Diocesan News
Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic Archbishops of Dublin to collect at Black Santa Appeal
Archbishop Michael Jackson and Archbishop Diarmuid Martin will join forces this Thursday, December 22, to help raise funds for charity. Both Archbishops will be collecting outside St Ann’s Church on Dawson Street, Dublin, as part of the annual Black Santa Appeal.
Rev’d David Gillespie (St Ann’s) and Rev’d Victor Fitzpatrick (Castleknock & formerly St Ann’s) do their turn as the ‘Black Santa’ outside St Ann’s Church, Dawson Street. (photograph Scott Hayes)
The 2011 Black Santa sit out at St Ann’s Church got underway last Friday, December 16. It will continue right up until Christmas Eve. The Vicar of St Ann’s, Revd David Gillespie and Revd Martin O’Connor are being joined by clerical colleagues from around the diocese to collect outside the Dawson Street Church from 11am until 6pm each day. Different choirs sing each lunchtime and on Christmas Eve the Steadfast Band will join members of the St Ann’s parish choir.
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 ward off 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.
Archbishop Jackson and Archbishop Martin will be outside St Ann’s from 2.15 pm until 2.45 pm this Thursday.
Diocesan Communications Officer, Dublin & Glendalough
087 2356472
Contact Details
Lynn Glanville
[email protected]