The 2011 Black Santa sit out at St Ann’s Church on Dawson Street will get underway this Friday, December 16, at 2pm.
The annual Christmas charity appeal will be launched by the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr Michael Jackson and Dublin’s Lord Mayor, Andrew Montague. The children of Kildare Place School will sing at the launch.
The annual sit out will continue right up until Christmas Eve. The Vicar of St Ann’s, Revd David Gillespie, joined by clerical colleagues from around the diocese, will sit outside the Dawson Street Church from 11am until 6pm each day collecting money for charity. Different choirs will sing each lunchtime, except on Sunday, until Christmas Eve when 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.
“We’re praying that the weather will not be like it was last year and that the snow holds off,” commented Revd Gillespie. “Despite the inclement weather the appeal was still very successful raising in the region of €22,000 for charity.”
For further information contact: Vicar St Ann’s, Revd David Gillespie – (086) 0267528 Diocesan Communications Officer, Lynn Glanville – (087) 2356472