Church responds to Philippines typhoon disaster
“There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place,” Jesus told his disciples about the end time. While Typhoon Haiyan may not have signaled the end of the world, it has certainly changed the worlds of the millions of people in the Philippines and beyond. One of the . . .
“There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place,” Jesus told his disciples about the end time. While Typhoon Haiyan may not have signaled the end of the world, it has certainly changed the worlds of the millions of people in the Philippines and beyond.
One of the most powerful land-storms ever recorded, the 195-mile-per-hour winds of the “super typhoon” brought mass destruction and death to the central Phillippines, with the provinces of Leyte and Samar hit the hardest. In addition to the thousands of fatalities, the Philippine government has put the number of people affected at about 8 million, while the United Nations Office for Co-Ordination of Humanitairan Affairs says 11.3 million are in need of vital goods and services.
The storm devastated Tacloban, a Leyte island city of 225,000, and Christine Atillo-Villero, a doctor from nearby Cebu City, said “90 percent” of her hometown “is destroyed—nothing left.” The Sisters of the Divine Savior in Cebu have opened their damaged school office as a shelter, while the Sisters of Mercy said their community in Tacloban had been “badly affected.”
Because the storm also struck a region of small islands, communication among aid workers as well as delivery of help to the area has been extremely difficult. Joe Curry, country director for the U.S. Catholic bishops’ Catholic Relief Services, said workers would have to go island-hopping to get to those most in need. Brother James Lee of the Philippine Jesuit province said even the military cannot get to different sectors and so there are problems securely distributing food and other supplies.
As early as November 5 Philippine officials began a major effort to get residents in the typhoon’s path out of their homes and into reinforced structures and to secure crops and livestock. In a national address President Benigno Aquino implored those at risk to cooperate. But “despite the precautions,” said Father Edwin Gariguez, executive security of the Philippines arm of Caritas International, the Vatican-based international network of Catholic aid agencies, “this was beyond all expectations.”
Aquino told CNN that storms like Haiyan were becoming more frequent and that there should be "no debate" climate change was happening. Either the world commits itself to action on climate change, he said, or "let us be prepared to meet disasters." The World Meterological Organization (WMO) said record high sea levels combined with rising temperatures mean a greater likelihood of the kind of coastal destruction Haiyan-like storms cause. 2013 is heading toward being among the top-ten warmest years on record, the WMO says.
At his November 10 Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis asked for prayers for typhoon victims and expressed his “closeness to the people of the Philippines and that region.” He also encouraged the thousands of gathered pilgrims: “Let’s try also to make our concrete help reach them.”
Homily hint: In addition to his prayers Pope Francis gave $150,000 to Haiyan relief efforts through the Pontifical Council Cor Unum. Numerous organizations are accepting donations, among them Catholic Relief Services. Encourage your community to help in whatever way it can.
One of the most powerful land-storms ever recorded, the 195-mile-per-hour winds of the “super typhoon” brought mass destruction and death to the central Phillippines, with the provinces of Leyte and Samar hit the hardest. In addition to the thousands of fatalities, the Philippine government has put the number of people affected at about 8 million, while the United Nations Office for Co-Ordination of Humanitairan Affairs says 11.3 million are in need of vital goods and services.
The storm devastated Tacloban, a Leyte island city of 225,000, and Christine Atillo-Villero, a doctor from nearby Cebu City, said “90 percent” of her hometown “is destroyed—nothing left.” The Sisters of the Divine Savior in Cebu have opened their damaged school office as a shelter, while the Sisters of Mercy said their community in Tacloban had been “badly affected.”
Because the storm also struck a region of small islands, communication among aid workers as well as delivery of help to the area has been extremely difficult. Joe Curry, country director for the U.S. Catholic bishops’ Catholic Relief Services, said workers would have to go island-hopping to get to those most in need. Brother James Lee of the Philippine Jesuit province said even the military cannot get to different sectors and so there are problems securely distributing food and other supplies.
As early as November 5 Philippine officials began a major effort to get residents in the typhoon’s path out of their homes and into reinforced structures and to secure crops and livestock. In a national address President Benigno Aquino implored those at risk to cooperate. But “despite the precautions,” said Father Edwin Gariguez, executive security of the Philippines arm of Caritas International, the Vatican-based international network of Catholic aid agencies, “this was beyond all expectations.”
Aquino told CNN that storms like Haiyan were becoming more frequent and that there should be "no debate" climate change was happening. Either the world commits itself to action on climate change, he said, or "let us be prepared to meet disasters." The World Meterological Organization (WMO) said record high sea levels combined with rising temperatures mean a greater likelihood of the kind of coastal destruction Haiyan-like storms cause. 2013 is heading toward being among the top-ten warmest years on record, the WMO says.
At his November 10 Angelus in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis asked for prayers for typhoon victims and expressed his “closeness to the people of the Philippines and that region.” He also encouraged the thousands of gathered pilgrims: “Let’s try also to make our concrete help reach them.”
Homily hint: In addition to his prayers Pope Francis gave $150,000 to Haiyan relief efforts through the Pontifical Council Cor Unum. Numerous organizations are accepting donations, among them Catholic Relief Services. Encourage your community to help in whatever way it can.
Sources: Articles by Carol Glatz and Simone Orendain and other news items from Catholic News Service,
an article by BBC News, and news items from sistersofthediviesavior.org and sistersof mercy.org