I am pleased to be here today at the launch of the Annual Review of Crosscare and at the launch of this community care centre here in Blanchardstown. I thank the Capuchin Fathers for placing the premises at the disposal of Crosscare. This is yet another example of the commitment of the Capuchins to serving the poor in Dublin, here in Blanchardstown, in Halston Street and Church Street, in Raheny and in Priorswood. They truly keep alive among us the charism of Saint Francis in an exemplary way.
Since becoming Archbishop of Dublin I have stressed that all the caring services of the diocese should be available to the people of the entire diocese and not be focused on Dublin city centre alone.
Crosscare should be a place where people can turn to in emergencies. Emergencies are not just about other people. We should all remember just how precarious the economic situation of so many people is today. We should remember the fragility that is present in many lives, especially many young people.
Crosscare should also be first port of call where those living in poverty or disadvantage will be helped enhance their human capacities. Crosscare respects anyone who comes to its door by providing them with service and a welcome which respects their worth. When you respect the worth of someone who doubts their self-esteem you can in many ways surprise them into re-finding themselves and their talents. Providing the poor with the best, in turn brings the best out of them.
The policy of Crosscare is not just to give hand outs; it is rather to extend hands to a brother or sister in such a way that the person goes away enhanced in his or her dignity and with renewed confidence and hope.
In his Encyclical Deus Caritas Est Pope Benedict speaks of the ethos that one should encounter in Catholic caring agencies: “We are dealing with human beings, and human beings always need something more than technically proper care. They need humanity. They need heartfelt concern” (#31, a).
Crosscare is an agency of the Dublin diocese of which we can all be proud. It has been working over decades to support the less fortunate, of whatever age or background. It is attentive to look at new needs and to alert to new forms of poverty. Over the years Crosscare has effectively been building up community and creating an awareness of needs of others and a sense of responsibility for each other.
We need lively, caring and responsible communities. The type of Dublin we create in the future will depend very much on the level of community responsibility we manage to engender. I have personally on many occasions stressed that it is only through establishing healthy communities that we will overcome the horrors of the violence we have seen again and again on our streets.
Some months ago I asked for a greater community mobilization against this violence. The response from many was to say that the level of violence is lower than that in other European countries. Thank God that this is the case, but can we really sit back and think that this is sufficient? The reactions of fear that many show in the face of the current gangland violence is a frightening cry of victory to those who wish to impose their will by force. Fear is what they want to create.
As always when aspects of society begin to break down it is the poor who end up paying the highest price, and by poor I mean those who cannot make it easily in life. Violence shows disregard for human life and unless addressed disregard only spreads. Violence only degrades those who espouse it. Vengeance inevitably rebounds on those who practice it and on their families. Enough lives have been ruined; let all who can do something about it work together.
The work being done by and the ethos of Crosscare are a real antidote to the culture of violence because they are inspired by a Christian love which gives itself to others so that others may be who they should be. We thank all those who work for and with Crosscare. We ask God’s blessing on its work.
