I am very grateful to the Mission Fund in Malta for the generous grant given last week to the Galilee Centre for the maintenance of the centre and for the servicing of our two cars, four computers and a photocopier.

The Galilee Centre is a retreat house run by the Jesuits, situated in Debre Zeit, 50km south of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Here we offer retreats to the religious and priests of the Ethiopian Catholic Church and to other Christian Churches as well.

We offer eight days of personally guided retreats and weekend retreats to seminarians in theology, to junior religious, to novices as well as to university students and youth coming from different parishes.

Many religious and priests, attracted by the hospitality and by the beautiful volcanic lake and mountain view, come to spend a time of prayer and to have an experience of God.

On the initiative of one Jesuit on the staff, we are also helping to pay the school fees of many students, distribute food to some poor families and to offer special care to a small group of orphans.

Around 60 per cent of the expenses incurred by the centre are covered by the room and board fees. Two European donors subsidise the retreats offered to religious and priests. However, at the end the year, we still register a deficit.

We cannot manage to cover all the expenses due to the maintenance of the centre and to the rising cost of living. It was for this reason that we appealed for help to the Mission Fund, and they responded generously.

I encourage you to continue to send used stamps and donations to the Mission Fund so as to be able to support many other Maltese religious and priests who are working in the Third World countries.

Kindly send your donations to one of the following accounts: HSBC, Account No: 061 197 448 050; BOV, Account No: 163 007 980 19; APS, Account No: 200 008 207 62; Banif, Account No: 000 879 631 01. More information on the Mission Fund can be accessed from www.missionfund.org.mt.

I will pray for the repose of your bereaved ones and for your needs in my daily Eucharist.

Kindly support our work here at the Galilee Centre with your prayers.