Canadian dioceses respond to Philippine emergency campaign
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Since Typhoon Haiyan devastated large areas of the Philippines, Canadian Catholic dioceses have been involved in efforts to help meet the desperate needs of its people. Even before the joint appeal from the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) and the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace (CCODP), dioceses were inviting their parishes for donations toward emergency aid and reconstruction. A number of Canadian Bishops have also presided at special Eucharistic celebrations for those who died in this disaster, and to express the solidarity of the Church in Canada with the people of the Philippines.
Among the dioceses which have been active in the social media and/or on their Websites, inviting prayers and aid for the people of the Philippines, are Halifax-Yarmouth, Québec, Montréal, Valleyfield, Gatineau, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria.
The CCCB and CCODP have asked that special collections be held before December 9, 2013, in order to benefit from the program by the Government of Canada to match contributions received by Development and Peace and other eligible charities by that date.