Famine - Poverty - Sickness - War

The effects of these are enormous: the Father O'Mahony Memorial Trust offers a rapid response direct to those in need, undiluted by heavy administrative costs.

Background

In the thirty years of his ministry as parish priest of Our Lady of the Wayside Roman Catholic Church, Shirley, Father Paddy O'Mahony inspired and developed an extensive range of practical aids to suffering people in many parts of the world.

The first venture was to support Major Dudley Gardiner and his Salvation Army feeding programme for the destitute poor in Calcutta. From this beginning, the programme extended to the provision of medicines to Calcutta, Madras, Ethiopia, and the Sudan, indeed to wherever help was needed.

Working groups were established in the parish to sustain the practical effort needed to respond to the many requests for help that were received.

Many other parishes of various denominations, schools, organisations and individuals contributed, reassured that their donations were going directly to the needy, undiluted by heavy administrative costs.

In the interests of justice and peace, the mission of the parish extended to the support of Prisoners of Conscience, and the petitioning for their release. This led to supporting the work of the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture by helping the rehabilitation of victims when their medical treatment was complete.

When this tireless and devoted man went to his eternal rest on St. Stephen's Day 1991, the Father O'Mahony Memorial Trust was formed. Under the presidency of his successor, Father Gerry Murray, the Trust endeavours to give aid where it can, and to use any contribution effectively at the point of need.

Current projects for the Trust

The Trust works with individuals, agencies and governments regardless of race or religious beliefs, with medical assistance, self-help projects, and maternity and primary health care throughout the world.

Many millions of pounds of medical aid has already been shared to ease the suffering in some 34 countries including:

Fiji

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In 2001, we helped the following, amongst others.

India (Calcutta): As stated above, this was one of the first projects ever to receive support from the parish and we have continued with regular financial help, although the project has changed and expanded greatly. We mainly support their 'Mother and Child' project (ante- and post-natal care), as well as their TB Centre.

Rwanda: Sister Bridget, who works with the sick and marginalised, relies very much on our support. This year we sent £1000 for repair and maintence at their small hospital, which, together with a consignment of medicines, enabled Sr. Bridget and the team to get their hospital operational.

Bolivia: Sr. Sylvia Sherwood, who has visited the parish, continues to run a project for families and orphaned children in the mountain regions of Oruro where conditions in wintertime are extremely difficult and they can be completely cut off. We continue with regular support and sent her £1000.

Uganda: With the support of one of the local Catholic primary schools, we were able to send £500 to Millie Stein, who has been involved with building, equipping and staffing a school for AIDS orphans.

St. Lucia: £1000 was sent out to Castries, St. Lucia where a house has been purchased and turned into a home for abandoned and neglected children.

Tanzania: We have worked in partnership with Eugene Schellenberg on the Ifakara Bakery Project which aimed to set up a bakery to provide bread locally in a small town in Tanzania. The oven was donated by Safeways and refurbished, and the necessary equipment, including a generator, purchased. The Trust was pleased to give £5000 to this project, and we also agreed to provide a consignment of medicine with the cargo of bakery equipment. The equipment has arrived safely and has been installed. Training has taken place and the bakery, under the management of the local convent, is now fully operational bringing many benefits to the local community.

Ecuador: £1000 was sent out to Father Veasey who runs a small hospital; this has now been able to add an operating theatre.

Kenya: Helping St. Luke's Hospital in Kenya has become a regular event. Mr. Patrick Langmead who organises Educaid Africa, a small charity based in Solihull, informs us of their needs and we arrange for a large consignment of medicines and medical aid to get to the project.

Romania: Two projects, Humanitarian and International Hope House Project and Care and Comfort Romania each received a donation of £1000 from us. Like our own Parish project, these initiatives were struggling to help homeless children rebuild their lives.

Mail the Trust

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Donations

Send them to:

The Treasurer
The Father O'Mahony Memorial Trust
Our Lady of the Wayside Church
Stratford Road
Shirley
Solihull
West Midlands B90 4AY
Tel: 0121-733-6998

The Father O'Mahony Trust is registered as a charity, number 1039288

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Detailed description of the interior by the parish priest, Father Gerard Murray

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This page has been visited times since October 19 1998.

Updated on December 24, 2001 by OLW webmaster John Humphreys. Comments on this page? Please mail me