For the past five years the people of Thimmaraopet, India, have needed safe drinking water. The small, rural village is home to an estimated 500 families. It is a faith-filled and strong Catholic community, said Father T. Joseph Pradeep Reddy, pastor of St. Peter’s Chair Catholic Church in Thimmaraopet.

The village built a water tower about 50 years ago, but as the population grew it did not have sufficient capacity to meet daily needs for safe drinking water. A new water tower project was introduced, but a lack of funds brought the project to a halt.

The pleas for help reached Father J.P. Narichetti, who is serving at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church on Folly Beach until next month. Coordinating with the Office of the Propagation of the Faith, Father Narichetti was invited to speak to parishioners of St. Michael Church in Garden City and St. Benedict Church in Mount Pleasant.

Thanks to the generosity of the people of these parishes, sufficient funds were received to allow the repairs of the water tower and the installation of a new electric pump to send water from the well to the water tower. The village was also able to repair their distribution water lines and install new taps where needed.

“Once again the people of South Carolina came through with a true mission spirit and have significantly improved the lives of the villagers,” said Msgr. Edward D. Lofton, director of the Propagation of the Faith for the Diocese of Charleston.