admin posted on January 14, 2010 21:34
The Diocese of Nashville is encouraging a two pronged response to address the immediate and long term needs of the people of Haiti following the devastating earthquake that struck the island nation on Jan. 12.
First of all, to support the efforts to get much needed aid to the country in the most expeditious manner possible, Bishop Choby is encouraging all 53 parishes in the diocese to take part in a second collection for the people and Church of Haiti this weekend, Jan. 16 and 17, 2010. These funds will be used to support the efforts of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and Catholic Relief Services, the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, as they respond to immediate emergency needs for such necessities as water, food, shelter and medical care, as well as to the long term need to rebuild after widespread destruction, and to the pastoral and reconstruction needs of the Church in Haiti.
Donations to the relief efforts can be made through any of the parishes, the Catholic Center, 2400 21st Ave. S., Nashville, TN, 37212 or at the Catholic Relief Services website at www.crs.org.
Catholic Relief Services was established in 1943 to address humanitarian needs internationally. The organization works in more than 80 countries and provides services based on need without regard to creed, race, or nationality. CRS has worked in Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, for over 50 years.
While the CRS office in Port-au-Prince is undamaged, a building directly across from it collapsed. CRS has approximately 340 staffers in Haiti, of which 120 are in Port-au-Prince. CRS has pre-positioned food, water storage containers, bedding and other supplies in warehouses in Haiti and nearby countries. The country is still rebuilding from the 2008 hurricanes that left the city of Gonaives buried in 3.2 million cubic yards of mud.
Secondly, since there is a longstanding close connection through the parish twinning program and through many medical and humanitarian missions to the impoverished country, Bishop Choby is encouraging renewed commitment to the people of Haiti. There will be many ongoing needs in the various parishes in Haiti, and the connections at the parish level will provide the opportunity to address those needs with future collections and relief efforts. However, with regard to responding to immediate needs the bishop urges the Catholic faithful to be as generous as possible with the special collection for the relief efforts for the people of Haiti.
Rick Musacchio
Director of Communications
Diocese of Nashville
615-405-7986 cell
615-783-0768 desk