St. Virgil Roman Catholic Parish

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How to Help Haiti!

This picture was taken recently when our food donations were unpacked in Haiti. While this site was not hit direclty by the earthquake, all of Hiati needs our help. These young men would be asking us to help their country if they could communicate with us. (The original sign said "thank you".)

Catholic Relief Services is our recommended channel for helping the victims of the Haiti Earth Quake. CRS has proven to be extremely efficient and effective in their responses to international disasters, and is widely praised as one of the most effective international relief agencies. CRS is how parishes in the Paterson Diocese are channeling their relief efforts.

How to Help:
DONATIONS CAN BE DROPPED IN THE SUNDAY COLLECTION BASKETS OR MAILED OR DROPPED OFF TO THE PARISH OFFICE. Please mark them for Haiti Relief.

Donate via phone: 1-877-HELP-CRS
Donate online: www.crs.org
Write a check: Catholic Relief Services
P.O. Box 17090
Baltimore, Maryland 21203-7090
Memo portion of check: Haiti Earthquake

For more information go to crs.org and crsespanol.org

Catholic Relief Services Response:CRS has made an initial commitment of 5 million dollars for immediate use in the relief effort. Our agency is geared up for a major emergency response to this severe disaster. CRS is mobilizing food and gearing up our emergency capacity, and deploying prepositioned emergency shelter and hygiene kits in Haiti, as well as bringing supplies in from the neighboring Dominican Republic.
From the Field:
Karel Zelenka, CRS Country Representative in Haiti: ·I’ve been in earthquakes before. This was a major hit. And it was direct. Thousands must be dead.ö
CRS in the News:
From the Washington Post:
"People are out in the streets, crying, screaming, shouting," Karel Zelenka, director of the Catholic Relief Services office in Haiti, said Tuesday night. "They see the extent of the damage," he said, but could do little to rescue people trapped under rubble because night
had fallen.
"There are a lot of collapsed buildings," Zelenka said in a telephone interview from Portau-Prince. "This will be a major, major disaster."
He reported that poorly constructed shantytowns and other buildings had crumbled inhuge clouds of dust. Near the CRS headquarters, a supermarket was "completely razed," he said, and a gasoline station and a church were reduced to rubble.

Prayer
God of all creation, as we weep with our family in Haiti, console us.
In this time of crisis, open our eyes to look beyond the disaster
to see Christ in our brothers and sisters in Haiti, as Christ sees us.
Be with us as we stand in solidarity with those living and working in Haiti.
Be with us in our mourning and guide our efforts to feed the hungry, shelter the
homeless, comfort the grieving and stand for justice.
With your mercy, sustain us at this time as we continue to work for peace and justice.
Amen.

For our Brothers and Sisters in Haiti Affected by the Earthquake
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the Haitian people, that help comes to them quickly and comfort comes to those who
hurt.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the lost or buried, that they are found and reunited with their loved ones.
Lord, hear our prayers.
For the relief workers, that they have the tools they need, the courage and the strength to
respond fully.
Lord, hear our prayers.
For the families in Haiti and in the United States who are waiting to hear from loved one,
that good news comes to them.
Lord, hear our prayers.
For those whose who have perished, may their souls rest with you, oh Lord, where they
will find eternal love.
Amen.

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