You did this in 2015

535

This year you made connections with new people. In the first half of the year you connected with 1226 pupils at Chibwata Primary School, Dowa, Central Malawi, who eat in a school kitchen you paid Mary’s Meals to build. This is it:
Chibwata sign 400

Chibwata internal 400

Two months ago you connected with the 1292 pupils at Kholoni Primary School, Mchinji, Central Malawi, who also eat at a school kitchen you paid Mary’s Meals to build. Here it is:
Kholoni internal kids 400
Kholoni internal cooking 400
Kholoni sign 400

There is now around 4000 kids attending schools in Malawi with kitchens you paid for. Not only are they being fed, they are being educated in greater numbers than ever – enrolment is up around 30% after the kitchens go up. This gives them better life chances. Some will graduate from subsistence living to a life with opportunities.

Villages with better education facilities become more productive and wealthier, as do districts and countries. Across Mary’s Meals 1m plus daily meals, this will provide a significant lift to the drive away from absolute poverty for decades to come.

These are big numbers but the detail is always more revealing. Magners offer us a pair of premium seat tickets for most home games. When we run these competitions dozens of you click to donate to Mary’s Meals, putting food in the larders of school kitchens.

Then there are the regular donations to the Celtic FC Foundation. Celtic work with those who have fallen through the cracks in the UK, Ireland and the developing world. They feed the homeless in Glasgow, make facilities available to kids with autism, and generally go around like a green and white caped crusader. You have always responded to the call.

I get to see lots of this in action, there are small causes too numerous to mention, helped more often than not from people who don’t want you to know what they’ve done. There have been 100 stories in 2015 which will never be written, but will live as private anecdotes, or as kitchens in Africa, or winter clothing for refugees in Serbia.  Celtic fans have been doing this for 128 years, each act is a commemoration of what started it all back in 1887.

I’ve met hundreds of CQN’ers but yet to meet one I didn’t like. Even the raging lunatics online (you know who you are!) are actually very decent people when you get them away from the keyboard. On behalf of the thousands you’ve helped this year, thank you very much.  I’m sure Brother Walfrid would be very proud of you.

Have a great Christmas, you deserve it.

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  1. Undoubtably my favourite article of the year.

     

     

    Paul, may I suggest you considering writing a book about the aforementioned acts of selflessness that abound in our Celtic and CQN world? On second thoughts, those that give of their time and resources to others are not of the sort who like their names in the limelight. Maybe just a more specific overview of scale and depth of the organizations and their work?

     

     

    Ha! Melbourne Mick gives his podium lurking activities by taunting others. I forthwith demand a SFA committee enquiry into his skulduggery.

     

     

    Tontine Tim- Enjoyed your contribution today, please post the like more often.

     

     

    Hot and humid here today in southern Florida. Eating, drinking and counting my blessings all on the agenda, followed by midnight Mass in Spanish by Padre Vargas-Diego at a local Chapel attended by mostly Puerto Ricans, Dominican Islanders and Cubans.

     

     

    Have a great day in celebration wherever you are.

  2. Awe_Naw_No_Annoni_Oan_Anaw_Noo on

    I do not consider myself to be a raging lunatic justt a lunatic.

     

     

    Well done to everyone especially my wee brar. The patience of a Saint.

     

     

    HH

  3. Let the door be open wide

     

    And no blind be down at all,for maybe she’d be walking

     

    With the child within her shawl.

     

     

    And how could we be bearing

     

    The weight of shame and sin,If she’d pass upon the roadway

     

    With no light to guide her in?

     

     

    Let the chair be readied now,and the fire kept burning bright

     

    For sorely she’ll be needing

     

    The rest and warmth this night.

     

     

    The rushes too be spreading upon the earthen floor

     

    To make it sweet and wholesome

     

    Her blessed feet before.

     

     

    Full oft I’ve heard the story how once this night were known

     

    To rest within a shieling

     

    Three strangers meek and lone

     

     

    But dawn did yield no tiding sof man, or maid, or child

     

    T’was Joseph’s self was in it

     

    And Christ, and Mary mild.

     

     

     

    So set the candles burning upon each window high

     

    And leave the door wide open

     

    To guide their footsteps nigh.

     

     

     

    Right warmly they’ll be welcome to share our hearth-fire bright

     

    For Mary’s sake in heaven

     

    Who walk the wilds this night.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Have a merry christmas Paul67 and all who contribute on CQN.

  4. Sevco Sports News reporting that new Huns have repaid the £5m to Mike Ashley. Might a Scottish judge have something to say about that?

     

     

    Rhetoricalquestioncsc

  5. Tontine Tim – great post; we could do with a few more ‘supporters through and through’ and a wee bit of perspective helps. Thanks for adding yours.

  6. TBJ says Wee Oscar Knox is in heaven with the angels on 24th December 2015 2:33 pm

     

    Your Faith and that of others will ensure he returns to Bride’s, I know my own Brother of the Parish will welcome him home, like you and the other Parishioners.

     

    Keep the Faith!

     

    Hail Hail!

  7. Bishops have no option but to remove priest with immediate effect whenever an allegation is made. It’s part of Safeguarding procedures. Current bishops are paying for previous failings within the Catholic Church

  8. Happy Christmas to Paul and all on CQN – all Celtic supporters world wide, and everybody really.

     

     

    Heartwarming article today – made feel feel good to be part of the Celtic family.

     

     

    Form may come and go, but class is eternal – we have always had class and always will – Hail Hail.

  9. Fred Quimby thanks for that one quick question ,is there a poster on CQN who has met you?, if so who ? Thanks in anticipation. H HY Hebcelt

  10. Just popped on to say Happy Christmas to all at CQN,particularly Paul 67 who has provided us with an outlet for both suggestion and frustration.

     

     

    Hail Hail.

  11. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    FRED QUIMBY

     

     

    Enjoy yourself,have a grand Christmas.

     

     

    You and yours.

     

     

    I would be delighted if you attempted to engage your fellow fans rather than alienate them so here’s my wish for Christmas

     

     

    Play nice. There’s a good chap.

     

     

    HH

  12. BOBBY MURDOCH'S CURLED-UP WINKLEPICKERS on

    HEBCELT

     

     

    I doubt he has met many nor declared himself.

     

     

    And that’s a shame.

     

     

    A man with the courage of his convictions,declared here frequently,should feel content to be in our company.

     

     

    I think we have let him down and should hang our heads in shame.

  13. BMCUW I reckon you are right but there is one way he could prove us wrong – won’t hold my breath. have a great Festive Season. h h hEBCELT

  14. Paul thanks for that wonderful article. It was posted just after I asked for peace on here for the festive season. While I meant what I wrote nevertheless your article makes me as ever very proud to be part of this great family that is Celtic. We have had heroes on the field since 1888, but we have also had great men and women supporters in that time who have lived the dream of those around the table at St Mary’s…to feed the poor. Long may we keep that vision before us and act on it.

     

     

    Thanks, Paul for all you do for the bloc and for so much that keeps the mission alive.Happy Christmas, Paul to you and your family.

  15. prestonpans bhoys on

    Odd statement from the deadly bears:

     

     

    WE are pleased to announce that payment has today been sent to Sportsdirect.com Retail Limited of the full amount of the loan facilities provided by that company to The Rangers Football Club Limited.

     

     

    Not sure what “the full amount of the loan facilities” actually means !?! 5M or 5M plus interest or just another lie :-)

  16. Tontine Tim,

     

     

    Enjoyed your contributions this afternoon. Can’t remember either of those Hearts’ games, sad to say. I did resonate with you being carried along the Gallowgate in your Dad’s arms and into the Jungle. My earliest memory of being in Celtic Park is of being lifted from the shoulders of my Dad to Uncle to Uncle in the Jungle looking in desperation for a “wee barra”. All I could see were giants in the Hoops.

  17. Great news about Fr Morton, he conducted funeral mass for both Mrs Bada’s grandparents, a lovely man.

  18. BURGAS HOOPS on 24TH DECEMBER 2015 3:35 PM

     

     

    !!Bada Bing!!

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    -))) Scorcher here the day 26/27

     

     

     

    Ya rascal ye…..enjoy HH

  19. Paul

     

    Delighted to see the fruits of so many endeavours from great folk on here and beyond

     

    well done to you and all behind the scenes at CQN

     

    Merry Christmas to all

     

     

    Starry plough -well done in the podiums !! I could never see me living in Switzerland -there again I suppose the national flag is a big plus ! :))

     

     

    Neganon-I think your account has been hacked !!! :)

  20. DD-it means I’ll need a lift to the pub….:) hope you and yours have a great time

     

    You too Johann M HH

  21. Tontine Tim on 24th December 2015 12:53 pm

     

     

    There was no way that Symon could survive a 1967 treble of Berwick Rangers, Lisbon, and the week he was mutualled, Celtic playing for the World Club Championship.

     

     

    The rot started in that year, and has steadily eaten away at THEM ever since.

  22. Joe Filippis Haircut on

    The Rangers will spend 10 million over the festive season 5 million will be repaid to Sports Direct and 5 million on incoming transfers from there war chest. Also please note this Christmas due to Santa putting on weight he will be unable to come down your chimney and asks that you leave your front door unlocked so he can drop of your presents.H.H.

  23. Another great year Paul67. Congratulations to yourself and everyone in here who made it possible.

     

     

    Merry Christmas to all CQNers. their families, and Celtic Supporters everywhere.

     

     

    Hail Hail

     

     

    ps To anyone feeling down about the team, watch the Celtic Hearts video from 1966 that someone posted earlier. It will remind you why we are here.

  24. My friends in Celtic,

     

     

    A very happy and peaceful Christmas to all who read CQN. No matter who or what you are..

     

     

    A special mention to anybody reading this who will be on their own for whatever reason.

     

     

    Hail, Hail with best wishes to everybody.

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