President of Pope's charity office
brings help and prayers to Haiti
12 JAN 2011 (RV) - A year after the earthquake which devastated Haiti on 12 January 2010 leaving 250,000 people dead and more than a million homeless, Benedict XVI has sent Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum", who brings a Message from the Pope and economic aid to the people so gravely afflicted twelve months ago, according to a communique released by "Cor Unum".
The cardinal arrived in Haiti earlier this week. He visited a number of religious communities in Leogane: the Sisters of Christ the King whose hospital was destroyed, the "Petites Soeurs de Sainte-Therese de l'Enfant Jesus" who run a clinic for people suffering from AIDS and tuberculosis, and the "Compagnes de Jesus" who had an old people's home and a school destroyed by the quake.
Cardinal Sarah laid the cornerstone of the "Ecole Notre Dame des Anges". In the Holy Father's name, he also brought concrete support in the form of donations received following the earthquake: 800,000 U.S. dollars for the rebuilding of schools and 400,000 U.S. dollars for the reconstruction of churches.
The president of "Cor Unum", accompanied by Msgr. Segundo Tejado, undersecretary of the dicastery, was also due to meet Rene Preval, president of the Republic of Haiti. The cardinal also visited the Parc Acra, the camp for displaced persons camp where he was to celebrate Mass.
On Wednesday 12 January, Cardinal Sarah is expected to read out the Pope's Message for Haiti during a Mass to commemorate the first anniversary of the earthquake. He will then meet with bishops and seminarians as well as with directors of Caritas and of international and volunteer organisations.
His final engagement in Haiti will take place on 13 January when he will celebrate Mass in the convent of the "Paridean" Daughters of Mary who lost fifteen religious in the disaster. Twelve other sisters were seriously injured.
The visit also has the aim of thanking everyone who collaborated in the huge efforts of the emergency period, and of renewing the Church's commitment in the reconstruction, encouraging a new phase of charitable commitment.
Pope names new bishop for Port-au-Prince:
Previous bishop was killed in the earthquake
VATICAN CITY, Jan. 12 (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI has named a new archbishop for the Catholic church in Haiti on the first anniversary of the devastating earthquake that killed the bishop's predecessor along with dozens of other priests, seminarians and nuns.
Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot was killed in the quake, which destroyed the national cathedral and seminary and damaged or destroyed 38 churches.
The Pope also named an auxiliary bishop for Port-au-Prince, Monsignor Glandas Marie Erick Toussaint.
The Vatican's No. 2 official, Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, will lead a special memorial Mass Wednesday afternoon in St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome.
THE HOLY FATHER'S MESSAGE
FOR THE PEOPLE OF HAITI
Translated from
January 12, 2011
The following message was read by the Holy Father's special envoy to Haiti, Cardinal RoberT Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum, at the Holy Mass celebrated in the ruins of the Cathedral of Port-au-Prince on the first anniversary of the 2010 earthquake today. (The message was written and read in French.)
On the first anniversary of the terrible earthquake which afflicted your nation, I am with you, dear Haitians, to assure you of my prayers, particularly for those who died.
I wish likewise to give you a word of hope in the present particularly difficult circumstances. Indeed, it is time now to rebuild not just the material structures but, most especially, civil, social and religious coexistence.
I hope that the people of Haiti will be the first protagonists in their present history and in their future, while counting on international assistance, which has already given signs of great generosity through economic aid and volunteers who have come from all nations.
I am with you through His Eminence Cardinal Robert Sarah, president of the Pontifical Council Cor Unum. He brings to you, through his presence and his voice, my encouragement and my affection.
I entrust you to the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, patroness of Haiti, who, from heaven, I am sure, is not indifferent to your prayers.
May God bless all Haitians!
From the Vatican
January 5, 2011
[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 13/01/2011 13:30]