DESCRIPTION:
THIS SONG WAS DEDICATED TO FATHER MACINNES BY BLAIR DOUGLAS.

In 1984 Father Colin MacInnes left his Scottish Western Isle home on South Uist and embarked on a journey which would radically change his life and priesthood and would impact just as dramatically on the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Quito, Ecuador. 'Maighstir Cailean'profiles Father Colin and his achievements in Quito as he approaches another significant milestone in his life. In 2005 he left the Comitè del Pueblo, (the former Communist-run township), transformed . A portable water and sewage system was constructed, electricity was extended to the whole town, the streets were paved, five medical centres and a hospital were put into operation, a strong Credit Union, similar to a small bank was consolidated, two more churches with catechetical and community centres were built and the town moved from being a despairing, conflict ridden shanty barrio to being a dynamic and progressive town, ever expanding and with a population of 100,000. As well as catering for his parishioners' spiritual needs, Father Colin immediately took responsibility for the material welfare of his people. Ignoring threats of violence and his own personal safety, he defied the Communist rulers and stood against the injustice and inequality they represented in his parish. The programme reflects on the transformation of the Comitè del Pueblo and its people over a period of twenty years and highlights the incredible fund-raising campaigns led by Father Colin resulting in the millions of pounds, including contributions from the Western Isles and Scotland, that have enabled him to accomplish his aims. The programme profiles the life of a priest and community in which people continue to live out their lives in abject poverty. 'Maighstir Cailean illustrates everyday life for a priest of the Comitè - addressing hundreds of worshippers at daily services, directing educational and financial projects, inspiring religious devotion among its youth, giving hope to families and encouraging young and old to change their lives for the better. Father Colin's achievements against overwhelming odds are confirmed by the views of his own parishioners and also by representatives of the much wider world of Ecuador's capital city. In the knowledge that he has decided to leave Quito, these people will also reflect on a Comitè del Pueblo without its Scottish padre.