Even the Churches in Europe have been deeply shocked by the extent of the destruction caused by the earthquake that had hit the population of Haiti. Prayers, Mass services for the victims, and appeals to donate with generosity.
Next Saturday, Parisians will gather in prayer in the Cathedral of Notre-Dame where Archbishop Card. André Vingt-Trois will celebrate a Mass “in communion with the Church in Haiti – as explained in a statement released by the archdiocese – for the earthquake victims and for all the people who have been injured or affected by the disaster”.
Card. Vingt-Trois, on behalf of the French Bishops’ Conference, addressed a message to the president of the Haitian Bishops’ Conference expressing the condolences and the “sympathy” of France. “The human and spiritual ties that bind our two countries should provide the occasion to show our concrete solidarity with all those who have been affected by the earthquake”.
The Federation of the Protestant Churches in France has promptly activated a solidarity fund for the people of Haiti. The Catholic Church in Ireland did the same. In an appeal to the nation, Card. Sean urged the people of Ireland to “show solidarity” recalling that “Trocaire”, an agency linked to International and local Caritas, established a fund for this purpose.
HAITIAN ARCHBISHOP KILLED IN EARTHQUAKE…POPE’S APPEAL…
Benedict XVI is appealing for aid for victims of the earthquake that devastated Haiti and killed the archbishop of the Port-au-Prince Archdiocese.
Archbishop Joseph Serge-Miot was reported dead after the Tuesday earthquake that measured 7.0 on the Richter scale.
Father Andre Siohan, a missionary of the French St. Jacques Society, e-mailed the Missionary International Service News Agency a few hours after the quake, which was centered less than 10 miles from Port-au-Prince, the country’s capital.
“Nou atè nèt,” the priest wrote, which means in Creole, “We are on our knees.”
“I went to the city center this morning to visit the other religious communities,” he said. “The area is completely devastated and there are thousands of victims.”
“It is terrible,” Father Siohan said.
The missionaries reported finding the lifeless body of the 61-year-old archbishop under the rubble. The Haitian-born prelate had been leading the archdiocese since 1997. The report noted that there was also no sign of the vicar general, Monsignor Seguiranno Benoit.
In his general audience, the Pope also called for prayers for victims of the “dramatic situation currently being experienced in Haiti.”
“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,” he said.
The Pontiff invited “everyone to join my prayers to the Lord for the victims of this catastrophe and for those who mourn their loss.”
He continued: “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 Holy Father affirmed that the “Catholic Church will not fail to move immediately, through her charitable institutions, to meet the most immediate needs of the population.”