A ‘Parish Pack’ has been distributed to more than 7,000 homes in and around Letterkenny in recent days as a gift from the people of the Cathedral parish, Conwal and Leck.
The pack, which includes a letter from Fr Eamonn Kelly, Adm., St Eunan’s Cathedral, rosary beads, holy pictures, parish timetable for Mass and Confessions as well as a children’s colouring competition, cost approximately €11,000 to produce.
Speaking to the Donegal News yesterday, Fr Kelly said that he was hopeful that people would enjoy the pack and find it useful as a help to prayer.
“It has been assembled by the people of the parish. We got a great response from volunteers of all ages who helped put it together and distribute it. We would have liked to have got the packs out earlier in the year but there were delays,” Fr Kelly said.
He explained that the idea came about in response to Pope Francis and his call to reach out to everyone in the Year of Mercy.
“I pray that this Parish Pack might help us all to know more fully the truth revealed in God’s Son. You are invited to be part of everything that happens in our parish,” Fr Kelly said.
The Parish Pack comes in a brown envelope bearing the headline ‘A gift for you”. It also contains a quote from Pope Francis: ‘A little bit of Mercy makes the world less cold and more just’ and confirmation that it has been issued by St Eunan’s Cathedral, Letterkenny, as part of the Jubilee Year of Mercy 2016.”
While the pack is being delivered to each and every house in the town, Fr Kelly insisted that it wasn’t being foisted upon anyone.
“I’ve said in the letter that comes as part of the Parish Pack that if you would rather not have the pack, feel free to give it to someone else of return it to the Parochial House,” Fr Kelly said.
The letter also lists other things that are happening in the parish of Conwal and Leck during the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
“We’re distributing 7,000 packs at a cost of €11,000 of which €5,200 has come from donations. It’s the third time in my time in Letterkenny that such a pack has been issued,” Fr Kelly said.
The Pack contains a children’s colouring competition on Divine Mercy for children at U6, U19 and U12.
The diverse nature of the population now living in Letterkenny and its hinterland is reflected in the fact that there are regular Masses conducted in Polish and Malayaham.
“We have a Polish priest who comes down from Omagh while both Fr Jacob and Fr Joseph from Derry would say Mass in Malayaham. Those details are also included in the pack,” Fr Kelly said.