Extra materials left at the chapel at St. Thomas University are being put to good use by the new chaplain, Shawn Daley, who is donating them to churches in Guyana.
Daley said all extra linens, books and supplies shouldn’t go to waste in storage.
“There used to be two chapels and a whole community of Holy Cross priests, so everything just started accumulating,” said Daley. “Better it be put to use in Guyana rather than being eaten by moths up here.”
Daley has been chaplain at St. Thomas University for only a month, but this project has been ongoing since last Easter. He has been trying to gather a large collection of items so that it can all be shipped to Guyana at once.
“It’s expensive to ship supplies to Guyana, so I’m trying to get everything together at once, put them in barrels and send it all over.”
Daley has travelled all around the world as a missionary. He worked and lived in Guyana and the Dominican Republic, but he has visited and studied in places such as Argentina, Peru, Columbia, Thailand and all over Europe.
Guyana is a country on South America’s North Atlantic Coast and, according to Daley, Christianity and Catholicism are a minority there.
“The churches are very poor. I worked in Guyana as a missionary for a year and every little bit helps,” Daley said.
Daley has not just been collecting supplies from the chapel at STU. He has travelled to various churches in Canada and said that many of them are being closed. This has resulted in a large amount of extra supplies that can be put to use in more impoverished countries such as Guyana.
“A lot of the Scarborough Fathers that I work with are from Cape Breton, and they’re dealing with the same issue of churches being shut down but anything left in storage is being burned or thrown out,” said Daley. “It’s good for them to know that instead of everything going to waste, it will be used on missions.”
Daley said the overall reaction to his project has been very positive.
“It’s coming along very well. Pretty much every church closet around here is filled with clutter, but nobody really knows what to do with it. When it’s going to good use, you really see people motivated.”
Daley said there is more than enough supplies in the chapel at STU, and hopes it will have a big impact on the churches and communities of Guyana.
‘“I wouldn’t really know what is lacking or what to ask for, but kids clothes would be really helpful. We’re trying to help a few orphanages down there such as the St. Anne’s orphanage,” he said.
“I was actually shocked by how much was left over from the chapel at St. Thomas. I’m just glad we can give it all a new life where it can actually be put to use.”
