'Vital' Parish Draw date gets closer

There's only a short time left for parishioners to buy a ticket in the annual Kilcullen/Gormanstown Parish Draw.

First prize in the Draw -- which Fr Andrew O'Sullivan describes as 'vital' to the parish finances -- is 12,000 euros. Second and Third prizes are 1,500 euros and 500 euros respectively, and there are five further prizes of 100 euros each.

Tickets cost 100 euros, and are ideal for syndication among a group or a family to share the cost and the prize. They might also be of interest to Kilcullen 'Wild Geese' living abroad who wish to help out their former Parish.

The Parish debt, which includes repayments for the building of the Parish Centre and also the maintenance of the church, costs 80,000 euros annually, of which half is paid by the Diocese.

"This annual draw is absolutely vital to our finances," says Fr Andrew, adding that the provision of the Parish Centre has already paid real dividends to the Parish in many practical as well as pastoral ways.

The Draw will be held on 11 December in the Parish Centre.

Brian Byrne.