"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.
The Central Statistics Office (CSO) data on Enforced Deprivation shows almost 900,000 people were going without basics prior to the pandemic – an increase of over 140,000 from the previous year. More than one in five children are now experiencing enforced deprivation.
“We need to be building a society that will reach out to those who find themselves unexpectedly in dramatic situations and create a culture in which no one is ever driven to despair.”
“The concentration of job losses in low paid sectors means that the impact (of COVID-19) has disproportionately fallen on groups that are least able to endure a financial hit,” said Kieran Stafford, national president, SVP.
2019 was the year in which the number of registered charities passed ten thousand. Over half (53 per cent) of them, are in the ‘benefit to the community’ category and the next biggest grouping is ‘advancement of education’ while relief of poverty or economic hardship makes up 8.7 per cent.
“To insist on debt repayment in the face of the suffering caused by this pandemic would be an affront to the faith traditions that we represent. There is an overarching moral case for debt relief in many faiths,” state the bishops and religious leaders in the UK.
There is a remarkable success story about last year’s Trócaire collection box, which featured a Ugandan girl, Patricia, on its cover.
The pretty eight-year-old was chosen as a ‘poster child’ for the Catholic overseas development aid agency’s 2019 Lenten fundraising because of the plight in which she and her family found [...]
... there is much talk of getting back to ‘normal’. That all assumes that our earlier ways of running society and Church were the best that they could be – Bishop McKeown.
"We are grateful that the NI Executive listened to us," said Patrick Friel of the SVP, which wants the Dublin government to do the same.
The experience of ongoing disadvantage takes a physical, psychological and social toll on the lives of too many children and adults, and the effects can be long lasting, says SVP National President, Kieran Stafford.
“Time devoted to prayer can never become an alibi for neglecting our neighbour in need,” says Pope Francis.
On behalf of so many, I wish to express heartfelt thanks to the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation for this exceptional and magnificent donation to such important work – Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
"Our fear is that the impact of the pandemic will be most acute for individuals and families already living in poverty," said SVP president Kieran Stafford.
“In the coming weeks, we expect to see an increased demand for our support as families find themselves in financial stress and hardship,” said Kieran Stafford, National President, SVP.
“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.
"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.
The winner of this year’s car is Eoin Duggan from Ballincollig, with runners-up from around County Cork receiving cash prizes from €500-€1,500.
“We celebrate the Eucharist and the Divine Office in choir every day” – Adoration Sisters.
“We can all play our part to support a movement that puts the furthest behind first,” says Caoimhe de Barra.
“For a rich country like Ireland, it is unacceptable that so many people are going without basics,” said Kieran Stafford, National President, SVP.
Christmas puts serious strain on the resources of those who seek help from the SVP.
‘We don’t believe that this budget protects those most vulnerable in the event of a No-Deal Brexit,’ says SVP national president Kieran Stafford.
“When the world comes together, united by a plan and determined to help the world’s poorest, we can see wonderful results.”
“Moneylenders are meeting a need for access to credit but often at a cost which people who are better off and who have other options would baulk at.”
“The greatness of the story of the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul is the witness of those men and women who became real friends with the poor.”
“This report shows Ireland has a long way to go in creating pathways to sustainable, decent and family friendly employment which will address the growing issue of in-work poverty among lone parents” – Dr Tricia Keilthy, SVP.
Last year the 3.8 billion people who make up the poorest half of the world saw their wealth decline by 11 per cent, while billionaires’ fortunes rose by a similar amount (12 per cent).
In Ireland, the Society of St Vincent de Paul receives more than 130,000 calls for assistance a year – about 11 percent more than it did five years ago.
“The effects of poverty don’t stop just because it’s Christmas – they endure throughout the year.”
The summit is part of One World Week, a week of youth-led awareness-raising, education and action that takes place throughout Ireland during the third week in November every year.
