Catholic Church has helped via Respond!

Noel Harrington (Irish Examiner, November 10 ) raises the question of the Catholic Church making a significant contribution to the matter of homelessness and wonders about its silence on the issue.

Mr Harrington may not be aware that over the years the Respond! Housing Association, which was founded by a Cork-born Franciscan priest, Fr Patrick Cogan OFM, has converted a variety of church properties for use by people on the social housing list. Not least it has just completed the conversion, at the cost of €12m, of St John’s College, the former seminary of the Diocese of Waterford and Lismore. The project includes 57 apartments, a 10-bed group home for people with specific needs and requirements and a day centre which will cater for the wider Waterford community.

Since its incorporation in 1982 Respond! has built 5,500 social housing dwellings throughout the Republic, along with 81 community buildings and 23 childcare centres as well as other facilities, and engages actively with its residents to promote community values.