Did You Know?

Over the years we, as a Parish, have built churches in Nepal, Nigeria and Mexico, rectories/parish centers in Haiti and Nigeria, a water system in Haiti, met parish needs in Ecuador and Kyrgyzstan, supported schools in Haiti and Nepal, and last year, completed a school in Zambia! We do this through a trusted Missionary or Missionary Society, with whom we can make certain that projects are well-planned and completion achieved with accountability. That Missionary or representative of a Missionary Society (such as Father Samuel, Father Amal, or Joan Martin) provides a personal contact for the Mission Project and shares first-hand reports! We do not have to seek out these projects, because of our ‘reputation’ as Parish with a strong and generous interest in Missions, our Lord always sends such a person to us! We were recently contacted by Father Gilbert Malu, one of the International Priests serving in our Diocese – Father Gilbert was Pastor of Immaculate Conception in Douglas and is currently serving as Pastor of St. Monica in Tucson! Father Gilbert is seeking our assistance to complete a grade school staffed by the Sister Servants of the Poor, in the town of Kanaga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The school – Fedele Castiglioni School – is named for one of the first (Italian) Missionaries to work in the Congo, and serves one of the poorest neighborhoods – called Kambote. Mother Rosalie Batupendi, who is the Mother Superior of the Sisters Servants of the Poor in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has sent us photos of the school and the children – which we will post on our website. The total cost of completing the School is $22,000! (Remember that the value of the dollar in many countries in the Third World means that its buying power is greatly multiplied!) On 15 July, our Parish/Finance Council approved of the Fedele Castiglioni School Project as our 2025/2026 Parish Mission Project and it was decided that the Collection for the Needs of the Church in Africa (on 27 July) would be directed for this Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and over $8,000 has already been donated! We are very excited about completing another Catholic School in a desperately poor area in Africa! As we watch (and pray) as our kids return to school this year – give and pray for “our kids” in Africa! Make checks payable to St. Andrew’s – and write “Congo” on the Memo line, or donate through the on-line giving page – “Special Collection”! Father Gilbert will be joining us for Masses and to report first-hand on the progress when he returns from the Congo next month!