A centre of hope for the homeless in Dublin

(Vatican Radio) Ever since the economic crisis hit Ireland five years ago the Capuchin Day Centre for the homeless located in the heart of Dublin has seen the numbers of people seeking help double. The centre which was founded in the 1960’s by Capuchin Franciscan Brother Kevin Crowley, provides meal services, medical care and food parcels for people without a home or in financial difficulty.

“People who maybe would have had jobs or maybe would have had a good house or maybe had two cars and because of the economic downturn have lost those jobs or who have, you know, lost their homes and all of a sudden they find themselves, with no income, some of them are finding themselves homeless…”says the centre’s Fr Bryan Shortall

Brother Kevin Crowley, says Fr Bryan talks about the concept of the “new poor”. These are the people that have been badly affected by the economic downturn.

However, he adds that despite the difficulties that people are facing there is a positive side in that, “so many people are so kind and so generous to us (at the centre) Listen to Lydia O’Kane’s interview with Capuchin Franciscan Father Bryan Shortall