10.02.2013
Black Santa Funds Handed Out at St Ann’s
Representatives of 16 charities joined parishioners of St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street, on Sunday February 10 when the funds raised during the 2012 Black Santa Sit Out were distributed. Over €30,000 was handed out to the charities – the largest number of organisations ever assisted by the Dublin appeal.
Also in the congregation was Cllr Ciaran Lynch representing the Lord Mayor of Dublin and Bishop Patrick Rooke. Children from the Kildare Place School read a lesson, The school, along with the Seafield Singers, was among many choirs who joined clergy outside the church in the nine days before Christmas.
The sermon was preached by the Dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin, the Very Revd Victor Stacey, who drew inspiration from 2 Corinthians 9 which speaks of charity and generosity.
The Dean said that the Black Santa Appeal was wholly appropriate in many ways and added that to have collected €30,000 was a great achievement. To the parishioners he said: “You in St Ann’s have provided the opportunity to others to be generous. You have provided them with the opportunity to help so of those who really need help. You do not ask for recognition or thanks because you know you are only a channel for this giving to take place. And yet this morning we salute you and thank you for enabling this to be done for those in great need.”
The Vicar of St Ann’s, the Revd David Gillespie thanked everyone for coming to the service and welcomed in particular the charities supported by Black Santa. He thanked the Revd Martin O’Connor, curate at St Ann’s, and all who helped with collecting and counting money and in catering for those involved.
On behalf of the charities, Robin George of Protestant Aid, thanked the organisers of the sit out. “From those of us at the coalface, thank you so much. There is a lot of hard work that goes into generating €30,000 and that’s not easy to do these days but we appreciate it,” he said.
The charities who received funds were Bishops’ Appeal, Barnardos, Bridge Café Bray, Discovery, Laura Lynn Foundation, Merchants Quay Project, Pact, Protestant Aid, Salvation Army, Simon Community, Sharing Point, Samaritans, Trust, the Solas Project, Tirzah and St Vincent de Paul.