Andrew's $50 bill goes globe-trotting

Each year during Lent, parishioners of St. John Francis Regis in Grafton and Sacred Heart in Berlin place a "money globe" in their churches as a receptacle for coins donated by parishioners, especially the children. It's part of the annual Operation Rice Bowl Lenten collection sponsored by Catholic Relief Services.

"The money we collect is used to help the poor in the Appalachian Mountains," noted Sister Kenan McGowan, RSM, parish life director for the two parishes.

This year, she said, the money globe yielded a surprise.

"When we opened up the globe, we discovered a $50 bill in with the change," she said. The donor was Andrew Nicholas, a second-grader at St. Pius X School in Loudonville.

Andrew's mother told The Evangelist that he and his siblings had received money from their great-uncle for use over spring vacation. Before they left, Andrew attended Sunday Mass with his family, and afterward, he and his siblings put some money in the globe.

Usually, the Nicholas children donate their spare change by filling the cardboard rice bowl supplied by the church during Lent. Each Sunday, they add what they have collected to the globe in church.

But this time, said Mrs. Nicholas, "after Mass, Andrew took me aside and said he had something to tell me: that he had put the $50 into the globe. When I asked him why he did it, he replied it was because he wanted to be sure the children in Appalachia had enough food."

She didn't say anything to anyone at church, but Andrew's grandmother called the parish office to tell them about the donation.

"We were amazed," Sister Kenan said.

"I was happy and proud to do it," explained Andrew. "I use the money on my vacation, but I thought it would be of more use to the children. I gave the money because I thought it was nice. They don't have very much there and it's good to have things you like. It will buy lots of milk and food."

"We didn't know he was going to do it; he did it on his own. We're very proud of him," his mother noted.

(The total yield from the globe was $190, earmarked for Rev. Ralph Beiting in Louisa, Kentucky. According to Sister Kenan, the priest is "in his 80s and has worked in Appalachia for over 50 years. He plans on using every penny of the money on the poor and disadvantaged.")

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