Your Catholic Legacy - 'Money turned into Life'

Bishop Paul Mason with Father Ed O'Connell. Image by Weenson Oo

A special Catholic Legacy Thanksgiving Mass was celebrated in London on Saturday to pray for benefactors who have left a legacy to a charity in the partnership of Catholic charities, 'Your Catholic Legacy'. Bishop Paul Mason, Bishop of the Forces, was the main celebrant in the Mass at Our Lady of Victories Parish, Kensington, and Columban Father Ed O'Connell, who has recently returned from mission in Peru, spoke at a reception afterwards.

Concelebrants included Fr Tony Chantry, National Director of Missio England and Wales, and National Directors of Pontifical Mission Societies in Zimbabwe - Fr Kizito Nhundu - and in Malawi - Fr Vincent Mwakhwawa. Also, Mgr Jim Curry, parish priest at Our Lady of Victories. Uplifting hymns, such as 'Lord of all hopefulness' and 'Now thank we all our God' contributed to the celebratory nature of the gathering.

Members of 'Your Catholic Legacy' (YCL) present included Aid to the Church in Need, CAFOD, Columban Missionaries, HCPT, Jesuits in Britain, Missio, Stella Maris, St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), and World Villages for Children. The names of donors recently deceased who have left legacies to member charities were displayed on two 'trees' in front of the altar and were prayed for.

Reflecting on the Gospel reading 'The Widow's Mite', Bishop Mason saw material sharing with good causes as a dimension of loving God. He talked of a medical centre in Tanzania that he supported and witnessed first-hand that, "money made a massive difference" to the lives of local people.

Fr O'Connell, who is marking 50 years as a Columban missionary priest, first went on mission to Peru in 1973. He stressed the importance of donations which, in his experience in the city of Lima over decades, have funded outreach in enormous parishes, a school for vulnerable children, a women's project, and education and nutrition programmes for young people. He used the term, 'Money turned into Life' and thanked all supporters of Columban mission in Peru and other worthy causes represented at the gathering. "Missionaries have been go-betweens, linking local and overseas churches," he said.

Life, the pregnancy support charity, has recently joined YCL. Dr Phil McCarthy, a trustee of the charity and representing it at the Mass, said, "Life really values the support it receives from Catholics and we hope membership of YCL will deepen our relationship with the community."

Catholic Legacy Week, which ended on 3 June, saw 26 Catholic charities working together to encourage Catholics to remember their work in wills. 'Your Catholic Legacy' offers advice on writing wills to benefit organisations in such spheres as Overseas Aid, Mission and Pastoral Care and Youth work. The SVP Legacies Programme says: "Let your lifetime of kindness live on", explaining that "gifts in wills are vital to our work." CAFOD says: "By including a gift to CAFOD in your Will, you can make a lasting difference, and share your blessings with our global family."

A free will writing guide is available on the website: https://yourcatholiclegacy.org.uk/