During the Easter Holidays in April 2008, Fr. Dwayne Gavin travelled with a group of Transition Year students and teachers from St. Patrick's Classical School to Calcutta, India. The visit proved to be a very moving and enriching experience for all involved. Among the highlights of the visit was the time we spent each day as volunteers in an orphanage run by the Missionaries of Charity. Another enriching experience was our time with the students of a Loreto Day School founded and directed, by an exemplary Irish nun, Sr. Cyril. Our visits to the Bridge Foundation, which aims at educating street children, was particularly moving. There we met Calcutta's poorest children who, despite their daily hardship, were full of joy, good humour and excitement at our visit.

During our stay in Calcutta, we had the privilege of joining the Missionaries of Charity in celebrating the Easter Triduum and daily Mass. We also remembered the intentions of everyone at home during Mass at the tomb of Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. We were also very fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet and speak with Sr. Nirmala, Mother Teresa's successor as Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity (see photo above). We thank everyone from our parish and beyond who contributed so generously to our Calcutta Appeal. Through your generosity, many people, especially children and young people will be given the chance to receive an education that might never otherwise have been afforded them.

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