ANNUAL REPORT | 2020 on the COVER: the Congregation of the Sisters of Mary Serves the Poorest of the Poor Through Boystowns and Girlstowns
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celebrating the gift of educationANNUAL REPORT | 2020 ON THE COVER: The Congregation of the Sisters of Mary serves the poorest of the poor through Boystowns and Girlstowns. There, they care for and educate orphans and abandoned children. Here the children at the Girlstown in Honduras share a smile. TO THE STEWARDS OF Saint Peter of The Papal Foundation Thirty years ago, The Papal Foundation presented its first contribution in support of the work of the Church throughout the world. Since then, your dedication to the Foundation has helped countless people whose lives have been changed for the better by your generosity. It is an honor for me to serve with you and to witness your faith in action. In this report, we focus on the Papal Foundation’s support of education, which in all its forms has the power to transform lives and spirits. Far too many people around the world lack access to even basic education. As the report presents, the Foundation is working with the Holy See to address this critical need and lift individuals and families to better lives and futures. Your care and concern for the people we serve, particularly during this time of great challenges is inspiring. Together, let us follow the Lord’s call to serve our brothers and sisters with grace and love for all humanity. With the assurance of my prayers for you and all your loved ones, I remain, Devotedly yours in Christ, Cardinal Seán O’Malley, OFM, Cap. Archbishop of Boston The girls at Girlstown in Honduras are learning dressmaking, a skill that will enable them to find good jobs. These girls will become agents of change and missionaries in the Catholic Church. celebrating the gift of educationTHANKS TO YOU EUROPE NORTH AMERICA MIDDLE EAST ASIA CENTRAL AMERICA AFRICA SOUTH AMERICA Find new ways to spread his year, we celebrate our 30th year of service. Since 1990, the Foundation has the Word of God to every provided over $176.9 million in grants and scholarships to build the Church, Teducate and prepare leaders, and care for the most vulnerable people, young and corner of the world. old, around the world. POPE FRANCIS Our commitment today remains the same as it was in the beginning days: To walk in union with the Holy Father and the Magisterium of the Church as we bring the love of Christ to a world in need. One of our most important priorities has been education. Education can open doors so people can reach their true potential. That’s why we want to focus on the many ways your generosity has helped people around the world receive the precious gift of an education. Because of your support, our grants reach across the world. But behind each grant are the many stories of individual people, changed by your kindness. Let’s travel to India… 3 Paalam Empowerment Centre , n the southeast corner of India you will find the state Learning is a Joyful Experience of Tamil Nadu. Here, near the city of Tiruchirappalli, and a Blessing, Thanks to You Iyou will find this new Centre – built with the help of your gifts to The Papal Foundation. Gracy is 11 years old. She and her sister are students at Mother Mary School. Dalits, India’s lower-caste population and part of the entrenched social hierarchy, face discrimination and Her parents are both blind and work hard to support are often denied access to education and employment. the family selling incense sticks. They go to bus stands, At PAALAM, “bridge” in Tamil, these children are temples, and house to house. With the little they earn welcomed and educated. they buy vegetables and rice for the family to eat. The Paalam Empowerment centre consists of 3 Gracy loves school and wants to study. She is already classrooms, one computer lab, a seminar hall, a guest eager to find a job so she can support her parents. room, and separate restrooms for boys and girls. There is She knows her best path forward means learning also a residential portion for the staff and playground. English and computers. Gracy and her sister are students at Mother Mary School. She loves school and wants to study. She knows her best path forward means learning English and computers. 4 Arunya is now married. Her husband, a mason, can’t find enough work. They had two children, but their oldest boy died in an accident. Their little one is now 2. Though she is qualified, she couldn’t find a good job. She approached Fr. Susai Alangaram, the director of Ilanthalir. After reviewing her qualifications, he offered her a job as a tutor, in charge of computer education. Arunya will tell you that teaching has always been her passion – especially teaching the rural needy. Her Arunya students need extra help, but she is patient with them. In turn, they are affectionate with her. At school, one Akka (elder sister) told her about the Paalam Centre. There, she was invited to take both “I love them, too,” she says. “It is a blessing for me to English and computer courses – and she wouldn’t need come to Paalam and serve as a teacher for the needy.” to pay anything. Now she spends her weekends From Paalam, Father Susai Alangaram sends these at Paalam, along with her friends. She tells us, words: “We express our thanks and offer our “The tutors are kind and not beating us. It is prayers to all our benefactors who have a joyful experience for me.” contributed towards this noble cause. We Arunya is the Akka who told Gracy promise our commitment to work for the poor about Paalam. Now 27, Arunya has and for their upliftment. May God be earned her Bachelor of Business glorified in all our endeavors!” Administration degree, along with a post-graduate diploma in Computer Now, come with us to Nigeria… Applications. Arunya is Catholic and belongs to a We cannot do great “Backward Community” – a group of people looked down on because of things on this earth, their caste. Her parents struggled to only small things support their 7 children. Her father is a laborer. Her mother prepares with great love. Omam water – an herbal medicine ST. THERESA OF CALCUTTA – and sells it to neighbors. Gracy 5 GIRLS HOSTEL Maria Ines Secondary School Education cannot be neutral. It is either positive or negative; either it enriches or it impoverishes; either it enables a person to grow or it lessens, even corrupts him. The mission of schools is to develop a sense of truth, of what is good and beautiful. POPE FRANCIS wenty-five years ago, the Clarissan Missionary But many students live far Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament opened from the school. So the Sisters TMaria Ines Nursery and Primary to form girls determined a boarding school would intellectually and spiritually. The need grew as the girls provide a safe and wholesome environment for these did, and they added a secondary school that could girls and that dormitories should be built. accommodate 480 students. Following are images of the project – one of many you make possible around the world. Sister Evangeline told us, “We wish to express our sincere gratitude for the great help and love you’ve shown to our mission here in Nigeria in promoting the lives and educational standards for our young ones. We cannot but trust and promise to continue to do our best in maximizing the effort in achieving a good result.” reaching THANKS a world TO YOU in need – Throughout the years, your generous support has made education – in all its forms – possible throughout the world. You are spreading the Good News and bringing the light of education to those who need you most. Thank you for all you do for your brothers and sisters in Christ. The girls at Maria Ines 6 School in Nigeria are growing — intellectually and spiritually — thanks to your generous support. and on to Italy… you provide Casa Scalabrini 634 - a lifetime of It’s About All of Us learning... ope Francis said, “It’s not just about migrants, Support for Pontifical Universities it’s about all of us.” P Learning continues throughout our lives. It is Casa Scalabrini 634 was created in response critical to the formation of all people, particularly to the international migration emergency. Since 2015, people of faith. Over the years, The Papal Foundation they have promoted the encounter, welcoming, and has supported: integration of migrants into the local community. - The Pontifical Gregorian University Centre for Child Protection - The Pontifical Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family - The Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome - The Pontifical Academy of Sciences - The Pontifical Council for Christian Unity - The Pontifical Council for the Family In Italy, episodes of racism and xenophobia have been Support for Fertility increasing. The situation makes Casa Scalabrini’s work Education and Life even more important. The project aims to involve 2,000 beneficiaries. To date, they have welcomed The family is the center of Catholic life and belief. thousands of migrants and refugees. They have also So The Papal Foundation has also supported these helped 60 refugees to become self-sufficient. The efforts of the Church: creation of a career service and training courses have - The Center for Studies and Research on Human advanced that goal. Fertility (Catholic University of Rome) - The “Couple to Couple” League Casa Scalabrini thanks the Papal Foundation for supporting their work. They tell us, “We will keep - The Paul VI International Scientific Institute of Rome working hard. Because now, more than ever, we want to show with facts and actions that “it’s not just about - The Pontifical Academy of Life migrants, it’s about all of us”.