Press Release December 26th 2013
Before you start looking for the gift receipts to exchange unwanted presents from yesterday, why not put them to really good use, by supporting one of Dublin’s busiest charities?
Staff at St. Mary’s Pro Cathedral in Dublin are urging people not to exchange unwanted Christmas gifts this week – but to donate them to Crosscare who will give them to those most in need, young people living on the margins and the homeless.
Yesterday, hundreds of people without families or friends to spend Christmas with received gifts from Crosscare staff that were unwanted in 2012. Any surplus gifts, that were not needed for people in need, were sold during the year in Crosscare’s, Blanchardstown service, and the money raised given back to the homeless services for essential supplies.
Fr. Damien O Reilly, administrator in the Pro Cathedral, said they were delighted to be able to facilitate this incredible appeal which every year resulted in those most in need receiving some Christmas cheer – “This simple scheme allows Crosscare to give a gift to someone in their services who would not normally receive one, he said, “it is also a reminder to us all of how we can get needlessly caught up in wasteful commercialism at this time of year.” He stressed how Pope Francis has consistently preached about the need to control waste in our world – using gifts you don’t need to give to those who have little, is one small gesture of sharing that can help.
Fr. O Reilly said, that Dublin parishioners had already been extraordinarily generous to Crosscare this month with 70 tons of food collected for the Diocesan Food Appeal.
The unwanted gifts appeal will make sure that as well as the essentials, people who are struggling with life, will get a small token of cheer each Christmas. Unwanted presents can be brought to the crib in the Cathedral until January 6th
More information: Fr. Damian O’ Reilly, Administrator, Pro Cathedral 086 2588081
