Our sister parish
in Honduras, Inmaculado Concepion
 

 

blog
Father Donahue has a blog, and it highlights his ministry in Juticalpa, Olancho. Well worth checking out. You may view it at: http://padredonahueblog.org.  He writes every two weeks.  Posted 070410

 

History
For these past sixteen years, as a parish community we have tried to make a difference in the lives of people whose situations have demonstrated a need for help. We have sent financial donations collected annually following Fr. Donahue’s visit, school supplies, eyeglasses, medical supplies and books. We have paid for the education of over 120 students through our December/January BECAS scholarship drive, allowing them to continue their education beyond the legal sixth-grade limit. All of this is accomplished through the good will and generosity of all of you!

Three years ago as we celebrated our parish’s 125th Anniversary, we again looked beyond ourselves, deciding to encourage a Mission Team to visit our sister-parish of Inmaculado Concepion to meet the folks there, watch Fr. Donahue, “Padre” in action, help out where they could, and return home to share with the rest of us how this relationship is actually working. The first trip was followed by a second and then a third. Mission Team members have enthusiastically responded to the people they have met. They have bonded with children and families, painted a school, had their eyes opened to extreme poverty, sponsored a Field Day at Santa Clara, participated in a Solidarity Event for special needs students, visited and been touched by several local families, and witnessed tremendous faith, joy-filled faith, in so many people possessing little of this world’s goods. Over the past three years, twenty-seven “missionaries” have returned from a life-changing experience, searching new ways to help from home. They have begun to “adopt” families who lack life’s necessities and send “care packages” to them a few times each year.

Please continue to keep all aspects of this ministry in prayer.

In the name of Christ’s poor,
Sister Anne

 

BECAS
Bring Education, Christianity and Scholarship A Catholic Education for the Children of Juticalpa Olancho, Honduras “Do unto others so they can do for themselves” Please fill out the form below and return by January 15, 2011.

You may return the form by mailing it to Holy Family Parish, c/o Sr. Anne Conway, 403 Union St., Rockland, drop it off at the rectory or enclose in an envelope and drop it in the Sunday collection basket. A confirmation of your donation will be mailed to you.

For more information please call Sr. Anne Conway at 781-878-0160 SCHOLARSHIP DRIVE
Please state below in the appropriate space if your donation is being given in HONOR of or in MEMORY of a loved one.

DONORS:

NAME:____________________________________________

ADDRESS:_________________________________________

PHONE:___________________________________________

Amount enclosed:___________________

Donations given IN HONOR OF: (Living person).

Name:_____________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________

Donations given IN MEMORY OF: (Deceased person).

Name:_____________________________________________

Address:___________________________________________

 

BECAS – Bring Education, Christianity and Scholarship:
It might be helpful to pass on a little background regarding this annual drive on behalf of Fr. Donahue’s outreach to children with special needs. Back in 1991 on his arrival in Honduras, Fr. Donahue was exposed to a startling reality through a personal experience. As he was roaming through the neighborhoods, he noticed a child playing in his yard, by himself, who was tied to a tree. The child obviously had severe physical limitations. No one was in the house. Later, Fr. Donahue returned to the home and introduced himself as new to the parish and visited awhile. He learned that the child was retarded and tied to the tree for his own protection while the parents went to work to provide for the family. You see, at that time education for children with special needs was non-existent in Honduras.

But not for long! This became a priority for Fr. Donahue and he immediately put out an “all call” for help in opening a school and providing specialized training for teachers to staff it.

Enter Holy Family Parish – yes, us!  It was at that time, 1996, that we found out that Fr. Donahue would not waste any time in addressing human needs. With education a focus for making long-term changes in people’s lives, he soon oversaw construction of the school we have since known as Nazareth; a school that has drastically changed the lives of many developmentally-challenged children, providing marketable skills, hope, and new lives for them and their families. We have played an active role over these many years in supporting this school through our annual BECAS drive, our school supplies collections and the visits of our missionary teams who have developed personal relationships with these students and their families. A vocational department, a recent addition, is instilling work skills that hold potential for future jobs.

BECAS invites folks to contribute to scholarships for these students at $200.00 a year or some portion of that. That donation goes toward students’ education, salaries for their teachers, and most of all, hope for a better future. This drive runs from December 11 to January 15. To participate, please see the form elsewhere in this bulletin.

Whatever you donate will be appreciated by “God’s chosen ones”. In their names, I thank you. Christmas Love and Peace and a Happy, Healthy New Year, Sr. Anne

 

See also Special Collections

 

Collection
 

Dear Friends at Holy Family: Blessings to all of you for Advent. I write having heard from Sister Anne of your generous response to my visit in November for our needs in Honduras and especially for the staff at the Nazareth School for Special Needs. You have always been very attentive to the needs of our people and we are all so very grateful. Again, thank you and please keep us in your prayers. Muchas Gracias a todos. Padre Donahue

Note: Our collection amounted to $7,345.00. I add my sincere thanks to that of Fr. Donahue.   Sr. Anne  Posted 121111