MADISON — Echoing the call made by Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop Robert C. Morlino has encouraged parishes and people in the 11 counties of the Madison Diocese to do all they could for the people currently suffering in Haiti. Regardless of the funds collected, the bishop has approved a disbursement of $25,000 to be sent immediately to Catholic Relief Services in advance of fundraising efforts.
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| Donations can be made by mail to the address below. Make checks payable to the Diocese of Madison.
Diocese of Madison |
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The devastating earthquake, centered in Port-au-Prince, has left hundreds of thousands dead and has affected nearly everyone in the small island nation. In a letter to priests and faithful, Diocesan Vicar General, Msgr. James Bartylla, echoed Pope Benedict XVI’s assurance that “The Catholic Church will not fail to move immediately, through her charitable institutions, to meet the most immediate needs of the population.”
The Madison Diocese, which had already scheduled a special collection on January 16 and 17 to benefit the Church in Latin America and the Church’s evangelization and service efforts among Native American and African American communities in the United States, has encouraged all parishes to take up a special collection for the sole benefit of the people of Haiti, in the next two weeks.
One hundred percent of the funds collected will be forwarded to Catholic Relief Services, which is already on the ground and providing assistance to this suffering people and to the Catholic dioceses in Haiti.
According to reports, Archbishop Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince along with “hundreds of priests and seminarians” are dead. Bishop Morlino emphasized, for this reason, that “it is all the more important for us to react in charity, not only for the good of the desperate material needs of this suffering population, but for their spiritual needs as well. Everyone should do what they can, and certainly everyone can offer prayers.”
Catholics or non-Catholics who wish to contribute to this disaster relief can do so through any local parish, or directly, by way of the Diocese of Madison (Attn: Haiti Disaster Relief, 702 S. High Point Rd., Madison, WI 53719).
For more on the Haiti earthquake, click here.