Several parishes and schools in the Diocese of Meath are visited by a team of 19 Trócaire personnel during 1 – 4 March. The aim of the initiative is to highlight this year’s Lenten Appeal and to offer to report on how people’s donations to Trócaire make a lasting difference in the lives of communities across the world.
The Lenten Campaign in the Diocese of Meath was launched on Thursday 1 March in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Mullingar. After the launch, Trocaire visited St Colmcille’s NS Gainstown, St Etchen’s NS Kinnegad and St Joseph’s Secondary School Rochfortbridge. A meeting with local press in Westmeath also took place that day.
The project moved to County Meath on Friday with a celebration at St Patrick’s Church, Trim. Presentations were made in several schools, including St Joseph’s NS Boyerstown, Scoil Mhuire Navan and O’Carolan College Nobber.
Among the parishes welcoming Trócaire speakers to Masses on 3 – 4 March are Bohermeen, Dunboyne, Enfield, Kells, Kinnegad, Mullingar, Navan, Ratoath and Trim.
The theme of the Lenten Appeal 2012 is “Rebuilding Communities for Lasting Change”. This message was chosen by Trócaire to link with the theme of the International Eucharistic Congress which reflects on the Eucharist as building communion with God and neighbour.
Focusing on Uganda, where Trócaire has worked for the past 40 years, the appeal tells the story of 9 year old Daniel and his community. Daniel lives with his mother Betty, his father Joel and his brothers and sisters in a small rural village in northern Uganda. Daniel was born into a civil war which spanned over 20 years. In 2004, soldiers attacked his community, forcing the family to flee from their home. 300 people died during the attack. Daniel’s family was lucky to survive but were left with nothing. They moved into a camp set up by the government to protect civilians. These camps were bleak places where extreme poverty, poor sanitation and depression were rife and led to a very poor quality of life, especially for children like Daniel. In 2006, when it was deemed safe enough, Daniel and his family returned home. With your support, Trocaire is working there, helping families to readjust to life back home. Your donations enables Trocaire to provide support groups to help people cope with the trauma they experienced. Agricultural training and the provision of seeds, tools and livestock have helped families to start farming again. Clean water is now available and a school has reopened. Daniel prays that one day he will go to college and train to become a doctor.
Click on the gallery below for photos from the launch of the Lenten appeal in Mullingar in Thursday morning. Students from Colaiste Mhuire, the Community College and Loreto College took part in the occasion. These students are named Daniel and Danielle, drawing the 9 year old boy from Uganda . Also taking part in a launch on Friday were pupils from Scoil Mhuire, Navan. Many thanks to John McAuley and Barry Cronin for providing these photos.
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