HELP HAITI NOW
Yesterday’s news of a devastating 7.0 earthquake with an epicenter within 15 miles of Port-au-Prince shook these sick bones as much as it must have shaken the survivors in that island nation. The Haitian population–almost all Catholic–by virtue of its enduring poverty (the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere) is so vulnerable to acts of nature which wash away crops, destroy roads and weak infrastructures, slide schools and churches down hillsides. NOW THIS!
I am asking every Catholic in the diocese of St. Petersburg to be as generous as possible even in our own desperate and difficult economic times by responding to special collections to be taken up in all our Churches and institutions this Sunday and next. If you forget this special appeal this weekend, you will have another chance to help. All monies will go immediately to Catholic Relief Services for food, medicine, clothing, housing and humanitarian assistance. The Cathedral in Port-au-Prince has fallen to the ground, taking with it the life of the Archbishop. Buildings will await a later moment – now we need to save lives.
Finally, I ask parishes which twin with Haitian parishes and help them directly kindly to let me know how much assistance has been given, so I can account for that as well.
PLEASE BE GENEROUS. THIS TIME THE TRAGEDY IS LESS THAN 300 MILES FROM OUR DOOR AND THEY ARE CATHOLIC BROTHERS AND SISTERS.
Bishop Robert N. Lynch