|
Vatican collection on Holy Thursday
to be allocated for Guinsaugon Victims
11 April 2006— The Holy Father has decided to donate the important Vatican collection of the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday to the mudslide victims in Leyte last February, a Catholic news agency said Monday.
According to Catholic World News (CWN), the "Vatican has announced that during the ritual of the washing of the feet, the faithful will be asked to contribute to the Pope's donation to the reconstruction effort in the Philippines."
"The funds collected will be used to build new dwellings for those families who lost their homes in the catastrophic mudslides earlier this year," the CWN said.
Every Holy Thursday, the Church encourages the faithful to offer gifts in cash or kind for the needy members of the community. Last year, the Vatican collection was made for the flood victims in Venezuela.
Bishop Precioso Cantillas of the Diocese of Maasin, meanwhile, said that he is deeply moved and touched by the Pope's fervent concern for the victims of the tragedy in Guinsaugon which is under his pastoral governance.
"This is a concrete manifestation of the Church's deep concern for the people and their sufferings," he said.
He also expressed gratitude for the response of other dioceses, civic organizations and private individuals through donations, prayers and letters of sympathy.
He said they are also constantly coordinating with government agencies to efficiently distribute aid while preparing for the rehabilitation process.
The CBCP Commission on Social Action, Justice, and Peace (NASSA) has reported that as of March this year, the Diocesan Social Action Center of Maasin was serving more than 1,800 landslide-affected families in evacuation centers in four parishes. Cantillas said they his diocese is also taking care of 50 orphans.
In a related development, more financial aid is expected to land in the village of Guinsaugon, in the Parish of St. Bernard. This after the observance of Alay Kapwa Sunday, a Lenten fund campaign of the CBCP, held every Palm Sunday of the Holy Week. Under this program, the collected funds are earmarked for disaster relief operations.
On February 17, a massive landslide wiped out Guinsaugon village in Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte killing almost 1,000 lives and destroying around 500 of structures, leaving hundreds without a roof. Damages are totaling between $3 million and $4 million.
|
