Tsunami Relief: Catholic Parishes Raise at Least $7 Million in Special Collection

Wednesday, January 12 2005

(CCCB – Ottawa)… A nation-wide collection organized by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB) has raised at least $7 million to aid victims of the recent earthquake and tidal waves in Southeast Asia.

The total amount donated in Catholic parishes on Saturday and Sunday, January 8-9, 2005 will not be tabulated for several days. All funds collected will be added to the $ 2.5 million already raised by Development and Peace, the Canadian Catholic Church’s official agency for international development, bringing the total to at least $9.5 million

“I am extremely happy that Canadian Catholics have responded with such generosity to our appeal. This is a clear indication of the tremendous sense of the charity and solidarity they feel for those who suffer”, said Most Rev. Brendan M. O’Brien, Archbishop of St. John’s and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops, who had launched this appeal and encouraged the special collection.

Development and Peace will use part of the money immediately to help the estimated one million or more people who are homeless and in desperate need of water, food, shelter, household kits, sanitation materials and blankets. The remainder will finance short, medium and long-term projects help the tsunami victims rebuild their lives.

Development and Peace is eligible for matching funds from the Canadian government for its emergency projects in Asia. It is also one of the organizations that will receive proceeds from the CANADA FOR ASIA benefit concert that will be broadcast in English on CBC radio and television tomorrow, January 13, 2005, from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET.

Development and Peace is continuing to accept donations from the public. Donors can contribute via the Internet at http://www.devp.org/, by calling 1-888-664-3387, or by mailing a cheque to:

Development and Peace
5633 Sherbrooke St. East
Montréal (Quebec) H1N 1A3  
(The cheque should be marked “Tsunami Emergency”) 

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