of me has gone and I pray the good Lord will take me soon so I can be with her...’ or ‘Our mother just died and she asked us to continue to get The Far East magazine so I am taking over her subscription. My address is...

Confronted with the faithfulness and commitment of these benefactors to the Missionary Society of St Columban, to give us a formal name, I sit at my desk humbled by their support over many years, their unfailing generosity in a world in which thousands of charities are clamouring for their attention and they remain faithful to us. Without our benefactors we would not be able to continue to do missionary work as we have been doing it for nearly 100 years.

Sometimes, I have telephoned a benefactor to thank them for their generosity. They are surprised and then delighted that I have contacted them personally. It is not possible to do this with everyone so this column is an attempt to say ‘thank you’ to all the people who support Columban Mission. And especially to those benefactors who are getting older and who have been so faithful to us for such a long time.

God bless you.

Fr Gary Walker SSC
director@columban.org.au

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