Our Dear Phatmass Phriend Catholic Wing, One Year After His Death.

[organwerke]

Hi all,

as many of you know I was in a deep friendship with a dear phatmass member who died last year for drowning.

This phatmass member called Catholic Wing left a widow and two children.

I tried to help them some way. I sent them some money through Western Union, I sent it also through the contact I have now with Catholic Wing's cousin who is a seminarian and is soon to be ordained as a priest.

I suggested to him to open a Paypal account, but it is not possible because Pakistan (the country where he lives) does not support Paypal. .

 CW's cousin asked me also if I could help him buying or sending him a chalice and a ciborium.

Finally, he told me he is trying to help not only CW's family but other children who are living in difficult conditions too.

So I was wondering if someone here is willing to join me in helping these persons.

Also, if you have any idea of how it would be easier to collect and send money.

Until now, I've always sent money through Western Union, using these informations required:

Name: Asif Riaz (Pakistan)

ID number: 34201-0432039-1

When you have done the payment, you have then to communicate Asif the code you received back at his email address:

assi_4christ@yahoo.com

I know many of you are going through economical difficulties so haven't much money to donate, but also consider that what is little for you may be much in a country like Pakistan so you may donate also very little sums of money.

Also, I'd be very grateful if some of you could give me some ideas on how collect money and raise offers from more people.

This is a  photo that show Catholic Wing with his family before his death:

 

Thank you and happy Easter to all.

Edited March 29, 2013 by organwerke

[organwerke]

here there are some other photos of Catholic Wing when he was still alive.

Here he is at a manifestation for peace towards Christians in Pakistan.

Sorry the size of the photo is so smal but I can't load bigger size.

You may see the whole album at this link anyway:

http://s148.photobucket.com/user/NadeemFeroze_CatholicYouth/media/Rosary%20Hospital%20Incidence/017.jpg.html?filters[user]=37672471&fiddlers[recent]=1&fiddlers[publicOnly]=1&sort=1&o=0#/user/NadeemFeroze_CatholicYouth/media/Rally%20CONDEMND%20THE%20MURDER%20OF%20SHAHBAZ%20BHATTI/SAM_1725.jpg.html?fiddlers%5Buser%5D=37672471&fiddlers%5Brecent%5D=1&fiddlers%5BpublicOnly%5D=1&sort=1&o=67&_suid=136463964812009171388578790232

[mortify]

Wow, that is really sad! I remember him well and his passing is a tragedy. Regarding the donations, I personally would go through a reputable charity organization that is already well established. Call it my cynical nature but you never really know what happens to direct donations.

[organwerke]

Wow, that is really sad! I remember him well and his passing is a tragedy. Regarding the donations, I personally would go through a reputable charity organization that is already well established. Call it my cynical nature but you never really know what happens to direct donations.

 

You are right and I respect your position.

I can assure you and all the people reading anyway that this is a very estabilished contact, some other members on phatmass have bought in the past a few religious items that CW and his community sold to substain themselves.

I have also invited CW's seminarian cousin to register to Phatmass and take part in it.

He could reassure you and the others here that their is a true cause, not a falsity.

But your point is valid, and, in fact, my goal was to find a way to raise money avoiding to send it through direct canals such as Western Union or bank accounts.

We can't have the certainty 100% until one of us could go directly to Pakistan and verify. I would do it, if I could.

CW too tried more than once to come to my country, he also was invited by the Benedectine Abbey in Norcia, but my government refused him a visa since he wasn't very rich and he couldn't reassure my Government that he would have come back in pakistan after his staying here (this is the reason the government used for its refusal).

I wonder anyway if other organizations know personally every person that they help.

I think for example of the Laboure Society: I sometimes donated money to them, but I wonder if they personally know every discerner they help, or they relay also on CVs, recomendtion letters from parish priests and other documents. Because, in my case, I've lots of documents from CW, such as the copy of his passport, recomandation letters from more than a Benedectine Abbey (he was a benedectine oblate), from his parish priest...

Ok, this was to say. Thank you for your interest anyway.

[organwerke]

Oh, and I wanted to add that before this thread I opened another one asking for ideas on fundraising.

I think that the best thing would be if some of us knew any international well estabilished  organization that works in Pakistan and could ask such organization to consider the idea of helping CW's family and community too.

[LouisvilleFan]

I also supported him (using MoneyGram, I don't think WU was sending to Pakistan at the time). I actually got a text from his wife who told me about his drowning, and I tried to e-mail but I guess they don't have access to his account. He sent me tons of pictures and different items they made, so I'm convinced he is legit.

 

Have you tried to contact his bishop, Anthony Lobo? Perhaps through the diocese some arrangment could be made to support his familiy and parish.

[homeschoolmom]

I remember him. He was a really interesting member of the Phatmass Pham. I miss his contributions. RIP Catholic Wing.

[organwerke]

I also supported him (using MoneyGram, I don't think WU was sending to Pakistan at the time). I actually got a text from his wife who told me about his drowning, and I tried to e-mail but I guess they don't have access to his account. He sent me tons of pictures and different items they made, so I'm convinced he is legit.

 

Have you tried to contact his bishop, Anthony Lobo? Perhaps through the diocese some arrangment could be made to support his familiy and parish.

Hi, thank you very much for your interest.

Yes I asked CW's cousin to put me in contact with his bishop, I am waiting for his reply right now.

Unfortunately I am not able to find many people willing to join me helping these people.

I'd like eventually to create a contact between them and the Servidoras of The Lord and The Virgin of Matarà since for what I know they have in mind to open a mission in Pakistan in the future, but I don't know if they already have in mind in which location. I'll try to get more informations.

[Lil Red]

For what it's worth, a few years ago, my church & youth group collected religious items for CW and sent them to him, to distribute among the faithful there. He was so grateful for simple rosaries, prayer cards, and prayer books, that it shamed me, because I often take those things for granted. 

Edited April 2, 2013 by Lil Red

[organwerke]

Yes, it is true.

I also take the opportunity to ask you a thing: CW's cousin, who will be ordained soon as a priest, asked me if I could send him a chalice and a ciborium, because these are very expensive items for him. I've seen that these items are very expensive here too, but I saw on ebay an advertisement quite cheap.

Considering that the ciborium doesn't have a cross, do you think it is valid for celebrating Mass?

(you can give a look here):http://www.ebay.it/itm/181110658008?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648

 

Thanks!

[organwerke]

I also supported him (using MoneyGram, I don't think WU was sending to Pakistan at the time). I actually got a text from his wife who told me about his drowning, and I tried to e-mail but I guess they don't have access to his account. He sent me tons of pictures and different items they made, so I'm convinced he is legit.

 

Have you tried to contact his bishop, Anthony Lobo? Perhaps through the diocese some arrangment could be made to support his familiy and parish.

 

His bishop isn't Anthony Lobo anymore.

As CW's cousin told me, Anthony Lobo has died and now the new bishop is Anthony Rufin.

CW's cousin will be ordained as a deacon on 15 this month, and tomorrow he will start his retreat.

Please remember him in your prayers these days, that he may receive from the Lord the strenght to witness his faith in a so difficult place. 

[organwerke]

These are some photos of CW's cousin ordination to the diaconate:

 

(sorry I'd like to add more photos but I can't!)

Edited April 23, 2013 by organwerke

[Seven77]

 I second the idea to go through the diocese…

[organwerke]

 I second the idea to go through the diocese…

 

Not to be offensive, but I guess that since CW's cousin is going to be ordained as a priest (he is already a deacon now and he is serving at the parish Our Lady of Fatima in Islamabad), he has probably already thought of this option.

I also know for sure that CW's parish priest already helped him a lot in the past when he couldn't find a job because of his beliefs.

My idea was to create also a sort of fundraising from abroad but apparently this isn't going to work ......

[hotpink]

Not to be offensive, but I guess that since CW's cousin is going to be ordained as a priest (he is already a deacon now and he is serving at the parish Our Lady of Fatima in Islamabad), he has probably already thought of this option.

I also know for sure that CW's parish priest already helped him a lot in the past when he couldn't find a job because of his beliefs.

My idea was to create also a sort of fundraising from abroad but apparently this isn't going to work ......

 

Organwerke,

 

With all due respect, people need to be careful over the internet.  There are very few people that can be trusted, especally when you are dealing with foreign countries.

 

To top that off, we do not know that you, nor if the money would actually go to the family.  It's just reality.

 

Sending money overseas is NOT easy.  The American government (and most others) would not look kindly upon a website that condoned sending money to Pakistan.  Sending money to a Catholic dioceses would be different.

 

We are sorry for your loss, but we have set a responsible limitation on helping, that our money go through the dioceses, and if this is not possible than we have reached an impass.