St Vincent de Paul Annual Christmas Appeal

On Sunday 1^st December we will begin the Season of Advent, the start of the Church’s year and the beginning of our preparations for Christmas in both a spiritual and a temporal way.  At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Christ our Saviour and with that moment, the birth of the hope we all hold so dear – the hope of love, goodness and life in this world and the next.  Christmas is the great season of hope for us all and so often it’s a hope that’s found in the simplest of things – friendship, kindness and the happiness others bring to our days.  And as Christians blessed so many times with those gifts, we’re asked to share our blessings with others and give a little hope where we can too – and what better time to do it than at Christmas.  To help in that work the St Vincent de Paul Annual Christmas Appeal begins on the weekend of 1^st December with a special collection and an invitation to all Parishioners to make a difference to the lives of those struggling in our community.  Amid the joy of Christmas days, we all know that not far from any of our doors live people who struggle to enjoy even the basics of life – heat, food or any tiny comfort.  It’s not really for any of us to ask why but rather to maybe be charitable in our thoughts and ask can we help them – even just for a day?  Every donation given to the St Vincent de Paul stays within the confines of our own Parish and helps our own people to have a Christmas or at least a day with a little less worry.  No matter how much or how little anyone gives, it is a huge donation in someone’s eyes because it means a family might just have a Christmas dinner and a fire to enjoy, a child might have a gift to open and a smile in their house because of your kindness.  We all know the cost of everything seems to have soared and times are tight for everybody, and yet time and again you, the people of this Parish, have changed so many lives by your quiet kindness that gives dignity and hope in the right way and that asks nothing back in return other than a happier day for other people.  If you can do anything to help once more this Christmas – thank you.  If what you do means a happy Christmas for someone else, then may your reward be the true happiness of Christmas – that feeling of love that is shared with the world and that let’s you feel the happiness of having changed a life and brought a new smile alive.

With best wishes and sincerest thanks – Fr O’Neill