Prayers & Pennies for Haiti

Detroit’s archbishop Allen Vigneron is calling on the priests and people of the archdiocese— and all those in southeast Michigan— to be as generous as possible to the relief efforts underway for the victims of Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti. “We live in challenging financial times here in the Detroit area,” the archbishop says, “but that never seems to dampen the generosity of the people of this region when they have the opportunity to help their brothers and sisters in dire need.”

In these early hours, officials have yet to determine the precise toll of death and destruction in the impoverished Caribbean nation, but have predicted the loss of life and property will be staggering. “We offer our prayers for the victims,” Archbishop Vigneron says, “and for all those impacted by this tragedy, especially the survivors and the relief workers on site and those on their way.”

Among those killed in the quake was Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince, whose body was found under the rubble of his residence Wednesday morning. One report says the cathedral, all the big churches, and all of the seminaries have been destroyed.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is among the first-line responders to disaster scenes and is already in Haiti.

The Detroit archdiocese is collecting contributions on the agency’s behalf.

Donate Online!

Donations also may be made by mail by sending checks to:

The Archdiocese of Detroit
CRS Relief Efforts (4th Floor)
1234 Washington Blvd.Detroit, MI 48226
(* please indicate "CRS Relief" in the lower left memo line)