How many times have I said I cannot stand Trocaire? I know what you're thinking, "Too many".
Yesterday at Mass there was a special collection for the victims of the tsunami. I was intent that our family would put nothing in the basket as it passed us. The collection was going to Trocaire and I figured any money I wanted to give I could give to a different organization.
Then the priest explained that the collection was actually going to Caritas International. I knew the name of course, but not enough about the organization to judge whether I'd like them or not. My wife looked at me and I knew I had lost the argument. She opened her bag and pulled something out of her wallet. I nodded meekly.
I walked into the church in defiant mood and that one sentence had deflated me. No protest at Trocaire's arrogance this day.
Based on my cursory glance in the basket as it passed us, I would estimate that they collected nearly €5,000 at that one Mass (one of six in our parish on Sat/Sun). There was a lot of money in the basket - most I've ever seen in a church collection. Despite Trocaire's involvement, I was upbeat about the response.
