Catholic Group Pledges $25M Tsunami Relief

[DemBones DemBones]

Thu Dec 30, 6:19 PM ET

By BRIAN WITTE, Associated Press Writer

BALTIMORE - Catholic Relief Services is pledging $25 million for emergency relief and long-term programs to help people in southeast Asia recover from the tsunami that has killed more than 117,000 people and left millions without clean water, shelter, food or medicine.

The amount committed by the Baltimore-based group, which is the official international humanitarian organization of the U.S. Catholic community, is one of the largest to date. It's only $10 million less than the money initially pledged by the U.S. government for emergency aid.

We must brace for the commitment this emergency asks of us and be as generous as we can," said Ken Hackett, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services.

Caroline Brennan, a spokeswoman for the group, said the money is available now and will be dispersed as programs evolve.



Please note that this is only the amount pledged by one American Catholic charity.

Several days ago, Pope John Paul II set up a special fund at the Vatican for the earthquake and tsunami victims.

Catholics doing what Jesus asked of us -- it makes me happy. :-)

Peace to all.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

1. Thanks for posting this!

I shared with my mom.

[DemBones DemBones]

2. I forgot to post the link to the story on Yahoo.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041230/ap_on_re_us/tsunami_catholic_relief_1

Not a lot more to the article except that Cardinal McCarrick, archbishop of Washington, D.C., will visit Sri Lanka to see the damage firsthand. If you click the link, you can rate the article up (hint!) to keep it among the high-rated stories.

I started to post the news in LBN but thought the news would be most appreciated in our group. :-)

[CBHagman]

3. Our diocese is having a collection this weekend.

Before vigil mass, I went up to the monsignor and asked if we were having a collection for the tsunami victims. He said Saturday and Sunday masses in our diocese would have special collections. That was before I read in the local paper that the cardinal had announced as much.

[AngryOldDem]

4. Our diocese did not do that

:(

I'm hoping, though, that it is in the works of putting something together that will be announced shortly. The only mention of the disaster in Mass this weekend was an intention.

Do any of you work with CRS's Operation Rice Bowl in your parishes during Lent? I think it will be especially important to have ORB this year. CRS is most likely going to be strapped for cash when it's all said and done.