St Wilfrid`s has just completed its rewiring. It will mean the parish will be in debt for some time to come. The parishioners have worked extremely hard to raise funds and up to now have raised £3000 towards the cost. However help came from an unexpected source recently when Steve, a parishioner, said he had been telling his boss at work about the parish`s woes and his boss, a Sikh, said that his Gurdwara would like to help.
So on last Sunday Steve and I went to the Newcastle Gurdwara where I was asked to make an appeal on behalf of the parish. £1500 was raised. I was amazed by the generosity but on having read more about the Sikh religion part of what they seek to do is to help whoever they can and we were fortunate to be the recipients this week. I had been told that covering the head is part of their custom. I had thought of taking a biretta but it wouldn`t fit in my pocket and I didn`t want to carry it around so I wore the head-covering they give to guests.
I`ve not had much contact with Sikhs but was given a very warm welcome and the basic tenets of the religion were explained to us.
St Wilfrid`s is very grateful to the Newcastle Sikhs and hope we can help them in some way some time. I was interviewed today by local BBC radio about the event and there will be an item on the Sunday morning religious programme about it.
"Truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ, will by no means lose his reward."
ReplyDeleteI am really touched by the generosity of this most hard-working and wonderful group. An old friend of mine who fought with them as part of the Indian Army during WW2 had the highest praise for their loyalty and brave fighting spirit. truly inspirational. May God bless them.
ReplyDeleteThe head-gear suits you Fr. B!
ReplyDeleteA most interesting and encouraging turn of events that somehow reminds one - well me at least - of Mgr. Lopes and his surprising ecumenical relations in the 1930s.