Important information on Trócaire Boxes/Lent Campaign/COVID 19 challenges

 

Please see below a letter and information from Colm Hogan (Trócaire) regarding this year's Trócaire collection and on-line workshops.

Dear Diocesan Secretary,

I hope this finds you and yours safe and well during these uncertain times. These weeks are certainly challenging for all of you as you do your best to look out for people in your dioceses and parishes, given the restrictive measures in place.  Please be aware that we in Trócaire stand together with you all, now more than ever.

With Holy Week upon us, we wanted to contact you with some important updates and information with regard to the collection of Trócaire boxes and some prayerful online workshops, which will be available over the next weeks.

Restrictions for Trócaire staff have been in place since early March, with a lot of travel and events being cancelled, and many staff working from home. In line with the recent government guidelines, all Trócaire offices in Ireland are closed. Everyone in Trócaire is committed to doing all that we can to manage the spread of Covid-19.

As an organization, our priority is, as always, our partners and the communities we work with overseas. We are facing our own challenges with Covid-19, and while this is having a significant impact on all of our lives in many ways, this truly is a global crisis. We cannot lose sight of our brothers and sisters overseas who are often living in overcrowded conditions, without consistent access to clean water and soap for hand washing and in countries with extremely weak health systems. This includes people living in overcrowded refugee and IDP camps who have already had their lives turned upside down by conflict and are now facing a new threat to their safety.

Covid-19 in our programme countries:
There are currently Coronavirus cases in 15 of the countries where Trócaire supports people. Trying to contain the spread of the virus in these countries is going to be a mammoth task for country teams in the weeks and months ahead. We are particularly concerned about confirmed cases in Gaza and Syria. Elsewhere, in Central America, Guatemala and Honduras are in lockdown. Of the countries where we work in Africa, cases are reported in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Rwanda, DR Congo, Sierra Leone and South Sudan.   As in Ireland, the number of cases and affected countries is certain to increase on a daily basis. Proposed health-related interventions have been coming in from all of the regions where we work. These include provision of essential equipment for responders like masks, gloves, testing kits, disinfectant and thermometers awareness-raising and health advice through the use of social and broadcast media. In Sierra Leone and South Sudan, there are no ICU facilities available.

There are regular updates about our work, including the Covid19 response, available at https://www.trocaire.org/news.

As we approach one of the most prayerful weeks of the Church’s year, let us thank you again for your ongoing prayers, support and solidarity. It means so much to all of us in Trócaire.

Please read our notice below. We strongly encourage each one of you to share this important information with your diocesan offices/colleagues and parishioners from the safety of your own home.
Take care of yourselves and stay well with God’s blessings.

 

Important information on the Trócaire Boxes and upcoming events.

Below is the information which we encourage you to share with your diocesan offices/colleagues and parishioners about Trócaire over the coming weeks, while staying safe at home.

 

 

Best regards,

Colm (on behalf of everyone in Trócaire)
Colm Hogan
Church Outreach Officer
Trócaire, Maynooth
colm.hogan@trocaire.org
+353 1 5053233