Fifth Sunday of Year B - 8th February 2009

A letter of Thanks and Appreciation.

I have just received a letter from your parish Priest, Fr. Kevin O'Shea CM, in which he gave me the very good news of your most generous donation of £440 to our mission here in Eastern Europe. It has already been paid into our account, and will be put to immediate use. It remains for me to acknowledge this gift, and to thank you very sincerely for such generosity.

Presently we are (I think) just beginning to feel the effects of the world-wide financial crisis and already our currency has lost about 60% of its value against the Pound Sterling. People are suffering as a result - but equally it means that your donation will go that much further in helping people in need.

We have a very active Vincent de Paul Society group here in Kiev. Each week they attend to the people who are living on the streets, and are also engaged in assisting the children in the AIDS hospital in the city (Ukraine has the highest incidence of AIDS in Europe) - it is very under-funded, and we have been able to supply basic things such as beds, blankets etc which were lacking! There are still many more needs, and some of your donation will go towards meeting these needs - both in terms of medical equipment, and in making better provision for the children.

In terns of the people living on the streets - most of then are people without documents... no passport etc - and as such unable to access any government assistance - virtually "non-people". We try to give then very basic assistance in terms of food, clothes, and medical help. At any time we are in contact with about 50 such people. In some cases we are able to assist them to get new documents - but it a difficult process and we need greater legal expertise. We work with the government centre for such people, and have provided some bedding and warm clothes, boots, and also on a monthly basis some basic foods.

Both these groups of people are a long way down the Government's list of priorities, and for next year they are due to receive just 10% of the assistance which was given in 2008 (and that was very poor indeed.)

Your donation will go to these groups, through our Vincent de Paul Conference, and if I visit Mill Hill I will be happy to update you in any developments.

Meanwhile I thank you again most sincerely.

Yours in Christ Jesus,

(Rev) Paul Roche CM.

As you will all remember, the International Evening was not intended to be a fund raising event, but there was a surplus, which was given to me to use as I saw fit, for an appeal of an 'international' nature. - Fr Kevin.