Inspiring Individuals
SCIAF was started in
1965 by the Catholic
Bishops of Scotland
with the help of three
inspiring people:
John McKee
Monsignor John Rooney
Bishop Michael Foylan
John McKee
was former Head Teacher
of Holyrood Secondary,
Glasgow. He was a
passionate man who
wanted to see an end
to world hunger.
Monsignor Rooney
was Parish Priest of St
Columbkille's, Rutherglen.
He too was desperate to do
something to help the world’s
poor and they decided that the
Catholic Church in Scotland
needed an international aid
organisation of its own to
respond to this challenge.
SCIAF was born and
Bishop Michael Foylan
was appointed as the first
President/Treasurer of SCIAF.
Together with John McKee and
Monsignor Rooney, they worked
hard to make SCIAF an
organisation that is dedicated
to helping the poorest people
in the world.
Sister Rebecca
is founder and director
of Special Families,
a project in Nicaragua that
has supported and provided
help to over 1200 families
since 1996. This work
continues today helping the
poorest and most
vulnerable.
Pauline Jaricot
died 150 years ago. Yet her inspiring life in setting
up the Association for the Propagation of the Faith
(APF) continues to grow.
150 years ago, on 9 January 1862, Pauline Jaricot
died in poverty, yet, as a result of her generosity,
honesty and hard work, she had founded what
would become the world’s largest mission support
organisation, with offices in 120 countries.
It was Pauline Jaricot’s dream to be a missionary
and her dream certainly came true!
Mission Matters Scotland is one of those 120 offices
worldwide that follow Pauline’s vision of serving the poor
and encouraging all Christians to follow Jesus’ example.
Cardinal Peter Turkson
is President of the Pontifical Council for
Justice and Peace.
The Second Vatican Council had proposed
the creation of a body of the universal
Church whose role would be “to stimulate
the Catholic Community to foster
progress in needy regions and social
justice on the international scene”.
It is Cardinal Peter Turkson’s job to guide
and inspire others so that this vision
progresses.
Aspire not to have more,
but to be more.
Archbishop Oscar Romero