The Chapel’s Missions Collections … and a Letter from Nairobi

When one enters the bronze doors of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity Chapel there is, to the left, a mahogany cabinet that holds breviaries and hymnals, rosaries and information about Thomas Aquinas College. The cabinet also contains a slot, through which students and visitors can make donations, marked “for the missions.”

Where do these donations go?

The answer to that question changes over time, depending on the chaplaincy. The College’s four priests agree that they will not pass the funds on to missions run by their own orders — which, this year, include the Dominicans, the Jesuits, and the Norbertines — and so they choose another. Past recipients have included Missionary of Charity Fathers in Tanzania, Fathers of the Third World in Peru, and Capuchins in Mexico. For the last three or four years, however, the chaplains have sent the donations to the Missionaries of Charity who serve the Huruma slums of Nairobi, Kenya, under the care of Rev. Raymond Walsh, M.C.

Last month Fr. Ray sent a kind note to Thomas Aquinas College Chaplain Rev. Cornelius M. Buckley, S.J., thanking the College’s students and benefactors, and informing them of the good that their generosity is helping to achieve.

“Your gift was a concrete sign of the providence of God,” writes Fr. Ray. “In one of the prisons where we are serving, the inmates are building a chapel. I had asked my superior if we could make a donation, and he said, ‘Let’s see if we get a donation from Thomas Aquinas College’ (because we have a big building project which will be draining our funds — the building of a seminary). After saying that, he went online and, sure enough, he received the news that a donation had come in from you. How quickly God responds!”

The inmates at the prison to which Fr. Ray refers are, as he describes it, a beautiful testament to God’s grace and mercy, and “on fire” with their love of the Faith. “Each year they have two evangelization retreats (Kerygmatic), one during Lent and one during Advent. This December we will need to have two retreats, one for the catechumens and another for the Christian population (we allow only 25 participants),” writes Fr. Ray. “Last year, a group of about 20 inmates began Scott Hahn’s Bible study series (there are about 6 different sets/themes). In January a new group of 45 inmates began. Soon, a third group will begin the Bible study (the catechumens - 30). Thomas Aquinas will be providing the books and notebooks. Big thanks.”

Moreover, the inmates are sharing the fruits of their conversion with others in the community. “In June, they organized an ‘Encounter with Charity.’ The Christians invited the elderly and sick (with NIV) and organized different activities. Some washed clothes, others gave haircuts and shaves and others cut their nails,” recalls the Missionary priest. “Apart from that, they organized Christian movies, intercession with the Blessed Sacrament exposed (they have a group of about 8 inmates who have the apostolate of intercession), counseling and confession (3 hours). Finally, we closed with Mass. The presence of the Holy Spirit was very strong — a tangible peace in that section of the prison. Everyone was filled with joy.”

Thanks be to God for these tremendous blessings! Please keep Fr. Ray, Nairobi’s Missionaries of Charity, and the people they serve in your prayers.