I’m writing to let you know that the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), of which CAFOD is an active member, is launching a nationwide Coronavirus appeal today, Tuesday 14 July.
Sending this, I am so mindful of all the uncertainty in our parishes, and all that you are doing to adjust. We in CAFOD continue to hold you in our prayers. Some of the things we are offering to support parishes across England and Wales are below.
I wrote to you at the start of lockdown about CAFOD’s response to the global pandemic – a long term, large scale response programme. Thanks to generous support from the Catholic community, we are already working across 26 countries, to prevent the virus’ spread, and limit food shortages it has caused in the poorest communities. But there is so much more to be done. The needs are immense, long term, complex, and evolving, and so our response needs to be large scale, and multifaceted.
So this month, as the DEC raises awareness of the global situation, we are asking the Catholic community to keep those worst affected in their thoughts, prayers and where possible, their alms giving.
If your parish has already donated, thank you so much for your support. If you are able to invite your parish to respond this month, please see the ways you can do so in parishes which are reopening, or on your parish website, in your newsletter or emails to your parishioners, or online Masses. Your local CAFOD representative will be very pleased to help with any of these. You can call Siobhan on 07779 804 241 or Colette on 07779 804 242, alternatively, you can email liverpool@cafod.org.uk
Whatever is possible at this time in your parish, we ask you continue to pray for the communities worst hit by this pandemic and its many effects. We and those we work with so appreciate your prayers and support.
Everything we do, in every region, is different because of this disease. The challenges are enormous and ongoing. But your support is enabling us through our Catholic networks, to adapt and respond.
I am as ever grateful for your trust, and your support. Thank you.
Jo Kitterick
Head of Fundraising and Participation
CAFOD
Lockdown in UK parishes: CAFOD’s support
Through our network of volunteers, young CAFOD leaders and our staff, we are keen to support, in whatever way possible, the opening up of churches.
We are offering various online resources to help your parishioners and schools to pray and to engage:
- our online children’s liturgy,
- our programme of online talks, prayer and Masses
- our Summer of Hope ideas for families and parishioners to transform lockdown and cancelled summer events or things they’ve been missing into some fun fundraising and easy ways to brighten up lockdown
- We have also offered staff the opportunity to use their CAFOD working hours to help in their local parishes as stewards.
Please do not hesitate to contact your local CAFOD representative if you think we can support in any way to sustain your parish and church communities.
Colette Byrne
Community Participation Coordinator – CAFOD (Wrexham and Liverpool)
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