Stamp collecting

All of us have some kind of hobby. Often if you hear that someone collects stamps you might see them as something ultimately boring and have a stereotypical image of a bespeckled man bent over his collection, peering through his magnifying class at his precious stamps. However, a little piece of paper which is just an everyday thing can be a window into so many other experiences. Stamps represent historical events, people and places. It is an easy stepping stone to learning as much or as little about world or local history as you want. With the aide of a good stamp catalogue the world is at your fingertips. Stamps makes learning fun and you might not even realize that you are learning. It is like visiting exotic places from your own living room.

One of the priests in Kiltegan shared this with us: "Some of our elderly and retired priests spend their day sorting out the stamps you send us and preparing them for sale to stamp collectors.  This is a full time occupation for them as we receive lots and lots of stamps! So not alone do your stamps give them something worthwhile to do each day, but the money we receive from selling the stamps greatly increased our mission funds. So thank you for playing your part!  One small stamp can go a long way!"

From an early age we learned not to throw away stamps. My aunt works in a post-office and we used to collect them up and give them to her. In the various communities I have been missioned to, I have tried to increase this sensitivity among my sisters.

Again our Kiltegan father writes: “The priest in charge of the stamps is Fr. Seamus Reihill.  He has been doing this work since 1965 and many people know him only as “Fr. Stamps”!  He worked in Nigeria from 1956 until 1964, but when he was not allowed to return to Nigeria for medical reasons, he began this work of supporting the missions through stamps. “Fr. Stamps” likes to be busy and loves to see parcels of stamps arriving in the post each day. So I hope you will continue to keep him busy – and in this way continue to help the missions!   If you can encourage others to join you in this good work it would be great!” The Kiltegan receive stamps at the following address: 

St. Patrick's Missionary Society, Kiltegan, Co. Wicklow .