I recently returned from a trip to India where I stayed with a family whom I have known for eight years. In 2015 while on a retreat in South India, I met Fr. Nirmal, a newly ordained priest. Since then I have come to know his family on a personal basis, his Mum, his sister, his brother Daniel and his wife, and their seven-year-old daughter. Any income the parents had went towards the education of the two boys who both graduated with a B.Comm degree. In India work opportunities are limited and jobs are unfairly allocated and poor pay leaves families impoverished.

While it was obvious from my first visit that this family were struggling to survive and were living in rented accommodation, they had managed to get a bank loan and an additional loan from a priest friend which helped them finally to start to build their own dream home. The dad worked tirelessly on building the house.

However, in June 2021 the dad, aged 64 died suddenly of pneumonia. His family had great difficulty in getting him into a hospital. The hospital that finally accepted him wouldn’t start treatment until money was paid on admission. The loss of their dad has put the family under huge financial pressure to pay back the loans.

Fr. Nirmal, the eldest son, has been appointed as Parish Priest for 5 years to one of the poorest parishes in the diocese of Vellore. His living accommodation is dire. The church there is greatly in need of refurbishment. Toilets and facilities are badly needed. Due to the misappropriation of funds and corruption by bishops in the past, there is no longer financial support from diocesan funds available to meet the needs of the parish.

However, though challenged, Fr. Nirmal is resilient and will do his utmost to give dignity and hope to a very vulnerable community. Already, in a short space of time, he has established a relationship of trust and hope with the sixty-five families in the community.

Following on from my trip to India, and reflecting on Pope Francis's encyclical, Laudato Si (Cry of the Poor) I feel compelled to reach out and support our brothers and sisters in the developing world. I believe in the power of one – one person can make a difference, no matter how small. Let us be the change we want to see in our world.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples”

Mother Teresa, Saint

Mary Guckian