Irish Catholics declare day of fasting for tsunami victims
-07/01/05
The Catholic Churc
Irish Catholics declare day of fasting for tsunami victims
-07/01/05
The Catholic Church in Ireland has declared a day of fasting and solidarity with the people of south-east Asia, following the Boxing Day tsunami
All-Ireland Primate Archbishop Sean Brady said the “faithful” should fast and reflect on the tragedy.
A special collection will also be taking place at Masses across Ireland on Sunday.
Dr Brady, who is Archbishop of Armagh, said: “Irish people instinctively empathise with, and offer practical support for, people made vulnerable by disaster.
“We are therefore calling on the faithful to observe this Friday as a day of solidarity with the victims.”
Meanwhile, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, Rev Ken Newell, is expected to meet Sri Lankan refugee Somasumdram Magarasa who has lost more than 30 friends in the South Asian tidal wave.
He will also meet volunteers at Tearfund in Belfast who have been raising support for the disaster in Northern Ireland.
Belfast has already been commended for its generosity in giving to the Tsunami appeal.
This week the Dean of Belfast Cathedral, Very Rev Houston McKelvey presented a cheque for £500,000 to Margaret Boden, General Secretary of Christian Aid Ireland for Christian Aidís Asia disaster appeal.
Traditionally the Dean and his staff hold a ‘sit out’ for local charities outside the Cathedral in the week before Christmas. Usually, someone dresses in black cape and hat and is known as the ëBlack Santaí. Christian Aid has always received a percentage of his collections, often in the region of £25,000.
However, following the tsunami on Boxing Day 2004, Dean McKelvey extended his ësit outí into the New Year and committed all the £500,000 raised to Christian Aidís work in the affected region.
Queues of people lined up outside the Cathedral to donate, and volunteers went from pub to pub on the Ormeau Road ñ to collect more money for the Deanís appeal. He plans to be there with his team of clergy until this coming weekend.
The charity Concern is opening a temporary office in Londonderry on Friday so people can give money to the tsunami appeal.
Alison Smith from Concern said the appeal centre at Shipquay Street in the former Invest NI offices would be open every day this coming week except Sunday.
Irish Catholics declare day of fasting for tsunami victims
-07/01/05
The Catholic Church in Ireland has declared a day of fasting and solidarity with the people of south-east Asia, following the Boxing Day tsunami
All-Ireland Primate Archbishop Sean Brady said the “faithful” should fast and reflect on the tragedy.
A special collection will also be taking place at Masses across Ireland on Sunday.
Dr Brady, who is Archbishop of Armagh, said: “Irish people instinctively empathise with, and offer practical support for, people made vulnerable by disaster.
“We are therefore calling on the faithful to observe this Friday as a day of solidarity with the victims.”
Meanwhile, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church, Rev Ken Newell, is expected to meet Sri Lankan refugee Somasumdram Magarasa who has lost more than 30 friends in the South Asian tidal wave.
He will also meet volunteers at Tearfund in Belfast who have been raising support for the disaster in Northern Ireland.
Belfast has already been commended for its generosity in giving to the Tsunami appeal.
This week the Dean of Belfast Cathedral, Very Rev Houston McKelvey presented a cheque for £500,000 to Margaret Boden, General Secretary of Christian Aid Ireland for Christian Aidís Asia disaster appeal.
Traditionally the Dean and his staff hold a ‘sit out’ for local charities outside the Cathedral in the week before Christmas. Usually, someone dresses in black cape and hat and is known as the ëBlack Santaí. Christian Aid has always received a percentage of his collections, often in the region of £25,000.
However, following the tsunami on Boxing Day 2004, Dean McKelvey extended his ësit outí into the New Year and committed all the £500,000 raised to Christian Aidís work in the affected region.
Queues of people lined up outside the Cathedral to donate, and volunteers went from pub to pub on the Ormeau Road ñ to collect more money for the Deanís appeal. He plans to be there with his team of clergy until this coming weekend.
The charity Concern is opening a temporary office in Londonderry on Friday so people can give money to the tsunami appeal.
Alison Smith from Concern said the appeal centre at Shipquay Street in the former Invest NI offices would be open every day this coming week except Sunday.