About six times a year, St Timothy's, in the parish of Forest Hill, runs letter writing sessions based on the appeals found in the Amnesty International magazine "Defender". These appeals come from all around the world giving specific information regarding the human rights abuses of individuals or groups. This information, together with the name and address of the government members directly related to these cases, the requests that need to be made of them, and the appropriate salutation needed, are all given making letter writing all that much easier.

Writing paper, envelopes, pens, more detailed information from Amnesty International regarding letter writing, table, chairs and the appeals are all provided for parishioners after each mass on the weekend. The following Wednesday morning is also made available as an extra time for parishioners, and especially school parents dropping off their children at the school, to come and write. All are welcome to take the appeals and what they need and write from home if they wish.

The Greek philosopher Socrates was called a 'gadfly' because of the way he probed into people's ways of thinking. He was considered a real pest by many! Similarly, AI letter writing is a way of prodding government officials and bodies to look at what they are doing, and especially for them to know that people from all around the world know what is happening and that they are objecting. This is not a time consuming, expensive or difficult task to do and yet, when so many people write, as they do, it can make such a difference.

Interested in knowing more? Keen to become a pesky gadfly yourself??

Contact Pia at the Parish Office on 9878 8858 or email: st_tims_foresthill@hotmail.com