Annual Mass held 16th November ’14 and Fr. McDyer Memorial Lecture

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Br. Kevin Crowley gives an inspiring lecture on the homeless in Dublin City The Donegal Association Dublin held their Annual Mass for the deceased members of the Association and their families, on Sunday 16th November at the Regency Hotel. A large crowd attended which was celebrated by Fr. Michael McCullagh. Afterwards, the fifth Fr. McDyer Memorial Lecture was delivered by Br. Kevin Crowley, of the Capuchin Centre in Church Street, Dublin. Br. Kevin has a strong association with Donegal having spent 7 years at the Capuchin Friary in Ards. He spoke of his great love for the people of Donegal even though he did have some difficulty with the Donegal accent when he moved there first, given his Cork roots! During his time in Ards, he was pivotal in raising funds to replace the roof on the Friary building. With his drive and support, the fundraising committee raised the required funds…

Br. Kevin Crowley gives an inspiring lecture on the homeless in Dublin City

The Donegal Association Dublin held their Annual Mass for the deceased members of the Association and their families, on Sunday 16th November at the Regency Hotel. A large crowd attended which was celebrated by Fr. Michael McCullagh. Afterwards, the fifth Fr. McDyer Memorial Lecture was delivered by Br. Kevin Crowley, of the Capuchin Centre in Church Street, Dublin. Br. Kevin has a strong association with Donegal having spent 7 years at the Capuchin Friary in Ards. He spoke of his great love for the people of Donegal even though he did have some difficulty with the Donegal accent when he moved there first, given his Cork roots! During his time in Ards, he was pivotal in raising funds to replace the roof on the Friary building. With his drive and support, the fundraising committee raised the required funds in 3 months.

At this lecture, Br. Kevin gave a harrowing insight into the world of those less fortunate in Dublin who depend on his Capuchin Day Centre for survival. The centre and its staff offer a vital service for their visitors and their work & effort is invaluable. Br. Kevin Crowley founded the Capuchin Day Centre in 1969, when they served 50 meals a day. At present, the Centre distributes 1,800 food parcels every week and provides nearly 800 meals, six days a week. Previously the Centre catered for the homeless community, however, in recent times the “new poor”, those who have lost their jobs and are struggling to pay their mortgage or rent and are on the verge of losing their home, rely on Br. Kevin and his team to survive. They are living in the unknown and have little hope of getting their lives back on track.

Another key area of concern for Br. Kevin is the growing problem of drug addiction. Br. Kevin and his team experience first-hand the problems that drugs & alcohol can bring to those with an addiction. More and more people are dying on our streets because of their addiction. There is no place for them to go and get help. Most of the users feel that they have no hope and that there is no reason for them to live. This problem is now out of control without any signs of improvement in the future.

Over the years, the centre has expanded to provide additional services, such as, a medical service, chiropody clinics, an optical service and advice as well as information clinics for the homeless in Dublin. They also now have a dental clinic, which has proved to be a great success in its first year in operation. All of the equipment for the dental clinic was donated and they have 3 dentists who volunteer their services. While these services are a huge and essential addition to the centre, they don’t come without increased costs. Currently it costs €2.3 million to run the Centre each year, while they only receive €450K in Government funding. Without the generosity & donations from the public, it would not be possible to cover all the costs. Thankfully each year, to date the Centre has secured the required funding. Br. Kevin thanked all those who have contributed in the past to ensure this service can continue to operate and help those most in need. He also thanked the centre’s fantastic volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure the Centre survives and to help its visitors every day.

Following his Fr. McDyer lecture, there is no doubt that Br. Kevin is the champion of the homeless in Dublin and he has worked tirelessly to help those in need without asking any questions or judging anyone. The spirit of Fr.McDyer is evident in all his work at the Capuchin Centre & the homeless community and his efforts in leading fundraising campaigns in which every cent raised goes towards helping those in need.

For those who may wish to donate to the Capuchin Centre, you can do so by using the following methods. You can donate online at www.capuchindaycentre.ie or by phone with credit or laser card, 01-8720770 and ask for Br. Kevin or Theresa. You can lodge directly to their bank account: Capuchin Day Centre, Account No. 82128752 and address Bank of Ireland, Smithfield, Dublin 7 (IBAN:  IE12 BOFI 9000 9282 1287 52 & BIC Code:  BOFIIE2D). The postal address of the centre is Capuchin Day Centre, 29 Bow Street, Dublin 7.

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