Emergency Appeal for Earthquake Devastated Haiti

Matthew Harrison

January 14, 2010
The Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and Development and Peace are launching an emergency appeal to support humanitarian aid relief in Haiti.
Logo_Haiti_e_horCCCB President Bishop Pierre Morissette noted in a letter released on Wednesday, that Pope Benedict made an appeal at his General Audience for the international community to be generous in assisting the suffering in Haiti. At the General Audience, Pope Benedict said:
My thoughts go in particular to the population hit just a few hours ago by a devastating earthquake which has caused serious loss of human life, large numbers of homeless and missing people, and vast material damage. I invite everyone to join my prayers to the Lord for the victims of this catastrophe and for those who mourn their loss. I give assurances of my spiritual closeness to people who have lost their homes and to everyone who, in various ways, has been affected by this terrible calamity, imploring God to bring them consolation and relief in their suffering.
I appeal to the generosity of all people so that these our brothers and sisters who are experiencing a moment of need and suffering may not lack our concrete solidarity and the effective support of the international community. The Catholic Church will not fail to move immediately, through her charitable institutions, to meet the most immediate needs of the population.
Among the tens of thousands of earthquake victims is Archbishop Joseph Serge-Miot, the archbishop of the Port-au-Prince Archdiocese.
Bishop Morissette encouraged Bishops and the faithful of Canada to join with him in praying for those affected and to "respond quickly and generously." You can read his letter announcing the emergency aid HERE.
Development and Peace has already committed a first pledge of $50,000 to Caritas Haiti, which runs 200 medical clinics in the country but is in dire need of financial resources to respond to the growing humanitarian needs of this population in crisis.
All donations made to Development and Peace will be sent directly to its partners on the ground in Haiti, mainly Caritas Haiti.
Donations to Development and Peace for the Haiti crisis can be made by phone (1 888 664-3387), online HERE, or by sending a cheque marked Haiti Emergency to the following address:
Development and Peace
1425 René-Lévesque Blvd. W, 3rd Floor
Montreal QC H3G 1T7Emergency
For more information on the Church and the Haitian earthquake crisis see this Zenit article HERE, or Catholic News Service HERE.
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Photo: CNS photo/Eduardo Munoz, Reuters