The parish had used a laptop, which was stolen during a break-in at the Wodonga church last weekend, to control a program helping about 150 vulnerable families.

Church members this week have been writing accounts in notebooks to keep the program running.

Parish administrator Rosemary Currie said the kind donation would ensure the church could keep the books up to date.

“If we had to keep fund- raising, it would have put us a long way behind,” she said.

“At this time of year, we have to do six monthly reports on the computer and we wouldn’t have been able to access information easily at all.

“One offer was from Wodonga TAFE. Trinity College also asked whether it could help and a couple of other people thought we could used their desktops.

“But with the new one, we will be back on track within a week.”

An unknown donor had also provided $200 to repair a window was broken during the robbery.

Father Glyn Rees said the parish had been overwhelmed by the response to an article in The Border Mail on Wednesday.

“We had 17 or 18 responses that included individuals and community organisations and now we have received a brand new laptop,” Father Rees said.

“We were thinking we would be lucky if anybody came forward.

“To have all these people come forward is just wonderful.

“The person who donated it believes in the work we all to do in the community.

“To have this done so quickly, it’s just terrific.”

The church thought it would have to told raffles for the next few months to raise enough money for a replacement computer.

But Father Rees said the donor had told him to choose any laptop and he wanted and it would be paid for.

Father Rees said he is grateful to all those who responded.

“On behalf of church, thank you,” he said.