Scottish Catholic Observer

Dublin archdiocesan social care agency will not have enough food to feed impoverished families this Christmas in spite of a 50 per cent increase in supplies from last year.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin (above) today warned that unless parishes provide ‘urgent help,’ hungry families could be turned away in the run up to Christmas.

The Crosscare agency in Dublin supplies food and toiletries for people in need, and to 10 other charities including St Vincent de Paul in Dublin and Wicklow. This year, Crosscare expects to have distributed 750 tonnes of food —which amounts to 50 per cent more food than last year.

The poor rarely clamour. They just try to survive.

Archbishop Martin announced at Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral this morning that demand for basic items has outstripped supply. Last week, only 40 parcels of food were provided in one community where 120 parcels were needed.

“None of us should be satisfied that we really see the poverty around us,” the archbishop said. “We can so easily get caught up in our own concerns, placing them first, that we do not notice that our sight has become blurred towards poverty and suffering.

“The poor rarely clamour. They just try to survive. When they cry out, the ears of the mainstream may well be too distracted to hear them.”

In response to this need, Archbishop Martin said he was asking all Dublin parishes to help collect food for the food bank over the four weeks of Advent. Parishioners will be able to bring food supplies to their local parish at weekend Mass times.

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