We would like to update the parish on the progress they have made due to your generosity.
Click on the three links below to read all about it.
It was wonderful to see Bishop Stephen again when he visited us in Ballinteer Parish in July'15.
You will remember when Bishop Stephen of Yola in Nigeria visited us here in Ballinteer during May 2014 to thank the parishioners for their prayers and generosity. His photo on the left was take in Ballinteer on 4th May 2014.
Bishop Stephen who worked and studied here in Ballinteer from September 2010 to March 2011, had previously asked Fr Richard that our
parish of St John the Evangelist, Ballinteer twin with a parish in his diocese of Yola – St Peter’s Parish of Jangbunu in north eastern Nigeria.
Twinning means identifying as a parish in solidarity and empathy with our Christian brothers and sisters in
Jesus Christ.
It enables fraternal ties of friendship and mutual support between dioceses and parishes.
Fr Richard has put together a voluntary team in the parish to work on this project.
St Peter’s parish, Jangbunu is the most disadvantaged parish in Yola Diocese. The only school in the village
is a ramshackle government primary school where the children still sit on stones during lessons.
The main challenge in Jangbunu is the fact that it is a remote village almost completely cut off from modern life.
The poverty level is very high there and most people live in squalor with little water.
We are delighted to report that with our help a new Well was dug & is now fully operational and it it has proved to be a huge benefit to the community.
The next big undertaking for Bishop Stephen & his community was to build a 3 class room block with an office complex.
Our Twinning team with the wonderfull support & generosity of the parishioners of Ballinteer made it their task to see that
this important project had the funds available to completee it on time.
As you will see from Bishop Stephen's letter below to The Twinning Team dated 9th June 2015 the project of the class
room block for the people of Jangbune became a reality and it was opened on 7th June'15 and the people of Jangbunu community
thanked our parishioners for their wonderful support.
"We write on behalf of the entire community of St. Peter’s Parish to show our appreciation for all that you are doing for us. The twinning (of our parishes) has touched and transformed our lives in so many ways, both physically and spiritually. Before now we had so many challenges which made us feel rejected but now we see a ray of light at the end of a dark tunnel. We now have access to good drinking water thanks to the borehole drilled by you and we enjoy many other good things, being the fruits of the sacrifices made by you, our beloved brothers and sisters in Christ".
As mentioned in a Sunday Message issue a few months ago, the next project, selected by the community and backed by their Bishop, which our Parish Twinning Committee has agreed to support, is the provision of a Nursery School for 4-8 year olds at a cost of €39,000, fully equipped. To generate steady income for this project the Committee launched a 300 Club in February 2014 which, if it continues to be fully subscribed, will generate a profit of €2,000 every ten weeks. With this and an occasional special fundraiser plus other donations, the Committee is hopeful that the building of the Nursery School (for which drawings and a bill of quantities have been submitted) could commence in about two years’ time. In April 2014 approximately €10,000 was already on hand for the project.
We are delighted to report that with our help a new Well was dug & is now fully operational and it it has
proved to be a huge benefit to the community.
A few photos of the School during construction & after completion.
How to prepare, participate, give
Parishioners can participate by donating in the wall box which is located beside
the Twinning Display & photographs beside the Padre Pio statue in the corner of the Church.
It is important to state that there will be no administration fees of any kind.
Parishioners can also participate by attending any of the fund raising events
or by helping the organisers with the running of events.
All monies collected will go directly to St Peter’s Parish, Jangbunu in the Diocese of Yola.
Person to Contact:
or e-mail the Parish Office at :ballinteeroffice@gmail.com
Address: Parish Office, St. John the Evangelist Church,
Presbytery No. 2, Ballinteer Avenue, Dublin 16.