Dear Readers,
Franciscan Fr. Efrem Trettel, born in Trento in 1921, a pioneer in communications, A.R.C. and Chairman Emeritus of the volunteer group La Madre De Los Pobres, recently celebrated his 89th birthday.
Fr. Efrem played a rousing version of Happy Birthday on his accordion while his “fans” sang the vocals at Caesar’s Restaurant in San Francisco, scene of this year’s semi-annual La Madre De Los Pobres Fundraiser. [Friends of Fr. Efrem may contact him at Alma Via on Brotherhood Way, adjacent to Thomas More Church in San Francisco.]
Salesian Adopt-A-Nun Sr. Mary Rinaldi, whom many of you may have met at the Festa del Sacro Cuore di Gesu, when invited by Marie Martinelli at the Casa Italiana in Los Angeles, was in San Francisco thanking the members of the La Madre De Los Pobres for their donation of $5,000, which was matched by a family on the East Coast making a $10,000 donation to the Salesian Sisters to help rebuild schools in Haiti which had been destroyed by the recent earthquake.
Sr. Rinaldi also showed slides taken by Salesian Sisters in Haiti to show the good that their donation had accomplished and some of the children that had benefited from their generosity.
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La Madre De Los Pobres was “ideato” and established in 1982 by the late Franciscan Father Alfred Boeddeker, founder of the famed St. Anthony’s Dining Room. His dream was “feed the poor of all faiths worldwide, their bodies and their souls.” La Madre raises funds mainly in the San Francisco Bay Area and sends money directly to mis- sionaries and volunteers of all faiths who ensure that every penny sent is used to care for, feed, and educate the poor.
They also provide communication equipment to help connect the poor in remote locations to the rest of our world. La Madre De Los Pobres has funded programs in over 25 countries from Albania to Zambia. *Note, the word directly as in no “imbroglione”, go-between to “evaporate” funds before reaching their intended beneficial purpose.
That is why the Board of Directors of the Bay Area based La Madre De Los Pobres, at the suggestion of their President Fr. Larry Lorenzoni, sent the $5,000 in funds they raised directly to Salesian Sister Mary Rinaldi, who promptly contacted a local benefactor to match it and the $10,000 check was sent directly to the Salesian Sisters in Haiti who oversaw the rebuilding of an earthquake demolished school and other repairs.
La Madre De Los Pobres, since 1982 has a proud history of service, and knowing some of the people who serve on their Board of Directors, I can assure you that any donation you make will go one-hundred percent for the purpose intended.
Here is a small sample of projects and countries where La Madre helps the poor: Haiti Funds for Salesian Sisters to help rebuild schools destroyed by recent earthquake. Albania Funds for a Franciscan Sisters’ mission school, meals program and health clinic in Torovice for orphans and poor families. Satellite phone service. Congo Support Presbyterian and Catholic missions delivering food, clothes, shelter, education and health care to AIDS orphans. Guatemala Scholarships for native Mayan women’s education.
Funds for two PBVM Sisters’ rural health clinics in Solala and Concepcion Tutuapa. Malawi Support ex Peace Corp workers who teach locals to manage health, farming, education and job training projects for orphans and poor families. Nepal Assist Maryknoll mission’s education, health, meals, and tutorial aid for students of poor Buddhist families near Khatmandu.
Pakistan Aid a Salesian mission’s Vocational School teach trades to poor Muslim and Christian youth in Lahore. South Sudan Support a Medical Clinic with Rx and supplies, and nurse training. Provides funds to build and equip a Vocational School. Tanzania Help St. Therese Sister’s feed, cloth, shelter, educate AIDS’ orphans in Kanjunguti. Delivered a solar system to power a school and medical clinic at the Franciscan Sisters’ mission in rural Biro.
To help keep Fr. Alfred’s dream alive, make your checks payable to La Madre De Los Pobres, 235 Westlake Center #222, Daly City, CA 9405. You can also visit their site at , or call Frank Clarkat 415-661- 7878, who has been serving as President Pro Tem, since Pres. Fr. Larry Lorenzoni took a fall in Rome a while back.
La Madre De Los Pobres Board member, Richard Engelhart, 901-3240, will also be happy to answer your questions.
10631 Vinedale Street, Sun Valley, CA 91352 - Phone (818) 767-3413 - Fax: (818) 767-1410
