Dear Friend,
Brother Val, pictured here, may have just celebrated his 80th anniversary of serving as a Marist Brother, but he is not through yet! In fact, none of our elderly and disabled Brothers are truly “retired.” They keep giving their all, spreading the Gospel and drawing on their years of faith to help bring more souls to Christ.
Myself? Well, I’ve only been a Marist Brother for 57 years, and, praise God, am still physically able to continue in active ministry. But today, as a true labor of love, I am writing to you to ask that you send a special gift in honor of Br. Val and all the wonderful elderly and disabled Brothers that need your help. We need to provide them with the necessary medical assistance they deserve after lifetimes of unselfish service. Through all their physical difficulties and challenges, they continue to pray for you.
Enclosed is a card with three nickels. The nickels are a reminder that many gifts are urgently needed to provide for the medical care necessary for heroic, long-serving Brothers like Br. Val. Sadly the cost for nurses, physical therapy and medicine are huge, as are the costs for these necessary items:
- A medical wheelchair costs $505 or 10,100 nickels.
- Each geriatric air mattress costs $285 or 5,700 nickels.
- An electric hospital bed costs $1,200 or 24,000 nickels.
- A rolling walker costs $185 or 3,700 nickels.
My friend, can you find it in your heart to send a gift today that is 1/10th of what is needed? Could you send a donation of $50.50, $28.50, or $120? Even $18.50, which is 10% of the cost of a rolling walker, would be a big help. I pray that you have been blessed in many ways, and if one way was materially, then I hope you can send a gift today. And if you can return the nickels when you do, that will be an added blessing. Each little bit adds up!
Our Brothers, in gratitude for your kindness, will pray for your intentions and offer their prayers during daily Masses for you and your loved ones.
Please pray for our elderly and disabled Brothers, and for our mission of bringing Christ’s healing message to all in need. With your generous help today, we can meet the medical needs of our Brothers so that more of them will be able to serve better and longer in their twilight years.
God bless you, and I do hope to hear from you soon.
Gratefully yours in Christ,
Br. Hugh Turley, F.M.S.
Director of Development
The Marist Brothers are an international community of 4,000 Catholic Brothers dedicated to making Jesus known and loved through the education of young people, especially those most neglected. Marist Brothers are educators, counselors, social workers, youth leaders and missionaries. Every day they transform the lives and situations of thousands of young people through education and spirituality by challenging young people to live to their fullest potential in Christ.
From the desk of
Brother Valerian Doiron, F.M.S.
