SH Church » SCIAF Wee Box Appealand Famine in East Africa

The annual collection for ecclesiastical and pontifical charities will take place this weekend, the 4^th Sunday of Lent. As you know, 75% of all donations goes to the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund with the remaining 25% being retained by the Archdiocesan Care Fund.

I encourage our parishioners to be particularly generous this year, in order to assist SCIAF with their work in East Africa, where the local population are presently suffering due to famine, a humanitarian crisis that is being described as the worst since 1945.

A letter from both Bishop Joseph Toal of Motherwell, Bishop President of SCIAF

We are now in the fourth week of Lent and SCIAF’s Wee Box appeal is well underway. We feel people’s warmth and support for our work, and the strength of their prayers for the people we serve.

The Wee Box appeal during Lent is SCIAF’s main time for fundraising in the liturgical year. The income we get from the Wee Box appeal is essential for us to maintain our long-term development work in countries year after year. The 4th Sunday collection for SCIAF and the money we receive from parishes in Lent are a large part of this income.

At the same time, you will no doubt have seen the media coverage of the dreadful famines in East Africa. This is only the second time famine has been declared in the 21st Century, and with a million people in danger of starvation and over 20 million people in urgent need of food aid, this has been declared the worst humanitarian crisis since 1945. SCIAF is appealing to supporters to help us get food, water and other essential aid to those who urgently need it. Working with others as part of Caritas, SCIAF’s partners are already providing life-saving food and water to thousands of people in South Sudan and Ethiopia, and we will be dramatically increasing this in the coming months.

This Lent we are asking parishes, schools and groups to support Christians in the Middle East with Lent Survival Packs.

Lent Survival Packs include the essentials they need to survive - food, water, clothing and shelter.

Prayer for the Fourth Sunday of Lent

Lord, we ask for your blessing upon your children in Pakistan. Set the downtrodden free, comfort those who mourn and give strength to your sons and daughters who work for peace and justice.

Lord in your mercy…

O God, Creator of the universe, who extends your paternal concern over every creature and guides the events of history to the goal of salvation, we acknowledge your fatherly love when you break the resistance of mankind and, in a world torn by strife and discord, you make us ready for reconciliation. Renew for us the wonders of your mercy; send forth your Spirit that he may work in the intimacy of hearts, that enemies may begin to dialogue, that adversaries may shake hands and people may encounter one another in harmony. May all commit themselves to the sincere search for true peace which will extinguish all arguments, for charity which overcomes hatred, for pardon which disarms revenge. (Prayer of St. John Paul II)

Lord in your mercy…

We pray for your priests and seminarians in Pakistan: protect them so they may continue the work of Christ. May all Christian leaders bring Jesus the Lord to all they meet.

Lord in your mercy…

Lord we give you the beloved populations of Pakistan…scourged by cruel terrorist acts. We pray for the victims, for the wounded and for their relatives. Let us pray ardently that every heart hardened by hatred is converted to peace, in keeping with God’s will. (Adapted from Pope Francis’ call to pray for the people of Pakistan on February 20th, 2017)

Lord in your mercy…

Lord, we ask you to sustain the Christians in Pakistan. Give them the strength, courage and fortitude they need to withstand the attacks against them. Through the fire of your Holy Spirit, may the Church in Pakistan grow and flourish.

Lord in your mercy…

Let us pray for a moment in silence

Jesus I trust in you
Jesus I trust in you
Jesus I trust in you

Amen.

For more prayer material, a Lenten message from ACN's Fr Dominic Robinson SJ, reflections and meditations please visit Lent Survival Pack Appeal.