Haiti Earthquake Updates
Please help!
All Diocesan Parishes Respond To Devastation in Haiti
Bishop Thomas G. Doran and all parishes in the Rockford Diocese will join with all Catholic churches across the U.S. this weekend in taking up a second collection for the people of Haiti. Donations received during this collection will be forwarded by the Rockford Diocese directly to Catholic Relief Services whose efforts to help the devastated country began immediately as they have been located in the struggling country for many years.
Click here to read the letter from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and for more information on how to donate.
Your help is deeply appreciated especially your generosity in prayer.
The Pontifical Mission Societies Establishes Haitian Solidarity Fund
The Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in the United States have established a special fund for long-term assistance for the Church in Haiti, as it responds to the devastation of the January 12, 2010, earthquake.
"We applaud and encourage support of the efforts of social service and relief agencies, such as Catholic Relief Services, who are responding to the immediate and overwhelming humanitarian needs of our suffering brothers and sisters in that part of the world," said Monsignor John E. Kozar, PMS national director. These Societies, which include the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and the Holy Childhood Association, are the basic means of support for the pastoral and evangelizing programs in 1,150 mission dioceses, including the dioceses of Haiti.
"As the Church in Haiti assesses the massive damages and the overwhelming needs," Monsignor Kozar continued, "they will need financial assistance as they help to rebuild the infrastructure of the Church there that will, in turn, be critical to serve the poor and enable the suffering here to rebuild their lives."
"We encourage the generous hearts of Catholics in the United States as they reach out in prayer and in sacrifice to the men, women and children who suffer even more now in this country," Monsignor Kozar said. "I would ask, above all, for prayers for the Church there, and for missionaries, who remain witnesses of the great love and compassion of our Lord, and of His sustaining hope."
Contributions may be directed to: Pontifical Mission Societies, Haitian Solidarity Fund, 70 West 36th Street, New York, NY 10018.
The Pontifical Mission Societies, active in some 120 countries throughout the world, work to animate the faithful to a universal missionary spirit, and to gather support for the efforts of the Church in some 1,150 mission dioceses in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands and remote regions of Latin America. The four Pontifical Mission Societies are: The Holy Childhood Association directs its efforts to elementary school children, while the Society for the Propagation of the Faith seeks prayer and support for pastoral and evangelizing programs and needs of mission dioceses from high school and college students, and adults. The Propagation of the Faith provides assistance to the Church in Africa, Asia, the islands of the Pacific and remote regions of Latin America, including aid for the education and support of seminarians, Religious novices and lay catechists; for the work of Religious Communities in education, health care and social services, and for communication and transportation needs. The Society of St. Peter Apostle is concerned with gathering help for seminarians and Religious novices in the Missions. The Missionary Union of Priests and Religious is a spiritual apostolate, working on formation in the missionary spirit among those called to animate all the faithful in this essential work.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2010
Cross International Catholic Outreach responding to Haiti's immediate needs after devastating earthquake
POMPANO BEACH, FL (Jan. 13, 2010) - Cross International Catholic Outreach has staff on the ground in Port-au-Prince surveying the damage of the massive earthquake that hit Haiti shortly before 5 p.m. yesterday. The South-Florida-based Catholic relief and development ministry is working with local ministries in the country to provide immediate relief.
"Our vice president of missions and Haiti project officer are both on the ground in Haiti," Cross International Catholic Outreach President Jim Cavnar said. "We are working with our ministry partners in Port-au-Prince to provide what is most urgently needed. So often in disasters, countries are hit with a lot of unusable aid. We want to make sure we are providing only what is needed most."
How You Can Help:
What's needed: The most urgent need is cash grants. Our partners in Haiti can use it to buy food, water, and emergency supplies and procure shelter. With the roads blocked, this is the quickest way to get aid to those who need it most.
How to donate: Online at www.crosscatholic.org/relief, by mail at 600 SW 3rd Street, Suite 2201, Pompano Beach, Florida 33060, or by phone at 800-391-8545.
Just before 5 p.m. Tuesday, a massive 7.2 earthquake shook Haiti, demolishing a hospital, schools, and homes and leaving what many fear are thousands dead. The epicenter of the deadly earthquake was Port-au-Prince, the country's densely-populated capital city and main seaport. Experts are calling it the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Haiti.
Haiti Project Officer Mike Henry ventured into Port-au-Prince today to survey the damage. He said it was overwhelming. "It looks like Dante's Inferno. There are dead bodies everyone. It is hell on earth here."
Haitian officials are estimating that thousands and thousands have been killed in the wake of the most devastating earthquake to strike Haiti in 200 years. Among those reported dead was Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince.
Since the initial earthquake, Haiti has been experiencing about two strong aftershocks an hour. The airport in Port-au-Prince and the National Palace both sustained heavy damage, and several other buildings have been completely destroyed.
Please continue to pray for the people of Haiti and join us in the relief efforts.
For more updates on our relief efforts and the latest news from our partners in Haiti, visit www.crosscatholic.org/relief.
Catholic aid agencies accept donations for Haitian quake relief
By Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The following international aid agencies are working with partner agencies and local religious leaders in Haiti and are accepting donations for victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake.
-- Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops' international relief and development agency, is accepting donations by phone at (800) 736-3467; online at www.crs.org; or by mail to CRS, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090.
-- The Salesians are accepting donations by phone at (914) 633-8344; online at www.salesianmissions.org; or by mail to Salesian Disaster Relief, Salesian Missions, P.O. Box 30, New Rochelle, NY 10802-0030.
-- The Archdiocese of Miami, which has a large Haitian population, has set up a place to donate online at www.newmiamiarch.org.
-- Caritas Internationalis is accepting donations for Haiti at www.caritas.org.
-- Food for the Poor is also accepting donations at www.foodforthepoor.org.
-- Catholic Medical Mission Board is accepting monetary donations by mail to CMMB, 10 West 17th St., New York, New York 10011; by phone at (800) 678-5659; or online at http://support.cmmb.org/Haiti. Medicines and medical supplies may be donated by calling CMMB's Kathy Tebbett at (212) 242 7757.
-- Jesuit Refugee Service is accepting donations at www.jrsusa.org; click on "Donate Now" box on right of page.
END
01/13/2010 1:11 PM ET
Copyright (c) 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
No Word Yet on Huntley 'Twin' Parish
HUNTLEY (The Observer)--St. Mary Parish in Huntley began a "twinning" program in 2009 with St. Louis Roi de France Parish in Leger Matheux, Haiti, located in the mountains about 10 miles north of Port au Prince, through the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas.
Father Steven Knox, pastor of St. Mary Parish, has not yet heard the status of their friends. "The roads were already so horrendous" to reach the village, he says, adding that before the quake Father Yves Marie Brissault, St. Louis Parish's pastor, needed to devote a day to travel to Port au Prince in order to contact them.
He was scheduled to visit the Huntley parish the weekend of Jan. 23, Father Knox says.
Haitian Project Reports School is OK after Quake
The Haitian Project, Inc.
PO Box 6891, Providence, RI 02940
401-351-3624
The Haitian Project is comforted that early reports from the school tell us that our students, staff & volunteers are safe following yesterday's earthquake in Haiti. We are encouraged by our leadership on the ground and their positive immediate reaction to the situation.
We are fortunate to have Mr. Patrick Brun, our Board Chair who is Haitian and lives in Haiti, helping us to respond on the ground at the school. We have a tremendous group of staff and volunteers on campus responding to the disaster, which has helped to limit the impact on our community.
We are remaining in contact with the school and with Mr. Brun.
Unfortunately our President, Deacon Patrick Moynihan, left Haiti on Monday on a routine trip. He looks forward to getting back to Haiti on Friday or as soon as possible and having his family join him shortly after.
Deacon Patrick Moynihan: "The school is in the best condition that we could expect in the face of this disaster, and it is important that we now as quickly as possible ascertain the integrity of our buildings and ensure that we continue to have sufficient water and food for the immediate future.
Our first priorities continue to be to house and feed our students and help those in our community and neighborhood as we have for the past 22 years through the many difficult situations in Haiti.
I'm happy to report that our support community in the US has already responded and we have received notification that parishes and individuals have provided funds to help us meet the increasing demands of the situation."
Haiti needs help now on several fronts:
1) Increased medical relief efforts.
2) Increased financial support of all institutions working in Haiti - increased costs will be seen as we and other organizations continue our operations and repair damages from the disaster, as well as providing direct aid (medical, food, water, housing) to neighbors & employees.
The Haitian Project is committed to making the most immediate use of funds to helping the situation in Haiti, and is accepting donations made payable to "The Haitian Project" at:
The Haitian Project www.haitianproject.org/donate.htm
PO Box 6891
Providence, RI 02940
3) Down the road, donations of relief items through large relief organizations such as the Red Cross.
Deacon Patrick Moynihan
President, The Haitian Project
401-489-0419
pmoynihan@haitianproject.org
All Diocesan Parishes Respond To Devastation in Haiti
Bishop Thomas G. Doran and all parishes in the Rockford Diocese will join with all Catholic churches across the U.S. this weekend in taking up a second collection for the people of Haiti. Donations received during this collection will be forwarded by the Rockford Diocese directly to Catholic Relief Services whose efforts to help the devastated country began immediately as they have been located in the struggling country for many years.
Click here to read the letter from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and for more information on how to donate.
Your help is deeply appreciated especially your generosity in prayer.
The Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in the United States have established a special fund for long-term assistance for the Church in Haiti, as it responds to the devastation of the January 12, 2010, earthquake.
"We applaud and encourage support of the efforts of social service and relief agencies, such as Catholic Relief Services, who are responding to the immediate and overwhelming humanitarian needs of our suffering brothers and sisters in that part of the world," said Monsignor John E. Kozar, PMS national director. These Societies, which include the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and the Holy Childhood Association, are the basic means of support for the pastoral and evangelizing programs in 1,150 mission dioceses, including the dioceses of Haiti.
"As the Church in Haiti assesses the massive damages and the overwhelming needs," Monsignor Kozar continued, "they will need financial assistance as they help to rebuild the infrastructure of the Church there that will, in turn, be critical to serve the poor and enable the suffering here to rebuild their lives."
"We encourage the generous hearts of Catholics in the United States as they reach out in prayer and in sacrifice to the men, women and children who suffer even more now in this country," Monsignor Kozar said. "I would ask, above all, for prayers for the Church there, and for missionaries, who remain witnesses of the great love and compassion of our Lord, and of His sustaining hope."
Contributions may be directed to: Pontifical Mission Societies, Haitian Solidarity Fund, 70 West 36th Street, New York, NY 10018.
The Pontifical Mission Societies, active in some 120 countries throughout the world, work to animate the faithful to a universal missionary spirit, and to gather support for the efforts of the Church in some 1,150 mission dioceses in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands and remote regions of Latin America. The four Pontifical Mission Societies are: The Holy Childhood Association directs its efforts to elementary school children, while the Society for the Propagation of the Faith seeks prayer and support for pastoral and evangelizing programs and needs of mission dioceses from high school and college students, and adults. The Propagation of the Faith provides assistance to the Church in Africa, Asia, the islands of the Pacific and remote regions of Latin America, including aid for the education and support of seminarians, Religious novices and lay catechists; for the work of Religious Communities in education, health care and social services, and for communication and transportation needs. The Society of St. Peter Apostle is concerned with gathering help for seminarians and Religious novices in the Missions. The Missionary Union of Priests and Religious is a spiritual apostolate, working on formation in the missionary spirit among those called to animate all the faithful in this essential work.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2010
For Information Contact:
Monica Yehle, Director of Development and Programs
212-563-8706 / myehle@propfaith.org
Monica Yehle, Director of Development and Programs
212-563-8706 / myehle@propfaith.org
Cross International Catholic Outreach responding to Haiti's immediate needs after devastating earthquake
POMPANO BEACH, FL (Jan. 13, 2010) - Cross International Catholic Outreach has staff on the ground in Port-au-Prince surveying the damage of the massive earthquake that hit Haiti shortly before 5 p.m. yesterday. The South-Florida-based Catholic relief and development ministry is working with local ministries in the country to provide immediate relief.
"Our vice president of missions and Haiti project officer are both on the ground in Haiti," Cross International Catholic Outreach President Jim Cavnar said. "We are working with our ministry partners in Port-au-Prince to provide what is most urgently needed. So often in disasters, countries are hit with a lot of unusable aid. We want to make sure we are providing only what is needed most."
How You Can Help:
What's needed: The most urgent need is cash grants. Our partners in Haiti can use it to buy food, water, and emergency supplies and procure shelter. With the roads blocked, this is the quickest way to get aid to those who need it most.
How to donate: Online at www.crosscatholic.org/relief, by mail at 600 SW 3rd Street, Suite 2201, Pompano Beach, Florida 33060, or by phone at 800-391-8545.
Just before 5 p.m. Tuesday, a massive 7.2 earthquake shook Haiti, demolishing a hospital, schools, and homes and leaving what many fear are thousands dead. The epicenter of the deadly earthquake was Port-au-Prince, the country's densely-populated capital city and main seaport. Experts are calling it the most powerful earthquake ever recorded in Haiti.
Haiti Project Officer Mike Henry ventured into Port-au-Prince today to survey the damage. He said it was overwhelming. "It looks like Dante's Inferno. There are dead bodies everyone. It is hell on earth here."
Haitian officials are estimating that thousands and thousands have been killed in the wake of the most devastating earthquake to strike Haiti in 200 years. Among those reported dead was Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince.
Since the initial earthquake, Haiti has been experiencing about two strong aftershocks an hour. The airport in Port-au-Prince and the National Palace both sustained heavy damage, and several other buildings have been completely destroyed.
Please continue to pray for the people of Haiti and join us in the relief efforts.
For more updates on our relief efforts and the latest news from our partners in Haiti, visit www.crosscatholic.org/relief.
By Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The following international aid agencies are working with partner agencies and local religious leaders in Haiti and are accepting donations for victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake.
-- Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. bishops' international relief and development agency, is accepting donations by phone at (800) 736-3467; online at www.crs.org; or by mail to CRS, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090.
-- The Salesians are accepting donations by phone at (914) 633-8344; online at www.salesianmissions.org; or by mail to Salesian Disaster Relief, Salesian Missions, P.O. Box 30, New Rochelle, NY 10802-0030.
-- The Archdiocese of Miami, which has a large Haitian population, has set up a place to donate online at www.newmiamiarch.org.
-- Caritas Internationalis is accepting donations for Haiti at www.caritas.org.
-- Food for the Poor is also accepting donations at www.foodforthepoor.org.
-- Catholic Medical Mission Board is accepting monetary donations by mail to CMMB, 10 West 17th St., New York, New York 10011; by phone at (800) 678-5659; or online at http://support.cmmb.org/Haiti. Medicines and medical supplies may be donated by calling CMMB's Kathy Tebbett at (212) 242 7757.
-- Jesuit Refugee Service is accepting donations at www.jrsusa.org; click on "Donate Now" box on right of page.
END
01/13/2010 1:11 PM ET
Copyright (c) 2010 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
HUNTLEY (The Observer)--St. Mary Parish in Huntley began a "twinning" program in 2009 with St. Louis Roi de France Parish in Leger Matheux, Haiti, located in the mountains about 10 miles north of Port au Prince, through the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas.
Father Steven Knox, pastor of St. Mary Parish, has not yet heard the status of their friends. "The roads were already so horrendous" to reach the village, he says, adding that before the quake Father Yves Marie Brissault, St. Louis Parish's pastor, needed to devote a day to travel to Port au Prince in order to contact them.
He was scheduled to visit the Huntley parish the weekend of Jan. 23, Father Knox says.
The Haitian Project, Inc.
PO Box 6891, Providence, RI 02940
401-351-3624
The Haitian Project is comforted that early reports from the school tell us that our students, staff & volunteers are safe following yesterday's earthquake in Haiti. We are encouraged by our leadership on the ground and their positive immediate reaction to the situation.
We are fortunate to have Mr. Patrick Brun, our Board Chair who is Haitian and lives in Haiti, helping us to respond on the ground at the school. We have a tremendous group of staff and volunteers on campus responding to the disaster, which has helped to limit the impact on our community.
We are remaining in contact with the school and with Mr. Brun.
Unfortunately our President, Deacon Patrick Moynihan, left Haiti on Monday on a routine trip. He looks forward to getting back to Haiti on Friday or as soon as possible and having his family join him shortly after.
Deacon Patrick Moynihan: "The school is in the best condition that we could expect in the face of this disaster, and it is important that we now as quickly as possible ascertain the integrity of our buildings and ensure that we continue to have sufficient water and food for the immediate future.
Our first priorities continue to be to house and feed our students and help those in our community and neighborhood as we have for the past 22 years through the many difficult situations in Haiti.
I'm happy to report that our support community in the US has already responded and we have received notification that parishes and individuals have provided funds to help us meet the increasing demands of the situation."
Haiti needs help now on several fronts:
1) Increased medical relief efforts.
2) Increased financial support of all institutions working in Haiti - increased costs will be seen as we and other organizations continue our operations and repair damages from the disaster, as well as providing direct aid (medical, food, water, housing) to neighbors & employees.
The Haitian Project is committed to making the most immediate use of funds to helping the situation in Haiti, and is accepting donations made payable to "The Haitian Project" at:
The Haitian Project www.haitianproject.org/donate.htm
PO Box 6891
Providence, RI 02940
3) Down the road, donations of relief items through large relief organizations such as the Red Cross.
Deacon Patrick Moynihan
President, The Haitian Project
401-489-0419
pmoynihan@haitianproject.org
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Marriage Preparation
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Office of Divine Worship
Order Diocesan Directory
Parish Plan Resources
Protecting God's Children
Stewardship
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Copyright© 2010 Catholic Diocese of Rockford | Website inquiries: webmaster@rockforddiocese.org