World Missions, Ireland Responds to Haiti Earthquake

The earthquake which shook Haiti on Tuesday the 12th of January measured 7.0 on the Richter scale and struck just outside the capital of Port-au-Prince. It has left the two million inhabitants of Port-au-Prince in crisis as thousands remain unaccounted for and the numbers injured and dead continues to rise into the thousands. The number of fatalities in the earthquake will probably never be known. One slum alone housed more than 70,000 inhabitants and there were many such slums in Port-au-Prince alone.

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and is ill-equipped to respond to a disaster of this scale. Rescue efforts have been hampered due to the wide scale destruction of hospitals and medical centres, in conjunction with the fact that many of those who would have offered their support to the shattered lives of the people of the island are themselves victims.

"Port-au-Prince is completely devastated. The Cathedral, the Archbishop's Residence, all the great churches, all the seminaries have been 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..."

These are the gripping words of The Apostolic Nuncio of Haiti, Archbishop Bernardito Auza describing the city in the aftermath of the earthquake.He continues on to describe how he: "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...Everyone is calling for help..."

News reports have described how people have been gathering together in squares and outside churches too pray, sing hymns and look to god for guidance and deliverance during this time. We would ask that you would remember think of and pray for the inhabitants of Haiti who have been affected by this earthquake - the most severe to hit the area in over 200 years.

The Pontifical Mission Societies has always supported the Church in Haiti, helping it to grow and develop in its own distinctive way. We will remain in the country, helping it to rebuild and find hope. The Pontifical Mission Societies are not an emergency aid organisation, but just as we have been present for the Haitians in the past, we will be there for their future as they try to reconstruct their homes and lives. In the present, the people of Haiti are in our thoughts and prayers. We pray for those who died and may those who survived the earthquake be given all the comfort, strength and help that they need.'

Funds have already been distributed to the Church in Haiti through the Pope's Representative to support the local Church in its capacity to help the worst affected.

Whilst we are not launching an appeal, you can make a donation to Missionary Children by cheque, postal order or online at http://www.wmi.ie/go/home/donate All donations sent to Missionary Children will be sent without deductions to help the missionary organisations who are working with affected children in Haiti.

Please contact us at Tel: 00353 1 4972035 if you have any further questions.

Photo Supplied by Fr. Gerry O' Connor C.S.S.R