1/14/2010

Apostolic Eyewitness In Haiti. By Abp. Bernardito Auza.



Haiti Story Update: 01.18.2010.
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Apostolic Eyewitness In Haiti.
By Abp. Bernardito Auza.
Haiti's Papal Nuncio.
Edited By Uncle Monty
At New York.
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I have just returned this morning. I found priests and nuns in the streets, without homes. The Rector of the seminary survived, as did the Dean of Studies, but the seminarians are under the rubble. Everywhere, you can hear cries from under the rubble. The CIFOR - Institute of Studies for the Men and Women Religious - has collapsed with the students inside, participating in a conference. The nunciature building has withstood the earthquake, without any injuries, but we are all amazed! So many things are broken, including the Tabernacle, but we are more fortunate than others. Many family members of the staff were killed, their homes destroyed. Everyone is calling for help. We will have problems of water and food before long. We cannot enter or stay inside the house much, as the earth continues to shake, so we are camped in the garden. Port-au-Prince is completely devastated. The Cathedral, the Archbishop's Residence, all the great churches, all the seminaries are reduced to rubble. The pastor of the Cathedral, who survived the earthquake, told me that the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince perished under the rubble, along with hundreds of seminarians and priests who are under the rubble. As I write, the Vicar- General, Monsignor Charles Benoit, is still missing and nothing has been heard from Missio’s-Haitian National Director, Fr. Clarck de la Cruz. Part of the heartbreaking reality of the Haiti earthquake is that many of those who would have offered their support to the shattered lives of the people of the island are themselves victims, an uncounted number also listed amongst the fatalities. The overwhelming tragedy wrought by the few brief seconds of the earthquake’s duration is poignantly summarised by a photo taken in the rubble of the cathedral in Port-au-Prince: Jesus hangs on the Cross in the midst of his people. One of the poorest countries on earth, Haiti’s people have experienced a seemingly endless cycle of poverty, political upheavals, crime and natural disasters since it became the world's first black-led republic and the first independent Caribbean State in the early 19th century. Haiti, last year alone received more than £286,000 in support from Missio, supporting the work of the Church in basic and preventative healthcare, education, pastoral care and building projects, including reconstruction of the Port-au-Prince Archbishop’s offices after massive flooding in May 2009. Last year floods hit; now the earthquake has shocked us with the extent of its devastation, said Martin Teulan, Missio’s-National Director in Australia. We are saddened by the news of Archbishop Serge Miot and how many lives have been lost. When the Victorian bushfires devastated people’s lives here a year ago, the greatest response we received for prayer came from the people of Haiti and the Caribbean – people who understand what it means to have little. Their prayers strengthened us. Our prayers will be greatly appreciated and encourage them. Another aspect of Haiti’s tragedy was expressed by Isabel Perez, an Ecuadorian who works for Missio -in England and Wales and who worked in neighbouring Dominican Republic. She says: "We helped many Haitians to set up small projects and schools, assisting them with many other concerns. I’ve been trying since yesterday to contact people to see how they are, but it is so hard. All forms of communication are down. I have heard nothing. All I can do is to watch television and read the news reports ...
and pray. Just now, all we have is prayer."
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:: Haiti Earthquake News Updates ::
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Huge US Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier
USS Carl Vinson Arrives To Aid Earthquake Haiti.
Report By The Khaleejtimes.
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By Aislinn Laing & Tom Leonard in
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
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By Marc Lacey. International Herald Tribune/iht.com
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Who's Running Haiti? No one, say the people.
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Quake-battered Haiti hotel offers refuge for all.
Editing by Pascal Fletcher & Peter Cooney.
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>> Related Searches <<
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His Anglican Grace, Archbishop Rowan Douglas Williams'
Canterbury Statement on the Unfolding Tragedy
That Is Earthquake-Hit Haiti.
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Haiti's capital looks like 'war zone' says church aid allianceGeneva.
Haiti's capital "looks like a war zone", and one million people are
without shelter following the devastating earthquake that shook
the Caribbean nation, the ACT Alliance global network of churches
and related agencies has warned. "Thousands of people in
Port-au-Prince - injured, hungry and desperate - have spent
days outdoor in the demolished capital of Haiti without food or
shelter," the alliance said in a 15 January report. "Desperate
Haitians have blocked streets with corpses in anger. Food is
stocking up at the airport, but has not yet been distributed."
Ecumenical News International. News Highlights. 15 January 2010.
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His Eminence, Abp. Bernardito Auza.
Archbishop Bernardito Cleopas Auza.
Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti
Titular Archbishop of Suacia
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Source: Independent Catholic News (ICN) and
http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bauza.html
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1 comment:

David Cameron. said...

Dear Monty,

On Tuesday, the poorest country
in the western hemisphere was hit head-on by an enormous earthquake.
Haiti needs our help now.

I’m sure you’ve seen the heart-wrenching images of Haiti. The full impact of the earthquake
is still emerging, but it’s
clear that hundreds of thousands of people have either been
killed or left homeless.

It’s essential that this small nation gets the help it needs
as quickly as possible.

Britain is an incredibly compassionate and generous
nation. We showed that five
years ago when the British
public raised £350m in the
wake of the Boxing Day Tsunami, and I’ve no doubt we will show
it again.

The best way for you to help, if you haven’t already, is to donate directly to the Disaster Emergency Committee. Whether you can afford to give £5 or £500, it all makes
a difference.

Call 0370 60 60 900 or visit
the DEC website now to make
your contribution:
http://www.dec.org.uk/item/200

In the meantime, I know our thoughts and prayers are with
all those people who have
suffered so much in that
country over the last
few days. Sincerely,
DAVID CAMERON.

To: thebiggerissue@k.st
Date: Fri 01/15/10 4:32 PM