Those who regularly attend Sunday Masses at St. Joseph’s Church, Garden Road, Central, may have experienced being approached by a group of ladies roaming around the church to sell copies of the Sunday Examiner.
These ladies are the members of a group formed by Father Joseph Tan Lei Tao, parish priest, called St. Joseph Storekeeper and headed by Jean Villanueva. They are ten members in the group. Every Sunday, they will carry copies of the Sunday Examiner and walk around to sell the papers to the churchgoers and members of the other groups.
When they see people, they do not hesitate to approach them. Sometimes Villanueva would also request members from other groups to help sell the papers.
Villanueva said it is never difficult to sell the paper. She feels happy selling the paper because it has many lessons to learn from it. She also shared that some readers could relate to the articles written.
On rare occasions, however, she may also encounter persons who turn her down. “If the person does not want to buy, then I approach others until somebody buys,” she shared. She added with humour that there were some who “feels heavy to pull out their three dollars”. She would convince that person by telling them that the three dollars could still help the diocese.
“In selling newspapers or the religious items displayed, it is vital to be cordial and wear a smile. Secondly, use persuasive techniques in inviting them to buy. Share what they can receive when they read the papers. Reading the Sunday Examiner is informative about our faith and what is happening in different parts of the world. Reading the interviews also makes us feel that we are not the only ones facing problems, and we can learn from the replies of the interviewees. Most of the time, the newspapers are all sold out,” she shared.
Villanueva, who came from Laguna, Philippines, has been selling the paper for 17 years since joining the parish. She is also a member of the Filipino Catholic Group. SE
