DIOCESE SUPPORTS CRS AID

FOR TSUNAMI SURVIVORS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has announced a commitment of $25 million for emergency relief and long-term rehabilitation programs to assist people across the south and southeast Asia region devastated by the Dec. 26 tsunami.

“We must brace for the commitment this emergency asks of us and be as generous as we can,” said Ken Hackett, CRS president and CEO.  “Right now the immediate needs for clean water, medical care, shelter and food are critical; we can only expect  that the aftermath and recovery will take place over a long period of time.  It’s especially important that we don’t overlook the impact of trauma among the survivors, who are grieving under life-threatening circumstances.”

Within days, CRS had received $10.3 million in checks and pledges from individuals and corporations, Mr. Hackett said.

In support of the efforts of CRS, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio asked pastors and administrators of the Diocese of Brooklyn’s 216 parishes to encourage parishioners at weekend Masses to make a “voluntary offering” toward assisting the survivors.

            “Images of the suffering of untold numbers of people move our hearts to reach out in prayer, in Christian charity and in humanitarian concern,” he said.

            The Bishop, who is treasurer of CRS’s board of directors, said the contributions would be sent to the relief agency’s headquarters in Baltimore.                                                                                            

Meanwhile, the Diocese has scheduled a Month’s Mind Memorial Mass for the victims, to be held at St. James Cathedral Basilica in Brooklyn, Saturday, Jan. 29, at 5 p.m.  Representatives of the Indonesian and Indian Apostolates will attend the Mass, which Bishop DiMarzio will celebrate.

            CRS’ $25 million funding for relief and rehabilitation will focus primarily on India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand, but is likely to address the effects in Burma, Somalia and Madagascar.  The agency’s financial commitment may increase as further assessments shed light on the gravity of the situation and time for recovery.

Initial use of funding was earmarked for the following CRS relief services:

In India: Working with Caritas to provide life-saving food, medicine and shelter in the worst affected districts of Tamil Nadu/Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands; supporting ten diocesan partners to organize and manage 93 relief camps sheltering over 125, 000 people along the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh coastlines; providing displaced persons with cooked food three times a day, and with clothing, clean water and medical assistance, as required; providing resources to partners for distributing dry food rations, medicine, oral rehydration solutions and water purification tablets in remote areas.

In Sri Lanka: Providing cooked food and dry rations, non-food items, and mobile medical assistance; purchasing and distributing soap, water cans, kitchen sets, and bed sheets/sarongs for displaced persons; and providing technical support for local partners.

In Indonesia: Collaborating with other agencies for the delivery of “survival kits,” including kitchen utensils, hygiene items, blankets, sleeping mats, water storage cans and plastic sheeting to 755 families in Aceh.

            In Thailand: Assisting the needs of poor fishing communities affected by the tidal waves in six southern provinces.

            Catholic Relief services is the official international humanitarian organization of the U.S. Catholic community.  The agency has had a significant presence in south and southeast Asia for more than 60 years, providing both emergency and long-term development assistance.  CRS provides assistance to people in 99 countries and territories based on need, not race, creed or nationality.

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