![]() "...following in the spirit and
traditions of the Patrician Brothers, our community has a commitment to
support the poor, marginalised, weak and less fortunate in providing
aid both locally and abroad...."This is a quote from the Social Justice
Statement of All Saints Boys College, Liverpool (formerly a Patrician Brothers'
school); an intent which was incredibly lived up to this month when
the College donated $15,000 (Australian) to the work of the Patrician
Brothers in Kenya.
Brother Paul O'Keeffe was invited to the College earlier in the year to speak about the work of the Brothers in Kenya. It seems his presentation was so inspiring that it "began a term of determined fundraising involving the entire motivated College community, headed by Year 7" under the passionate staff member Dora Musso. Within a matter of a few months the College community, with the assistance of parents and several local businesses, raised this amazing sum of money. The College invited Australian Provincial, Brother Aengus Kavanagh, to attend a College Assembly so they could present the donation to the Brothers in Kenya through him. Aengus described the assembly as "an impressive experience....A window into good things happening in a school with good spirit." He described the donation as a "magnificent contribution...towards the Patrician work in Kenya....A marvellous effort by teenage boys...that have lots of goodness and generosity when the challenge is put to them." The Brothers in Kenya are also somewhat overwhelmed by this demonstration of interest, commitment, and generosity by the College community. The Patrician Brothers first
arrived in Kenya from Ireland in 1961 at the invitation of a local
Bishop to take over the running the school in his diocese.
Presently there are just over thirty Brothers in Kenya, with several
more in training. The majority of the Brothers are now Kenyan born.
Their main ministry is to the poor in education and health. (Map shows the central locations of
the Brothers in Kenya: Nairobi, Eldoret, Kitale, Iten.)In response to the College's donation, Brother Paul Brennan, heavily involved in both school and health work, wrote: "...we appreciate very much what you are doing on behalf of the children here in Kabongo in ensuring them a proper Patrician education so that they can get a decent start in life.....Hopefully, some (or many) of you might get to Kenya one day to see what you helped to achieve through your generosity....God bless all involved in
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