Demonetisation: Kerala church opens collection box to help people with no money
Thiruvananthpuram: “It is the church where people come and talk about their problems. Some of them did meet the priest and tell how they were finding it difficult to buy daily necessities. That’s when the father discussed about the possibility of opening the collection box to the needy,” said Shelson Francis, Convenor, Church Committee Youth Wing.
Demonetisation: Kerala church opens collection box to help people with no money
“It is the church where people come and talk about their problems. Some of them did meet the priest and tell how they were finding it difficult to buy daily necessities. That’s when the father discussed about the possibility of opening the collection box to the needy,” said Shelson Francis, Convenor, Church Committee Youth Wing.While Kerala, like the rest of India, waits in queues in front of banks and ATMs to get their old notes exchanged and withdraw new currencies, a church in Kerala on Sunday opened its doors to help the less privileged.
In an unusual announcement during its Sunday mass, St Martin De Porres church in Ernakulam district of Kerala said it would be opening its collection box for those who are in urgent need of money, expecting nothing in return.
The church announced this during its mass at 6.30am and 8.30am after which two collection boxes were opened.
“There are around 200 families who come under this church. Most of them are people who may not have proper savings in bank accounts and those who do not know the workings of an ATM. Ever since the Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes became illegal, they have been struggling to meet their daily needs,” said Jimmy Poochakkatt, the parish priest.
People could take as much money as they needed and could give it back to the church later, whenever they could.
“It is the church where people come and talk about their problems. Some of them did meet the priest and tell how they were finding it difficult to buy daily necessities. That’s when the father discussed about the possibility of opening the collection box to the needy,” said Shelson Francis, Convenor, Church Committee Youth Wing.
“We did not keep track of who took what. But we were told the box mainly filled with Rs 10 and Rs 50 notes were of great help for them,” he added.
The collection box is usually opened once in six months or so. By the end of Sunday, the boxes were left with only a few Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.