We have received word about some of our members located in Haiti and want to
update you on their condition.
If anyone would like to make a donation to Haiti relief, we suggest that you
go to the web site of
Catholic Relief Services.
Carmelite Sisters of Vedruna (Maureen Foltz)
We CCV's have a community in Fond Parisien, which is on the main route close
to the border with the Dominican Republic. Two of our women were in
Port-au-Prince at a gathering for religious, and a third was in Fond Parisien.
It seems that the group at the meeting were unharmed and our two sisters began a
walk back to the community. They took a mountainous route so as to periodically
make calls and to try and connect with the outside. They finally managed to do
so, and met up at Fond Parisien with some of the sisters who had come from the
Dominican Republic. Last evening they were gathering materials so as to go back
to the capital today and help with relief work. They are haunted by the voices
and cries from the rubble... Tonight one of our sisters from Sto. Domingo is
arriving in New York. Perhaps she'll have more news. Beyond words, this is a
huge, horrible disaster.
Filles de Jsus (Rhona Burns)
I'm touched by the messages I've received and I know our sisters in Haiti
will be, too. We have heard that the sisters in our community in Port-au-Prince
are alive and well. Of the house I don't know; all I know is that they spent the
night outside in the courtyard with their neighbours. Strangley enough, the lead
article on our website is on our 40 years of presence in Haiti! Link:
www.fillesdejesus.cer.fr.
Religious of Jesus and Mary (Janice Farnham)
The Religious of Jesus and Mary, a Roman Catholic Congregation of Sisters,
have ministered in Haiti since 1997. Two of our sisters and two candidates are
presently in Port-au-Prince, and are one with our brothers and sisters, the
homeless and injured. Our residence in Port-au-Prince has been severely damaged
by the earthquake and the sisters have had to seek shelter elsewhere.
Sister Vivian Patenaude was injured in a fall and may have sustained multiple
fractures to her shoulder and arm. Since her injury is not life- threatening she
is unable to receive medical attention in Port-au-Prince. We are attempting to
fly her to New York for treatment. In spite of these events, we count ourselves
very blessed, because we know our sisters are alive and safe. The sisters in
Gros Morne and Jean Rabel did feel the shocks even at those distances, but they
have sustained neither injuries nor major damage to structures.
The needs of the Haitian people were overwhelming prior to the earthquake.
The scope and depth of this tragedy call for both immediate and sustained,
long-term intervention. Our commitment to serve in Haiti remains strong, and our
intention is to serve the Haitian people over the long haul.
Sr. Eileen C. Reid, the Province leader, has asked the sisters from the other
two mission areas to make themselves available as translators, if and when they
can get to Port-au-Prince, and to assist in any way possible.
Many of you have inquired about sending donations. Along with prayers, which
are sorely needed, we welcome your donations, in any amount. The Religious of
Jesus and Mary are setting up a special earthquake relief fund, under the
acronym PAPER [Port-Au-Prince Earthquake Relief. Donations can be sent
directly to that fund:
c/o Sr. Janet Stolba, RJM
Religious of Jesus and Mary
125 Michigan Ave. N.E. 4th floor
Washington, DC 20017
OR through the US Province website:
www.rjm-us.org. Correspondence regarding RJM Earthquake Relief may be sent
to Janet Stolba at:
rjmearthquakerelief@yahoo.com.
We know also that may reputable organizations, such as CRS [Catholic Relief
Services] and Food for the Poor, along with multiple media websites, have also
provided safe and reliable means of responding to what is truly a catastrophe of
biblical proportions.
For those interested in volunteering, they may e-mail a woman who has long
experience with the Parish Twinning Program of the Americas [www.parishprogram.org]
and is organizing volunteer groups to assist. Her E-mail:
theresapatterson@aol.com.
Plans are underway as well for a Eucharist to be offered for victims of the
earthquake. Details will follow.
Sisters of Bon Secours (Anne Marie Mack)
We do not have any of our people in Haiti, but we are involved in some
health-related initiatives. The Bon Secours Health System is at this moment in
conversation with the Catholic Medical Mission Board, Catholic Relief Services,
and the Diocese of Richmond, VA to plan a coordinated effort of analysis and
collaboration to provide assistance. We will keep you informed as efforts
develop.
Sisters of the Holy Union (Mary Lou Simcoe)
We have two sisters in Port-au-Prince who work in a parish with the Montfort
Fathers. We have learned that they are safe, but nothing more. A sister in the
Brooklyn diocese also knows the Montforts (who have a big presence in
Port-au-Prince) has heard that all the priests are safe, but they don't know
about some of their scholastics.
Update from Julie Wheatley:
We are very relieved to have spoken with Eli (Sr. Elizabeth Kunsah)
personally last night. Eli is a Cameroonian sister who went to Haiti in
September to work with two of our sisters in St. Michel (a 6-hr. journey
from Port-au-Prince). The sisters in St. Michel are all well, other than
having felt tremors during the actual quake and cuts in electricity from
time to time. They are continuing their activities as usual. The people in
St. Michel, though, have lost many of their children and other family
members who live or go to school in Port-au-Prince, so the sisters are very
concerned and are with them at this terrible time.
When we spoke with Eli, she had just returned from visiting the sisters
in Port-au-Prince and assuring they were alright. Those in St. Michel, like
us, had no news whatsoever. Eli arrived and found the sisters and one
aspirant who was staying with them. All were well, happy, and appreciative
that she had made the journey to see and be with them during this time.
Their own house, church, and school, are the only buildings intact in their
area. There are a few cracks in the house, but nothing serious. They sleep
each night with the rest of the population of their quarter in a field that
adjoins a nearby factory. Eli said what one sees on the television doesn't
even come close to reflecting the horror of their reality. The situation for
many congregations is very serious and some have lost many members. One
group of sisters who are also here in Yaound lost several sisters and their
school has totally collapsed.
Eileen Davey (our US sister) is moving around assuring herself of the
situation with the children of her nutrition centre. They are helping out
where ever they can. When Eli arrived, Helen Ryder (the Irish sister who
lives with Eileen) had gone out to the local hospital. During the day, they
can go into the house and have food. The serious difficulty is water - both
drinking and otherwise. Eli said that there are already NGOs in their
locality that are distributing necessities. During the night she slept in
Port-au-Prince, there was an aftershock at 4am and immediately all the
people around them in the field broke into prayer and singing. Mind you,
although it's called a field, she said it was stones that they were sleeping
on.
Clearly, we need to continue to pray for all the people of Haiti; but it
is so good to know that our sisters are okay and are able to help their
people.
Sisters of Saint Anne (Lucille Goulet)
Although it is very difficult to get accurate information, it goes without
saying that this earthquake is a disaster. One of our schools is completely
destroyed, as well as one of our residences. More information will follow later.
For those of you who want to know how the Rest-Avek project is doing in the
earthquake, please click on the following link for English:
THE EARTHQUAKE AND "RESTAVEK" POPULATION and the following link for French:
LE SISME ET LA COMMUNUT DES "RESTAVEKS"
