A WEE BOX report from Argyll and the Isles Diocese

Written by Marian Pallister, SCIAF Diocesan Repesentative

February 22nd: St Margaret's, Lochgilphead

On the first Sunday of Lent, February 22, I gave a talk about the SCIAF Wee Box campaign at St Margaret’s in Lochgilphead (my own parish), the outstation at Inveraray, and then at Taynuilt, (Church of the Visitation). These are the parishes at which Fr Philip Bua celebrates Mass each Sunday. It was a round trip of just over 100 miles from my home in Kilmichael Glassary.

I had a bonus – at Taynuilt we followed the SCIAF Stations of the Cross, led by Theresa Davis.

February 28th: Immaculate Conception, Fort William

On Saturday February 28 I delivered a SCIAF talk about Ethiopia’s water problem at the Vigil Mass and at Mass on Sunday March 1 at the parish of the Immaculate Conception, Fort William. Fr David Connor, who multi tasks at The Immaculate Conception, played the organ ahead of celebrating Mass.

March 4th: St Mun's, Dunoon

On the evening of Wednesday March 4 I travelled to Dunoon to give a talk to Fr Roddy McAuley and the parishioners of St Mun’s. We had a lively discussion about SCIAF’s work.

March 8th: St Kieran's, Campbelltown

On Sunday March 8, Bishop Brian McGee was celebrating Mass at Campbeltown. As Bishop Brian is Bishop President of SCIAF, I was very much surplus to requirements, and he promised to talk to parishioners at St Kieran’s about the work of SCIAF.

March 14th and 15th: St Columba's Cathedral, Oban

On Saturday March 14 I gave a talk about the Wee Box campaign at the Vigil  in Oban Cathedral (folk are delighted that ‘WEE BOX’ has been translated into Gaelic this year), and I returned on the Sunday morning of March 15 for Mass at St Columba’s Cathedral.

Monsignor James L. Canon MacNeil and I were scheduled to go to Craignure on the Isle of Mull on the afternoon of March 15. However, halfway across, a message flashed up that weather was to change and there could be no certainty about the ferry on which we would have returned after Mass. Fr Jamie made the decision that we couldn’t risk it, explained the situation to the lady who would have given us a lift to the church and asked her to apologise for our absence, and we got back on the ferry that had taken us. No surprises at this time of year – we are all weather dependent.

However, Bishop Brian tells me that he was able to deliver talks about SCIAF’s work at St John the Evangelist in Caol and SS Mary & Finnan in Glenfinnan on March 15, so between us we managed to reach out to many.