Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
SG
Kolowarè (Agenzia Fides) - As Easter approaches, the spirit of attention and sharing in the Togolese communities grows. "Since our parish, Saint Léon IX, was born on December 17, 2016 - says parish priest, Father Silvano Galli, SMA to Fides - the parish council has also been operative, which immediately took its commitments very seriously and particularly in this Easter period promotes various initiatives".
"First of all, it divided our village of Kolowarè into five basic Christian communities (CCB) with a president, a representative of various Movements and others elected by the community, plus three chosen directly by me, as well as a nun and myself", continues Fr. Galli.
"At the beginning of this Lent, with the help of the various CCBs, the most needy cases in their neighborhood were identified and thanks to the Caritas commission, basic foodstuffs were bought: rice bags, sardine packets, tomato packs, packs of spaghetti, oil cans, packets of nuts, and sixty bags to pack food, with as many bottles for oil that two leaders of Caritas, who came to the mission, prepared to distribute them at Easter", adds the missionary.
"Currently we are engaged in the search for resources to make the parish live, in the short and long term. For immediate resources we have found a new formula for a second collection. In the past few years, in fact, it was about one euro. Now instead, every Sunday a "differentiated" collection is made for each category: for births, for movements for CCB... And so we went from one euro to ten and more", comments Fr. Silvano.
"For long-term resources - continues the priest - the Council planted 60 little plants of cashew nuts, bought 60 bins to water them during the dry season. Cashews are used to sell the fruit at 850/900/950 francs per kg. But it takes about ten years before the tree produces".
"The Council meets every second Sunday of the month and is divided into various commissions: liturgy, feasts and works, Caritas, and others. It is in charge of following the catechumens of its community, children for baptism and, during Lent, it meets for the weekly meeting and prayer. In May and October we meet with each family of the various CCBs for the prayer of the rosary", concludes Fr. Galli. (SG/AP) (Agenzia Fides, 21/3/2018)
