My dear Fr. Warren and the parishioners of St. Thomas More Parish,
Greetings from St. Francis Xavier Parish, Umbir. COVID-19 has completely changed our lives. I guess it has done the same to yours, too. For months now, we have not been able to gather for the Eucharist, which is so dear to our people. Yes, we have been praying in our families for ourselves and for you all. Thanks to our monthly video calls, we have been able to keep abreast with all that has been happening on your side of the globe.
The death of George Floyd followed by the riot and arson that has affected millions of Americans has also pulled strings in our hearts. I know from my conversation with some of you that the people of St. Thomas More have not been spared by the rioters and arsonists. Some I hear have lost their homes, others, their incomes and still others, their belongings. While we are deeply pained at the death of an unarmed black man at the hands of a cold police officer, we do not condone the arson that has followed. For two wrongs do not make a right. Being far away, all that we can offer you at this time of uncertainty and anxiety, is prayer. I want you to know that some of us have been gathering in the Church in small groups praying for peace and tranquility to return to your land.
One day after the prayer some of my parishioners asked me whether it would be okay for us to make a collection to help at least one family in our sister parish. I thought it was a brilliant idea and asked my parish council members what they thought of it. They unanimously decided that they would ask the people of the parish to contribute whatever they can despite the lockdown and its ill effects on the local economy. Last Sunday we counted the amount collected from all the village communities. It came close to a 1000 dollars. The Parish Council in the meantime had decided that we would send at least 1000 dollars and that we should use the parish funds to make good the shortfall.
Since it is not easy for us to send you the amount directly, I have requested Fr. Melvil, our Regional Superior, to request the treasurer of the UMI Province to send you 1000 dollars from the funds that we receive for Kohima from US donors through the UMI province. We will pass on the 1000 dollars that we have collected, to our Regional Superior to make good the amount that has been passed on to you. Please accept this humble token from our parishioners. We know that you cannot do much with the amount we are sending you, but if it can be used to ease the burden of one family from St. Thomas More Parish, our goal has been achieved.
We will continue to pray for each of you. Please do continue to pray for us, too. As you know the COVID-19 situation in India is really bad. To make things worse we have a government that is lying about the numbers that have been affected. How can you find a solution, when you are not even sure of the enormity of the problem? Let us be in solidarity with each other as we go through these trying times.
With warm regards, prayers and blessings,
Fr. Robert Pohrmen, SJ
Pastor of St. Francis Xavier
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