18.12.2012
Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Archbishops to Collect for Black Santa
The Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Archbishops of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson and the Most Revd Dr Diarmuid Martin will join forces this Thursday, December 20, to help raise funds for charity. Both Archbishops will be supporting the annual Black Santa Sit Out by taking up the collection buckets outside St Ann’s Church on Dawson Street.
The 2012 Black Santa sit out at St Ann’s Church was launched on Monday December 17 by the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Naoise Ó Muirí. It will continue right up until Christmas Eve. The Vicar of St Ann’s, the Revd David Gillespie and curate the Revd Martin O’Connor, joined by clerical colleagues from around the diocese, stand outside the Dawson Street Church from 10am until 6pm each day collecting money for a number of charities. They are joined by different choirs each lunchtime. This Thursday it will be the turn of the Catholic University School from Leeson Street to provide the festive accompaniment.
The Black Santa sit out is modeled on a similar appeal which has been run by successive Deans of St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast for many years. It became known as the Black Santa appeal because of the long heavy black cloaks worn by the clergy to keep out the cold.
The money collected this year will be distributed to St Vincent de Paul, the Salvation Army, the Simon Community, Protestant Aid, Trust and the Church of Ireland Overseas Aid. Last year, despite the difficult economic conditions, the Black Santa Appeal raised a record–breaking €30,000.
Archbishop Jackson and Archbishop Martin will be outside St Ann’s at 2.30 pm this Thursday.