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# Crosscare
Charity appeals for your unwanted Christmas gifts
Those socks and back scratchers could be more useful than you think.
DUBLIN’S PRO CATHEDRAL is asking people to keep the spirit of giving going beyond Christmas.
Staff at St. Mary’s Cathedral are urging people not to exchange unwanted Christmas gifts this week – but to donate them to Crosscare who will give them to those most in need, young people living on the margins and the homeless.
Any surplus gifts, that were not needed for people in need, were sold during the year in Crosscare’s, Blanchardstown service, and the money raised given back to the homeless services for essential supplies.
Father Damien O Reilly, administrator in the Pro Cathedral, said they were delighted to be able to facilitate the appeal which every year resulted in those most in need receiving some Christmas cheer.
“This simple scheme allows Crosscare to give a gift to someone in their services who would not normally receive one, he said, “it is also a reminder to us all of how we can get needlessly caught up in wasteful commercialism at this time of year.”
He stressed that Pope Francis has consistently preached about the need to control waste in our world – using gifts you don’t need to give to those who have little, is one small gesture of sharing that can help, he says.
The unwanted gifts appeal will make sure that as well as the essentials, people who are struggling with life, will get a small token of cheer each Christmas. Unwanted presents can be brought to the crib in the Cathedral until 6 January.
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