Maz Millions 6/37 max |07 January 2023
St Joseph Parish Church wins R3 million star prize
• ‘Anonymous person bought the ticket,’ confirms Father Collin Underwood
By Vidya Gappy
What a surprise it was for Father Collin Underwood when he received a call from Marie-France McGregor, co-owner of Maz Millions, announcing him that the St Joseph Parish Church at Anse Royale has won the star prize of R3 million in its end of year lottery draw.
A cheque for that amount was presented to Father Underwood and Dinaz van der Lans, members of the Economic Council of the St Joseph Parish Church, by the two co-owners of Maz Millions, Marie-France McGregor and Allen Laporte, in a brief ceremony yesterday at the Maz Millions headquarters at the Quadrant building.
“Since the beginning of the year the co-owners of Maz Millions were looking for me, then finally they came to meet me at Anse Royale to share the good news. The only information they had was the phone number of St Joseph Parish Church Anse Royale. This was unexpected and recently I got appointed for new services and I will have a good start,” Father Underwood said.
Father Underwood confirmed that the St Joseph Parish Church Anse Royale did not buy the ticket and they learned through the Maz Millions team that the person who did so wants to stay anonymous.
“The Church already spent quite a lot on the ongoing renovation and we spent all our cash and we started to write to sponsors to get some funds to complete the renovation but now we will be able to change the benches, fix the roof and also help the community,” Father Underwood said.
On behalf of the St Joseph Parish Church Anse Royale, Father Underwood thanked the generous person who always thinks of the Church and said he will be praying for the person.
“The draw took place on December 31, 2022 and coincidentally Pope Benedict XV1, whose real name was Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, also left us that day. The Church’s name is also St Joseph. I hope the person who thought of us receives grace upon grace,” shared Father Underwood.
Mrs McGregor shared that the person who bought the winning ticket also bought tickets for five other churches (La Digue Church, Baie Ste Anne Church, Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Ste Antoine and Sacré Coeur de Jesus) and two associations. She buys the tickets every month since Maz Millions started.
Vidya Gappy
Photos Joena Meme