My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
On this fourth Sunday of Lent, I write to you, on behalf of all the Bishops of Scotland, to thank you for your continued support of the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, our Church’s own relief and development agency.
In the year that follows SCIAF’s 60th Anniversary, we give thanks for the countless lives that have been transformed through your prayers and generosity. For six decades, the Catholic community in Scotland has shown love in action – reaching out to our sisters and brothers living in the world’s poorest places and showing that faith truly changes lives.
This Lent, SCIAF’s WEE BOX Appeal focuses on Ethiopia, a country that has long worked hard to build a better future. Families have been growing stronger, children have been going to school, and communities have been full of hope. But now, much of that progress is being undone. Years of conflict, drought, flooding, and cuts to aid have left millions struggling to survive.
In the northern region of Tigray, the Church has been a steadfast presence. Even when war and violence drove others away, I can personally witness that the Church remained, serving those in need. As Fr Abraha from SCIAF’s local partner, the Adigrat Diocesan Catholic Secretariat (ADCS), explained:
“The Church is a voice for the voiceless. When everyone else left, the Church stayed: to serve, to speak, and to give people courage. We serve all human beings, whatever their faith. With no water there is no life – yet, little by little, we are helping people survive.”
Through your generous support, SCIAF and its Church partners are providing clean water, food, and shelter, and helping families rebuild their lives – restoring not just livelihoods but also hope. Fr Abraha went on to say:
“I appreciate, and would like to thank, the Catholics of Scotland for what you have all done for us, for our people, and our community. We are very grateful for what you have done and what you will do in the future. The Scottish people are our pillars – and today, you are still helping us.”
In his apostolic exhortation Dilexi Te, Pope Leo XIV reminds us that “love for the poor, whatever the form their poverty may take, is the evangelical hallmark of a Church faithful to the heart of God.”
This Lent, we are called once more to live out that love: through prayer, fasting, and giving.
Your support to SCIAF’s WEE BOX Appeal can help families in Ethiopia – and across the world – access clean water, grow food, and find stability and peace. From Scotland to Ethiopia, your compassion keeps both water, and hope, flowing.
Thank you for your continued generosity and for the love you show to our sisters and brothers around the world. Together, as one family of faith, we can make a difference and build a world where all God’s children can flourish.
May God bless you and your families this holy season of Lent.
Bishop Brian McGee
Bishop President of SCIAF
On behalf of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland