"Our charity provided the only human contact that clients experienced during the pandemic as they were required to self-isolate or cocoon. The grant has been invaluable," says Ruth Harkness of The Little Flower Penny Dinners.

Charities provide approximately one-quarter of acute hospital services and approximately two-thirds of services to people with disabilities, so they are an integral part of the overall system.

“Participants will have to think about and calculate every item they consume. However, this is the reality of hundreds of thousands of people in Ireland every day,” says SVP national president Kieran Stafford.

“I see this conference as an endorsement of the key role the elderly play in our Church and in society today. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI recognised that critical role when he wrote a special Prayer for Grandparents in 2008” - Bishop Denis Nulty.

"In our experience, the biggest driver of poverty in recent years is housing costs," says SVP president Kieran Stafford, calling on voters to exercise their electoral power to make politicans reduce the misery of poverty in Ireland today.

"Expressions of solidarity are important, but they are not enough," says Archbishop of Brisbane in the face of unprecedented disaster.

The annual fast began twenty-eight years ago and has since raised an estimated €750,000 for worthy causes.

“Christians are called to make the connection between faith and earth, between theology and ecology, constructing common cause with those who challenge confinement and usher in freedom. This is where we will find Jesus Christ today” – Archbishop Michael Jackson.

This weekend, the third Sunday of Advent, the faithful in Kildare & Leighlin are invited to take home from church a Christmas card with a greeting from Bishop Denis Nuty and a trolley coin keyring with the message ‘Share with the hungry’.

“Like a Christmas Angel, your gift of hope could bring little miracles to those who need it most this winter,” says SVP national president Kieran Stafford.

Although many of Ireland’s homeless have phones, few can afford data all the time.

“These costs contribute to financial stress and worry in low income households and can cause a negative and stressed attitude towards education.”

Reading from a young age provides many benefits including greater development of a child’s imagination, concentration levels, linguistic ability and self-confidence.

“Even though times have changed fundamentally since then, the core need still continues to be much the same.”

The Christmas experience may have evolved, but the nativity remains at the centre of what Christmas is all about – IFA.

“The effects of poverty don’t stop just because it’s Christmas – they endure throughout the year.” 

If you are not used to open water swimming at this time of year, you should enter the water gradually rather than jumping or diving straight in

“Irish society cannot and must not accept that living in, or on the verge of, poverty is normal - SVP

Profit generated by the shops is recycled into local SVP Conferences and contribute to the approximately €35m annually provided in direct assistance by SVP to those in need. Local SVP Conferences often give people Vincent’s Gift Tokens for clothing and furniture to be used in any of the Vincent's shops

“My sense of young people is they are willing to listen if you have something to say. They give you a listening ear, you don’t get dismissed when you are talking about social justice and fairness and goodness. .."

Liam Casey, President of the SVP East Region, described the donation as “an imaginative yet practical way to help many families in need.”

“The Crib reminds us of the simplicity of the Christmas message and represents a small piece of the countryside in the heart of Dublin’s vibrant bustling streets” – Brendan Carr, Lord Mayor of Dublin.

The high cost of rent is a factor preventing many households from being able to afford a minimum essential standard of living

“Young people should be given the opportunity to be Christ’s joy in the world, in their schools, parish communities or in their wider community.”

“There is a whole world out there and I think it is very important that we don’t become holy huddles with our own people and our own groups."

Bishop Denis Brennan of Ferns issues pastoral letter for Year of Mercy which will be distributed in parishes across the diocese this coming weekend.

Drogheda-born Fr Richard McCullen led the worldwide congregation of Vincentians from 1980 until 1992.

This is the fifteenth year that the appeal has been held and in that time over €500,000 has been raised for local good causes.

“We are being confronted with a human tragedy that requires a generous political and church partnership to help meet the needs of these vulnerable people."

In some cases, families and individuals entitled to support have spent time sleeping rough due to a lack of information: Crosscare.