29th July 2021
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I refer to my letter to you dated the 26th April with regards to the postponement of the draw date of the Diocesan raffle due to the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano. After consultation, we have set the new draw date for Wednesday 27th October 2021, Independence Day.
With this new date we would like to “re-launch” the raffle so that it will have priority in our activities.
As you know we launched this raffle in an attempt to help to make up for the shortfall of funds we suffered last year. As you are aware, the funding we received last year from our sister Diocese of Duluth is no longer available. During the last five years this amounted to between USD 20,000.00 to USD 30,000.00 annually to fund our projects. Also because of COVID-19 we were not able to have our annual May fair and Christmas fair. These has all impacted negatively on our finances.
Last year we also took the initiative to reintroduce the monthly Diocesan collection envelopes which was of tremendous assistance to us. We were able to collect a total of EC$80, 465.10 From June 2020 to December 2020 and we are very grateful for your donations. However, the total we were able to collect from the monthly Diocesan collection envelopes for this year from January 2021 to June 2021 is EC$30, 306.75. We are also grateful and thankful for your continued assistance despite these difficult economic times. We remind you also that this year there was no May fair.
It is hoped that with the “re-launch” of the raffle that we would all work assiduously on this Diocesan fund raising project.
In the next few weeks there are two projects which will be completed at the Pastoral Center, the installation of a solar system and a gate. Funds were received for these two projects and we have to use them for that purpose only.
My dear brothers and sisters, I am very much aware of the difficult economic situation we are all experiencing but I thought it important to update you all.
Thanking you for your attention.
Sincerely in Christ,
+Gerard M. County
Bishop of Kingstown