Altar cloth donated by Edwina Lowe reaches the chapel community in Puentecitos

Edwina Lowe, donated altar cloth, reaches the chapel community in Puentecitos

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Edwina Lowe, a parishioner from Sacred Heart in Rochdale, has seen a gift she sent to a community in El Salvador take pride of place in a Latin American church after it was hand-delivered by the Bishop of Salford.

Edwina donated an altar cloth to a church in Puentecitos, El Salvador through an initiative called Connect2.

The scheme, run by the Catholic aid agency CAFOD enables local parishes to partner with communities across the globe. Parishes fundraise and pray for their partner community, receiving in return regular updates and photographs on how their support is making a difference.

Bishop John Arnold, Bishop of Salford and Chairman of Trustees for CAFOD, visited Puentecitos, in El Salvador, in November. He took the altar cloth with him and handed it over in person to the leader of the Chapel Community.

Bishop John wrote in his travel diary: “Fidel is the local catechist and the community has just finished the shell of a new chapel. It will need more work, and decoration, but the little group that met us there were so proud of their achievement. The Director of Social Outreach is a farmer. He says that he organises work to be done for a local family who might be ill. There are some widows who need help with the harvest and he compiles a rota. If someone is ill then he ensures that there is someone to cook for that family and look after any children. I think this is exactly what Pope Francis would recognise as the social outreach of missionary disciples.”

Bishop John further commented: “Connect2 El Salvador makes the direct connection between a parish and a CAFOD partner. This is proving to be an opportunity for much learning and friendship and people can actually feel part of the practical progress and development.”