and treatable diseases due to lack of awareness and access to healthcare. Most of the time, they go to traditional quack doctors who take advantage of their situation. Serious health issues of patients that can be dealt with in proper healthcare facilities are being treated through rituals that can worsen the illness and bring false hope to patients.” Words of gratitude from Fr Edson: “As you are aware, we are totally dependent on your donations for our work and since the mission is still rather new, we need to do more programmes for healthcare, faith formation, and literacy programmes. Once again, we would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the readers of St Joseph’s Advocate for your financial support, prayers and encouragement. Rest assured that with your help, we will continue to serve our unfortunate sisters and brothers in this part of the world. Let us remain united in prayer for each other.”
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Comment by Fr Michael Corcoran (Mill Hill Superior General): “My visits to Sindh over the years have allowed me to see at first hand the great missionary work going on especially amongst the landless peoples. A true sign of hope for the future. It is always good to see the reality on the ground of the help given and be able to say a big thank you to all who support us in mission.” (At present, there are 12 Mill Hill Missionaries in Pakistan. There is one Irishman among them; Fr Denis Hartnett from Ballyhooly, Co. Cork, is in Tando Adam mission, also in the Sind area. The late Fr Tom Rafferty, who died on May 7, 2021, had spent over 50 years in Pakistan - in a very difficult and dangerous area. You can read his obituary on page 30. Tom wrote last year that he was very grateful for the aid that in all times of disaster came from the generosity of the Irish people: “It has helped us rise again and build back people’s lives.”)
Worried mother and her sick child with doctor
Autumn 2021
Turn to Mary and Joseph During his live-streamed general audience March 13, 2020, Pope Francis said: “I make my own the appeal of the Italian bishops who in this health emergency have promoted a moment of prayer for the whole country. Every family, every person, every religious community is asked to unite spiritually tomorrow (March 19 - Feast of St Joseph) at 9 p.m. for the recitation of the rosary, with the Mysteries of Light. I will accompany you from here. He continued: “Mary, Mother of God, Health of the Sick, leads us to the face of Jesus Christ and to his Heart. We turn to her with the prayer of the rosary under the loving gaze of St. Joseph, Custodian of the Holy Family and of our families. And we ask him to guard our families, in a special way, in particular the sick and the persons taking care of the sick: the doctors, the men and women nurses, all the healthcare workers and volunteers. May he guard all who risk their lives in this service.”
Autumn 2021
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