Success Stories
A Vehicle for Pastoral Work in Burundi
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Some time ago, we told you about an appeal from Burundi, a small country in Central Africa that is now regarded as the poorest in the world. It has witnessed repeated genocides and a civil war that lasted from 1993 to 2005. And the political situation is still very unstable. There is fear that a fresh escalation of violence could occur at any time. The Catholic Church in Burundi is doing everything it can to promote reconciliation in society and ...
A New Presbytery for a Parish in Sierra Leone
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There is great joy in the town of Lakka, in Sierra Leone. Thanks to your help, the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Succor was able to consecrate their new presbytery. Some time ago, we turned to you for help. Father Emmanuel Francis Allie was living in an altogether derelict house, with a leaking roof and rotting stairs that threatened to collapse at any moment. The plumbing and electrical wiring were also in a dire state, and the floor of ...
A New Village Chapel in Bangladesh
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The Diocese of Sylhet in Bangladesh was established in 2011. There are 20,000 Catholics in the territory, which has a total population of 14 million. Most of these Catholics belong to ethnic minority groups and are extremely poor; they have been pushed to society’s margins. This is also the case in the village of Ischachora Punjee. It is about nine miles from the parish center, and 16 of the 36 families living there are Catholic. Previously, the Catholics had a ...
A Riverboat for a Parish in Brazil
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The Diocese of Humaitá lies deep in the Amazon region and serves an area of about 53,000 square miles. But most of it is covered by rainforest and is thinly populated. Many communities are on the riverbanks and can only be reached via water. This makes pastoral outreach more difficult, since the river journeys are dangerous, with rapids, floating trees, snakes, and other poisonous animals. The parish of Our Lady, Help of Christians is based in the town of Manicoré, ...
A Chapel for a Parish in India
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Last year, we shared a request from Father Arbok Lyngdoh of Moharpara in northeast India. He was asking for help on behalf of his faithful, to build a new chapel in the village of Twichalong, one of 31 remote communities in the Parish of the Immaculate Conception. The local faithful longed for a proper chapel and made great sacrifices for it, but being extremely poor, they could not manage to raise the necessary funds. You responded generously to their request, and ...
Help for the Training of Seminarians in Zambia
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The Holy Ghost Fathers, also known as the Spiritans, were founded in France in 1703. Today, its members are active in over 60 countries, evangelizing and ministering to the poor and marginalized. They work especially in remote regions, where the Church faces serious challenges. The congregation has been present in Zambia since 1971, and there are currently 19 Fathers working in three dioceses of the country. It is blessed with many African vocations and has already ordained 16 Zambian men ...