Parish Priest visits partner church in Nigeria

St. Paul’s Parish Church, Alkalawa, Yola, Nigeria

Father Paul Daly, Parish Priest of St Joseph's RC Church, Heywood has just returned from a trip to Nigeria where he visited St. Paul’s parish, Alkalawa, Yola - the newest parish in the City and Diocese of Yola - which is partnered with St. Joseph’s, Heywood.

St. Joseph’s has previously financed the building of the Church and presbytery and on this visit Father Daly presented a cheque for £3000.

Father Daly and travelling companion Brian Bennion, who also visited a hospital funded by CAFOD, said: "Yola was wonderful, sad and moving. Wonderful because of the warmth of the welcome, the depth of their faith and the joy on their faces; sad because 70% of Nigerians live in poverty and most have no access to electricity and running water, even though Nigeria is rich in oil and water. Moving because we thought we were there to give yet we discovered that we were the ones who received. I will definitely be back.

"Children love to wear the shirts of their favourite ‘English’ football teams but cannot afford them. ‘English teams’ they supported ranged from Man Utd and Arsenal to Real Madrid and Zaragossa! We at St. Joseph’s are asking anyone with a football shirt that is too small or out of date to bring them to us and we will send them to Yola.

"While we were there we met the Anglican Bishop of Yola and gave him a prospectus for Holy Family RC and CE College, Heywood. Bishop Ibrahim said that if he and the Nigerian bishops come to the Lambeth Conference 2008 he will certainly come and visit Holy Family College."