Dear Friends,
I’m writing to you today about my personal hero ‒ Schema-Archimandrite Nektariy from Mexico City.
And I so hope you can help!
As a generous supporter of the Fund for Assistance to ROCOR, over the years you’ve often heard about Fr. Nektariy. Although a small quiet man in his 60s, he is a giant of Christian love and faith.
As you know, the Holy Trinity Monastery in Mexico City – where Fr. Nektariy is abbot – has been fighting to remain afloat for years, and several times we have appealed to your kind generosity on their behalf. All the while, the brethren have become a true blessing to their local community.
When writing about how valuable Fr. Nektariy is to the community in Mexico City, it’s hard to know where to start…
More recently, Father has been helping:
- destitute immigrant families from Russia and Ukraine
- victims of domestic violence
- counselling and treating the sick within the community
And so much more that this letter wouldn’t be enough to list everything he does!
In the time that the mission was established in 2007, hundreds of people have come here for help. The parish has grown so much that it’s impossible to fit everyone in the small church. But even though more and more people come, most of them are recent immigrants and can’t support their church to the point of making it self-sustainable.
Fr. Nektariy needs your help, because the job of paying the ever-increasing rent lies on his shoulders…
The monastery’s resources are tiny. Even though all the brethren are highly educated, it’s nearly impossible to find a high-paying, stable job in Mexico.
So Fr. Nektariy works three (THREE!!!) part-time jobs at all hours ‒ just to make enough money for rent.
Since the economy is very unstable, prices often rise. So Father never knows if, this month, the sum he brings home will truly be enough. This adds enormous stress to his already stressful life.
But I know that God and you will not fail him. Will you help Fr. Nektariy? Won’t you – please – send $10, $20, or even a very generous $50 today, so that Fr. Nektariy can pay the monastery’s rent?
On top of his three secular jobs, Fr. Nektariy has to do all his priestly and monastic duties: counseling, confessing, visiting the sick, answering calls, e-mails, and texts… His massive workload doubled after Russian and Ukrainian immigrants started arriving in 2022…
Because the word on the streets of Mexico City is: if you’re in trouble, ask Fr. Nektariy for help. And everybody seems to come to him.
The problem
Fr. Nektariy is slowly dying from the enormous burden of providing for the monastery and helping his parishioners. He is the one who takes care of it all. I cannot imagine how much pressure he feels, and how alone he must feel under the weight of this responsibility.
Over the years, the abbot’s health has severely deteriorated. He’s had several operations. Yet, while he takes care of so many, he has no time to spare on self-care.
Won’t you – please – support Fr. Nektariy by sending a donation right now? When you do, you will be easing his heavy burden by helping him pay rent.
The truth is, Fr. Nektariy would carry on working no matter – even with zero support. He is 100% invested in the mission, his parishioners, and all who ask him for help. He will continue – in his own words – to “fight for his parishioners no matter what…” even if he has to give up his own life in the process.
The trouble is, Fr. Nektariy cannot do this alone anymore. In a private conversation he shared he doesn’t know how he will go on.
And this is why I’m writing this letter to you. To ask you: will you join me in standing with Fr. Nektariy? All he needs is a small donation.
Won’t you, please, send $10, $20, or even a very generous $50 today, so that Fr. Nektariy can pay the monastery rent? When you send a gift for Fr. Nektariy, it will be as if you have physically lifted a millstone off his shoulders. Your gift will mean real and essential help.
To help lift the burden of Fr. Nektariy’s life, you won’t need to take distressed mid-night phone calls, organize a place to stay the night for the homeless and forgotten, find food and medicine for the sick and destitute, face violent husbands whose wife you’ve helped escape his fury…
Fr. Nektariy will do this himself.
All he needs from kind people like you and me is a few bucks. So that he and the brethren can continue serving at the monastery… So he doesn’t take on more and more responsibilities until he’s crushed underneath this intolerable burden… So that he can pay rent and not worry about eviction.
Won’t you help Fr. Netkariy today by sending a donation?
If you can’t spare a monetary gift today, please say a prayer for Fr. Nektariy. Prayers are as much needed as donations, and your heartfelt prayer is powerful, because…
This really is a case of life or death: both for Fr. Nektariy and for the ROCOR mission in Mexico.
You have the power to change that. So – if you can – please send a gift either in the enclosed envelope or by scanning the QR code on the last page of this letter with your phone.
I’m hoping to collect $35,000 by September 1. It sounds like a very large sum, but we have done it in the past, and I know we can again.
There is hope. And Fr. Nektariy’s hope is you. Please, will you help him?
With love in Christ,
Mark Selawry
FFA President
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