In September 2023, St. André Bessette Parish in Bangladesh was affected by a herd of wild elephants that traversed the parish grounds, damaging 5+ acres of rice paddy fields and the fences surrounding the parish. Located within the Mymensingh Diocese near the border with India, St. André Bessette Parish is a ministry of the Sacred Heart Province of Priests that provides faith formation and outreach to 2,500+ Garo-Catholics in the region. Additionally, the parish manages two hostels for boys and girls allowing the students to live on site while they study at the parish school.

The Mission Center provided $9,500+ in emergency support to aid the recovery efforts at St. André Bessette Parish (pictures below). These efforts included:

• Providing a six-month supply of rice and other food items for the parish-run hostels that house 70 students
• Providing emergency food support for 66 families within the parish
• Re-building a 300 ft. fence surrounding the parish property, including the priests’ residence
• Repairing a water well to aid the water supply for cultivating crops
• Preparing the land and planting seeds for cultivation of new crops

Through your generosity, the Mission Center is able to provide emergency relief to Holy Cross ministry sites around the world when they find themselves in critical moments of unexpected need–thank you for your support!

Support the International Emergency Assistance Fund

Published: April 30, 2024