RAISING FUNDS FOR COVID AFFECTED INDIA

LOVE IS ALL THE SAME, NO MATTER WHAT RELIGION OR WHAT LANGUAGE YOU SPEAK.

Sunday 20th June this year has been named by the Catholic Church in New Zealand as a Day of Prayer for Migrants and Refugees. It is fitting therefore on that day to hold a concert to raise funds for the people of India where the Coronavirus has caused such devastation.

The concert will be presented at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, 118 Church St. Otahuhu at 2pm, by the Otahuhu Catholic parish and school communities.

Pope Francis calls the earth “Our Common Home”, asking us to stand together globally, in solidarity, to care for each other as sisters and brothers.

From the relative safety and freedom of our isolated country we may not easily identify with the global tragedy of Covid-19. India leads the world in the daily average number of deaths, accounting for one in every 3 deaths reported worldwide each day.

We are a country of migrants, and large numbers of our migrant communities watch helplessly as their loved ones back home are suffering or have died from the Coronavirus.

While there are signs of a decrease in daily reported cases in India, there have been 28,175,044 infections and 331,895 coronavirus-related deaths reported there since the pandemic began – quite apart from the numerous unreported cases.

Caritas is the international Catholic Aid Agency and Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand will send the concert’s proceeds to Caritas India, who are working on the ground to assist those afflicted with the Coronavirus.

The Catholic Bishop of Auckland Bishop Patrick Dunn, who will attend the concert, said that our prayer, and this concert will make us more aware of what Indian families here and in India are suffering, and it’s our small way of supporting them.

Children and young people from the Otahuhu parish of St Joseph, and McAuley High School, De La Salle College and St Joseph’s Primary School will take part in the event, along with other established artists who are generously offering their services. Entry to the concert is by koha (voluntary donation) and will be followed by a sausage sizzle.