The Church of Ireland World Aid and Development Programme

Welcome to the Bishops' Appeal section of the Church of Ireland Website. Bishops' Appeal is the Church of Ireland World Aid and Development Programme. As you will see from the website, our concerns fall into a number of categories:

• to educate the Church at home about the needs and concerns of people in the less developed world and the causes of poverty; 
• to encourage Church members to examine the reasons for the problems facing the less fortunate in the world and to consider what we can do to change conditions;
• to reach out in God's name to those who need our help;
• to encourage informed prayer and prayerful action aimed at strengthening the poor; 
• to raise the funds needed to allow Bishops' Appeal to support development projects and alleviate the suffering caused by disasters, both natural and man-made.

Bishops' Appeal does not engage directly in development work itself, but channels funds through development agencies and partner churches who are already in place in areas of need. You can visit the websites of some of these agencies through the links on the Partners page on this site.

Bishops' Appeal contributes to relief of suffering in time of emergencies whether natural or man-made. However, our main concern is to support ongoing development in the fields of sustainable agriculture, health, including HIV/AIDS, and education in many parts of the world. We aim to enable people to have more control over their own lives and futures so that they are less dependent on others than they are today.

 

+Michael A.J. Burrows

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclain release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour."

Luke 4, vs 18 & 19 (NRSV)