As I’m sure you know from ongoing news reports, so many countries throughout Africa face many economic and social hurdles brought on by crushing national debt, epidemics, severe poverty and political unrest. In spite of these many challenges – or, perhaps, because of them – the Catholic faith is flourishing throughout the continent. Over the years, I’ve had several occasions to travel to Africa to visit with family or friends or missionaries from the Philadelphia area who minister there. While visiting my cousins who lived in Durban, South Africa, I also celebrated Mass in a settlement just outside of Durban where the people lived in little shacks without running water or electricity. I also visited a priest friend of mine in Bengui,
Central African Republic. He advised me to come during the dry season, when the daytime temperatures rose to 115°, because it was forbidden to drive on the dirt roads during the rainy season since this would damage them. We rode to the out missions in the searing heat on motor scooters and by the time we returned to his rectory, our black clothing was a dusty grey. I’ve also visited French nuns who ran an orphanage in Nabul, Tunisia, as well as a Philadelphia religious sister who taught at a school in Nairobi, Kenya. In all of my visits, I was inspired by the faith of the people. Living in conditions that most of us would find unbearable, they were grateful for the loving care that the Church showed them and were always eager to share their meager meals with us.
Your support of the Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa provides for the delivery of basic pastoral care. This includes religious education, seminary formation and youth ministry as well as pastoral care for the countless hungry, sick and dying men, women and children. I ask you to be generous in your financial support and to pray for these, your fellow Catholics.