WASHINGTON, D.C., MARCH 2, 2010 (Zenit.org).- The president of the U.S. bishops’ conference sent a letter to his Chilean counterpart, assuring the prelates of prayers and assistance following Saturday’s earthquake.
Cardinal Francis George, the archbishop of Chicago, stated this in a letter, sent Monday, to the president of the Chilean bishops’ conference, Bishop Alejandro Goic of Rancagua.
The country was hit by an 8.8-magnitude earthquake that struck near Concepción, the nation’s second largest city, and affected some two million people.
The death toll is over 700 people at present, but some 500,000 have been displaced and hundreds of thousands more have been affected.
The cardinal wrote to assure the Chilean prelate «of my prayers and those of my brother bishops in the United States for all who have been affected by this tragedy.»
«I assure you also of our prayers for the Church and for our brother bishops in Chile,» he added.
Cardinal George affirmed, «As the scope of the destruction becomes clear, our agency for disaster assistance, Catholic Relief Services, stands ready to be of assistance to you and your Caritas groups as they work to alleviate the suffering caused by the earthquake.»
He assured the bishop of his «prayers for you in this moment of trial.»
The cardinal concluded, «May God bless and strengthen your service to the Church in Chile.»
Catholic Relief Services, the international humanitarian agency of the U.S. bishops, is collecting donations for victims of the disaster in Chile.
— — —
On the Net:
Catholic Relief Services: www.crs.org/chile/maule-quake.cfm
