MOLDOVA BULLETIN - Number 1, May 2005
St James’s,
Twickenham & Holy Cross, Bender
Future developments - Page 3
OUR LINKED
PARISHES AND PROJECTS
 During
the next few days, we visited the parish of the Sacred Heart, Stăuceni
where Kathleen, Peter and Alister used to live and saw the Social Welfare
Centre built on the site of their house. We met many of their friends –
old and young, although Kathleen was a bit surprised at how much some of the young
had grown! We also saw what could happen in a parish in Moldova when the
right kind of aid and support is given. Some of us went to Bender which
is in the break away part of Moldova known as Transnistria and met Fr. Wladislaw
as well as some of the young people and volunteers who work in the parish.
The people of Holy Cross, Bender pray for the people of St James’s every day at
Mass. We were able to give them over £8,000 towards the
project and discovered that because we have promised so much (£18,000) they have
been able to attract other funds to develop their work even further. We
also took them rugby and soccer balls as well as kit which had been donated and
some of our St James’s At Your Word, Lord tee shirts On
the Thursday, we had great celebrations. We visited the underground “wine
city” of Cricova in the morning (with wine tasting!) and, after evening mass at
Stăuceni, had a joint birthday party for Fathers Ulick and Klaus. On
Friday, Liz and the boys had to leave us but were promising to return. Moldova
does seem to get into the bloodstream! That was also the day that Pope John
Paul the Great died. In fact we had gone to bed by the time the Cathedral
bells woke us and we made our way to Bishop’s chapel to
pray. Bishop Anton was ordained bishop by Pope John Paul and it was
exactly one year later that he ordained Deacon Peter – his first ordinand – so
it was an especially emotional time. Fr.
Ulick, Patrick and Alf left on Monday 4th April, while Kathleen and
Peter stayed on to see old friends until the end of the week.
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