Bishop Denis Nulty, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, is calling on people across the diocese to ‘Share with the hungry’ as they make their preparations for Christmas and do their Christmas shopping this year. Bishop Nulty was speaking as he launched the annual Reach Out campaign that takes place in parishes across the diocese on the weekend of 14 and 15 December.
For the past 15 years, on the Third Sunday of Advent parishioners are invited to take home from church, for themselves and for someone not at Mass, a Christmas card with a greeting from the bishop and a gift from the parish. The gift this year is a trolley coin key ring with the message ‘Share with the hungry’.
Commenting on the gift, Bishop Nulty said, “While in other years we have shared a Christian image for the home, for example the very popular gift of the icon of the Holy Family, this year’s Reach Out gift shares a very important Christian message. People are very generous, and I want to encourage that generosity even more in the coming days. In particular, I want to highlight the work of St Vincent de Paul and ask people, as they do their Christmas shopping, to remember and support the St Vincent de Paul annual appeal.
“Of course, as people use their trolley coin key ring throughout the year, I’m hoping the message ‘Share with the hungry’ will encourage people to continue to support those who work with the hungry in our communities. As well as Saint Vincent de Paul, I’m thinking of groups in our own diocese like St Clare’s Hospitality Graiguecullen, Share Food Appeal in Newbridge and Portlaoise Action Towards the Homeless, who do tremendous work week in and week out, meeting people with compassion, care and respect.”
Bishop Nulty went on to send his warm Christmas greetings to all across the diocese with a special word to those who may be feeling lonely at this time, saying that he hoped that all will experience the peace, hope, joy, warmth and love that is at the heart of Christmas.
For more see www.kandle.ie.
ENDS
