Ampleforth Mozambique Project
£18,447.50 raised of £20,000.00 target
38 donations
My Target:
£20,000.00
£18,447.50 raised so far
How to make a donation
Donate online at - www.justgiving.com/ampleforthmozambique
By mobile internet Scan this code on your smartphone to go straight to Ampleforth Abbey's page.
By text message to donate £10 Text ABJB90 £10
to 70070
My story
FR RAFAEL'S MISSION IN MOZAMBIQUE
Can you please help Fr Rafael to carry out his ministry in Mozambique by sponsoring me to cycle 250 miles in Gaza Province, Mozambique in September?
By making a donation here you will be helping to support Fr Rafael, parish priest of Holy Trinity Parish in Massangena, in the province of Gaza, Mozambique, to carry out his mission. He urgently needs a 4x4 vehicle to cover the vast distances he needs to travel in his very extensive parish; between his parish and Xai-Xai, the diocesan headquarters where he also works as Episcopal Vicar; and Maputo, where he teaches in the seminary.
For lots more information and photos please see http://rafaelinmozambique.com/
Thank you very much for any support you can give.
Further information
Born in 1971 as one of ten children to Catholic parents, Fr Rafael was very fortunate to receive both a primary and secondary education before attending the minor seminary in Matola from 1991-92. He then studied philosophy at the Interdiocesan Seminary, and in 1999 completed his Bachelor’s degree in theology at the Major Seminary in Maputo (capital of Mozambique), through affiliation with the Pontifical University in Rome. (The literacy rate in Mozambique is still only 54%, though it is higher in the younger age groups.)
From 2003-2006 Fr Rafael studied in Rome where he received his Licentiate in Liturgy. He returned to Mozambique where he taught Liturgy and Patristics at the seminary in Maputo for three years.
In 2009 Fr Rafael returned to Rome to study for a doctorate. He completed this (on the inculturation of the Marriage Rite in Mozambique) in February 2011 and this was published in September of the same year.
It was during the course of his doctoral studies that Fr Rafael visited Holy Family parish in Darlington for three months where I taught him English. This connection has lead to the present appeal.
In 2000 Fr Rafael lost all of his belongings, including all of his books, in the floods which devastated Mozambique in that year, claiming the lives of more than 800 people. He subsequently lived and worked with other flood victims at the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes in Chongoene during his pre-diaconal year.
Ordained in December 2000, he then undertook parish work and also taught Portuguese (the official language of Mozambique) at a local secondary school.
In March 2011 Fr Rafael was appointed as parish priest of St Catherine’s in Konyane in the diocese of Xai-Xai, and he also returned to teaching Liturgy at St Pius X Seminary in Maputo 210km from Xai-Xai. He needed to get the bus between Konyane, Xai-Xai and Maputo which is extremely slow because it stops at every village along the way. Efforts to assist Fr Rafael to get a car began following his appointment in Konyane, since the need was so obvious.
On 8th May 2011 Fr Rafael sustained a horrible knee injury whilst playing football with the priests from Chokwe. He tore all the ligaments in his left knee. He endured an uncomfortable ride to Mapto hospital only to be told that the operation he needed to repair the ligaments could not be performed in Mozambique. Fortunately he still had his residence permit for Italy and was flown there for the operation. Unfortunately the operation was not done very well and he also developed a very serious post-operative infection. It took him a long time to recuperate but after five months was finally able to return to Mozambique.
On his return to Xai-Xai in October 2011 Fr Rafael found that the Bishop had made some sweeping changes in the diocese. He was no longer parish priest of St Catherine's in Konyane, but of the far more remote parish of The Holy Trinity in Massangena in the far north of the diocese.
Holy Trinity Parish is extremely poor. There is no running water, though there are now wells (though these are not always operational and water is often scarce, as the water that can be found is salty), and electricity is avaliable only occasionally for a few hours for lighting. Most of the buildings are made of wood/wattle with tin roofs. The main problem for Fr Rafael, however, are the distances he now needs to travel. His new parish in Massangena is 566km (354 miles) northwest of Xai-Xai, where he is pastoral co-ordinator, and he also still needs to travel to Maputo to teach in the seminary, which is 210km/131miles south of Xai-Xai.
Fr Rafael is a gifted and able priest, eager to carry out the mission he has been given. The Church in Mozambique is still relatively young and many people there have not yet heard the Gospel. Fr Rafael would dearly like to bring the Good News to his people. Having a car that can negotiate the hostile conditions where he needs to travel will enable him to do so. The diocese of Xai-Xai does not have the funds to buy Fr Rafael a car.
As part of the fundraising efforts I shall be undertaking a sponsored bike ride in Mozambique in September 2012, a ride which will cover some 320km (200miles). The exact route (to include visiting all the villages in Fr Rafael's parish) will be planned after my first visit there in December 2011 and this site will be updated after that to give you futher information. At the time of writing there is no map available of the area (only Massangena can be found on google maps) but I hope in due course to find one and make it available here.
On behalf of Fr Rafael and his parishioners I would like to thank everyone who has contributed so far; every individual person and family; Holy Family Parish Darlington; Ampleforth College and St Martin's Ampleforth.
Any further help at all that you can give to reach the final target would be enormously appreciated.
On behalf of Fr Rafael and his parishioners, thank you very much indeed and God bless you.
My gallery 11
My charity
Ampleforth Abbey
Charity Registration No. 1026493
The Ampleforth Abbey Trust was formed to further Roman Catholic religion and education. It undertakes many activities particularly for the less advantaged, specifically in this case through FACE-FAW, (Friendship and Aid to Central and Eastern Europe-Friendship and Aid for the World).
Donations 38
Well done Brenda - what you are doing is inspirational.
Donation by Laura Woffenden on 03/03/12
All be very very best
Donation by Paddy, Maggie, Lottie and Rhum Lawrence on 26/02/12
Very best wishes Brenda - well done and good luck with your Bike Ride
Donation by Paul, Julia, Jamie & Zoe Venning on 22/02/12
£50.00
+ £12.50 Gift Aid
Good luck on your cycle! We will be thinking of you :-)
Donation by Lizzy and Oli on 20/02/12
£100.00
+ £25.00 Gift Aid
Well done Brenda. Here's a little extra for your bike ride to raise money for Fr Rafael in Mozambique.
Donation by The Pickstone Family on 14/02/12
Happy Birthday, good luck, I'm sure it will all go well! Lots of Love, Mike & Laura
Donation by Mike & Laura on 11/02/12
£100.00
+ £25.00 Gift Aid
Happy Birthday, Mum! Lots of love from Maria and Michael xxx
Donation by Maria Richardson on 11/02/12
£15.00
+ £3.75 Gift Aid
Best wishes and good luck! Emma, Chris, Charlotte and Rose xx
Donation by Emma Fern on 10/02/12
Donation by Patricia Johnston on 31/01/12
£20.00
+ £5.00 Gift Aid
dear mrs abbott! all the best your nearly there! much love louis xxx
Donation by Louis Bellhouse on 26/01/12
£35.00
All the best of luck Mrs A for a great cause! All our love and prayers Sophie and the Ryan Family xxx
Donation by The Ryan Family on 14/01/12
£100.00
Dear Brenda, This donation comes from M Mary St Joseph and the community and is sent with our love and prayers. It is in memory of Sr Patricia Mary.
Donation by sister Luke on 07/01/12
£500.00
Well done, Brenda! This is a very worthwhile cause. I shall be thinking of you.
Donation by Lorraine Canning on 28/12/11
with love and prayers
Donation by Anonymous on 04/10/11
With love and prayers
Donation by Anonymous on 26/08/11
Fr. Rafael, lovely to have met you earlier this year. We hope this gift finds you well and helps you in all that you do.
Donation by Family of Holy Family Parish, Darlington on 24/08/11
With our best wishes Fr Rafael in your new Parish duties. Dave & Elizabeth
Donation by David Turner on 11/07/11
£150.00
+ £37.50 Gift Aid
With our best wishes to Fr Rafael for his future work. Gerard, Susan, Sara and Alistair Anderson
Donation by Gerard Anderson on 25/05/11
Such a personal letter, how could we not help. Good luck! Caitlin and the Mackellar family
Donation by Patricia Jenkins on 19/05/11
£50.00
+ £12.50 Gift Aid
Our prayers with Fr Rafael Simbine in his demanding work.
Donation by Janette and Jim Heath on 05/05/11
Good luck Brenda - I know you'll get there.
Donation by Liz and Joe Pywell on 25/04/11
£50.00
+ £12.50 Gift Aid
Hope you will soon reach your goal - a great initiative.
Donation by Mary Bryden on 20/04/11
£30.00
+ £7.50 Gift Aid
Wishing you every success in this very worthy endeavour.
Donation by Lindy O'Hare on 19/04/11
£100.00
+ £25.00 Gift Aid
Donation by james mccullough on 14/04/11
We all hope that you Brenda are well. Reach your target and ease Fr Rafael's life and those of his widespread parishioners.
Donation by Alice Tess and Sebastian Reid on 14/04/11
£50.00
+ £12.50 Gift Aid
Donation summary
- * Online donations£3,614.50
- Offline donations£14,833.00
- Text donations£0.00
- Total raised£18,447.50
- Gift Aid£759.62
* Charities pay a small fee for our service. Find out how much it is and what we do for it.
