Read the letter Sister Cathy sent from Mongo to be read at the May 2023 Prish Council AGM.

For over 30 years, our parish has supported this home for disabled children which is managed by the Presentation Sisters.  The home cares for both the physical and educational needs of a number of local children.  Several of the Sisters have visited us over the years and expressed their gratitude for the funds we raise, which are vital to the running of the home.  So much is done to help the children, with corrective surgery, provision of callipers, basic education, etc. as witnessed by parishioners and two of our former parish priests, Fr George McCann and Fr John Udris who both visited the home. Once the children have left the home, the Sisters try to support them in attending school and supplying them with shoes, callipers, wheelchairs, etc. as necessary. The Sisters tell us that, without the help of the parishioners of St Teresa’s, Beaconsfield, the Home would not exist.

To mark the new millennium, the parish formally renewed its commitment to Mongu by promising to “continue to dedicate ourselves to the support of the Cheshire Home in Mongu, Zambia – its children, its sisters and staff”.

Funds are raised throughout the year through various parish activities, including the sale of candles in the Lady Chapel, the parish lottery, one-off social events, the Parish Patronal Supper, contributions for use of our car park, individual and group donations and the Parish Fete.

At Christmas, our children are encouraged to bring presents to their Crib Service for the children in Mongu, so that they can ‘give as well as receive’ and these are sent out to Mongu in time for the following Christmas.

A small liaison group has been formed to maintain contact with the Sisters in Mongu, keep the parish up-to-date with news from Mongu and co-ordinate fund raising events within the parish.  If you would like to know more about this parish project or are interested in helping in any way with fund-raising or publicity, please contact:  John Guilfoyle (via the Parish Office on 01494 673018 or parish.stteresabeaconsfield@northamptondiocese.org)