Catholic Response: Hearts and Hands Reaching Out to Haiti

Organizations on the ground providing necessary support while around the world holy voices are echoing prayers and holy hands are offering their treasure.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - "Bone-chilling"... that was the phrase used by one journalist after looking over the photographs coming out of Port-Au-Prince, Haiti following the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that hit the nation on Tuesday evening.

Pope Benedict XVI responded quickly to the news of the tragedy.

"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.

"I invite everyone to join my prayers to the Lord for the victims of this catastrophe and for those who mourn their loss. 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 Catholic Church will not fail to move immediately, through her charitable institutions, to meet the most immediate needs of the population."

Both reports and public reactions - words invoking prayer, love and concern - have been circulating the Internet since the devastation hit.

The scene in Haiti was described in graphic detail to the Catholic News Agency by the Apostolic Nuncio to the country, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, in an email.

He indicated that Archbishop Joseph Serve Miot was waiting on his balcony for a ride to a ceremony when the earthquake hit.

"The intensity of the earthquake pushed him down off the balcony headfirst and he died immediately on impact," the nuncio told CNA.

The vicar general of Port-au-Prince, Monsignor Charles Benoit, and the Chancellor, Don Cherie, are still under the pile of rubble from the four-story building that housed the archdiocesan offices.

Archbishop Auza told CNA "the chancellor seems to be dead, but we still have hope for Monsignor Benoit. We don't have the numbers, but there are several dead priests and male and female religious whose bodies haven't been recovered from the rubble."

The nunciature, where Archbishop Auza lived, has also been destroyed and the personnel are currently sleeping outdoors. While the building is in rubble, it is still being used as a coordinating point for the Nuncio, his staff, bishops from across the country and those involved in relief efforts.

On Wednesday evening the nuncio visited the major seminary, finding only one building still standing. A priest from the formation team is unaccounted for, nine seminarians are confirmed dead, and four more are still missing.

Archbishop Auza has also been busy visiting the various religious communities, everywhere expressing the Holy Father's concern and solidarity with the faithful of Haiti.

Catholic Relief Services has been busy, both on the ground in Haiti, and at home where it is calling upon all dioceses to hold special offerings the weekend of January 16-17 for the Haitian people.

"America" Magazine reported that the Catholic Relief Services representative for Haiti, Karel Zelenka, told CRS spokesperson John Rivera the devastation is unlike anything he's ever seen.

"I've been in earthquakes before," Zelenka told Rivera. "This was a major earthquake and a direct hit [on the capital]. There must be thousands dead."

"It is a disaster of the century," he reported in a blog post. "We should be prepared for thousands and thousands of dead and injured." Rivera went on to describe the conditions in Port-au-Prince as "total chaos."

"First Things" Blog, The Anchoress, probably has the best roundup of information regarding any new developments. They documented these Facebook entries from a missionary that services in Haiti.

"6:30 a.m.-We are still alive at this point. We spent the night under the stars up in the hills. Didn't sleep too well. The streets are completely packed with people wandering around. It's 6:30 AM. The damage here is Petit Goave is massive. Our house is still standing for the moment but another one two houses up from us collapsed.

"6:30a.m.-The main stresser right now is the continual tremors. They continued all night and right up until 4 seconds ago. It's like things have not settled yet. Even if we live to tell about this, Haiti is in the middle of a major catastrohe. I'm not trying to sound dramatic, but I want folks to keep praying. This isn't over yet.

"7:30a.m.-I keep hoping to wake up and find this was all a very bad dream, but it's beginning to seem like it's real. Phone lines are mostly down still so we are unable to communicate even within Haiti. And with no electricity the radio stations here are all out in our area.

"7:30a.m.-To show you how bad it is, for those who have stayed at the hotel here across from the big Catholic church. The Catholic church is completely reduced to rubble. The whole area looks like a war zone."

Some twitter entries from a missionary, Troy Livesay, add more to the story.

"The media requests and questions from people looking for family members are overwhelming and we're sorry we can't respond to most of you."

"It struck me yesterday that there is no such thing as 'first responders' in Haiti-the rescue efforts so far consisted of anyone nearby."

A huge outpouring of support is coming forth the bishops and diocese around the country.

Cardinal Justin Rigali stated on Wednesday, "At this time of destruction and loss of life in the country of Haiti, I urge all the faithful of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia to pray for those who have died and are suffering as a result of the devastating earthquake in the capital city of Port-au-Prince." A special offering will be taken in each of his 269 parishes this weekend.

Archbishop Timothy Dolan, who was in Rome, met with the Haitian Ambassador to the Vatican and assured him that the Archdiocese of New York would provide whatever financial assistance was possible.

The disaster has prompted a cadre of voices to call those within "earshot" to prayer and support of the Haitian people. For example, Amy Welborn, a popular Catholic writer, has been reminding her readers on the blog, Charlotte Was Both, that the Patroness of Haiti is Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

Other Catholic writers and bloggers have also been spreading the word.

One blog, Whispers in the Loggia, provided a dramatic account from Miami Herald of a Mass that was held in Miami's Little Haiti as follows:

"The church's relief push might be well afoot across the globe... but with their hearts especially pointed toward home following yesterday's quake, for many Haitian expats, the priority went to prayer."

"Earlier tonight, a Mass in Miami's Little Haiti drew a crowd of over 1,000, and the local Herald delivered a moving account:

"The congregation cried together and let out shouts of despair in the aftermath of the the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that rocked Port-au-Prince on Tuesday, destroying homes and government buildings and taking the lives of untold numbers of the city's residents.

"The worshipers put their hands on their hearts as they sang a traditional song about God lifting them up through hard times.

"They comforted strangers, bound by a call for solidarity with those who still live in the land they left.

"All shared the frustration of not being able to reach a mother or sister or cousin, calling at different times only to receive no answer. One woman, Noelcina Augustin, held a picture of her daughter and granddaughter in her hands, tears streaming down her face as she prayed that they would be found.

"Augustin knew that while some must be alive, thousands may already be dead. That pain, for many, seemed too familiar. They asked why.

"'I don't want you to attribute what is happening in Haiti to be a punishment from God,' affirmed the Rev. Reginald Jean-Mary.

"Jean-Mary encouraged the congregation to hold onto the same thing that carried them through Hurricane Jeanne in 2004, political unrest and a punishing trifecta of storms in 2008: hope.

"'We are witnessing the death of our brothers and sisters,' Jean-Mary said. 'But we are called to reaffirm our commitment to be a light in the darkness, a shoulder for those in need of our help . . . to cry with those who are crying.'

"Jean-Mary also called on the Obama administration to grant Temporary Protective Status to Haitians, which allows allow illegal immigrants to remain in the United States. This would allow them to help sustain their families back home, he said. He made the plea in both English and Creole. Both times, the congregation shouted 'Amen!'

"'This year was supposed to be the year we start building Haiti,' said worshiper Neolie Lebrun, 36, who has not yet been able to get in touch with her brother. 'And now, with all this, it's totally discouraging. But I'm not going to say this is the end. We still have hope that Haiti will stand on its feet again.'"

I join with our Editor-in-Chief, Deacon Keith Fournier in urging all of our readers throughout the globe to pray for the people of Haiti. Then, put those prayers into action by heeding the invitation of the Holy Spirit speaking through the Church - which is the Body of Christ. Reach out His arms through your show of active solidarity and charity in truth. In whatever way you can, help to provide relief to the people of Haiti.

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Randy Sly is the Associate Editor of Catholic Online. He is a former Archbishop of the Charismatic Episcopal Church who laid aside that ministry to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

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