Catholic Group Pledges $25M Tsunami Relief

[DemBones DemBones]

 
Thu Dec 30, 6:19 PM ET
 U.S. National - AP
By BRIAN WITTE, Associated Press Writer

BALTIMORE - Catholic Relief Services is pledging $25 million for emergency relief and long-term programs to help people in southeast Asia recover from the tsunami that has killed more than 117,000 people and left millions without clean water, shelter, food or medicine.

The amount committed by the Baltimore-based group, which is the official international humanitarian organization of the U.S. Catholic community, is one of the largest to date. It's only $10 million less than the money initially pledged by the U.S. government for emergency aid.

"We must brace for the commitment this emergency asks of us and be as generous as we can," said Ken Hackett, president and CEO of Catholic Relief Services.

Caroline Brennan, a spokeswoman for the group, said the money is available now and will be dispersed as programs evolve. CRS staff throughout the southeast Asian region are working with local partners in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia to establish the best response.

more. . .

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041230/ap_on_re_us/tsunami_catholic_relief_1

[bpilgrim]

1. This is what being Christian Looks Like!

let's hope the real Christians stand up and put these FAKE Christians to shame.

:toast:

peace

[illflem]

2. Donations to the Red Cross have also exceeded $25M

in the US

[DemBones DemBones]

4. Donations to Catholic Relief Services are running about $2.4M daily

according to an earlier post in GD. Something like $187K per hour, for tsunami relief, that is.

This is money that CRS already has, not from recent donations, so they may send more.

The needs were already large this fall in places like Darfur and CRS works in 94 foreign countries.

[bpilgrim]

6. excellent!

:bounce:

peace

[DemBones DemBones]

5. Yes, this is doing what Jesus said to do, and

I'm glad they can help so much. This won't be the only help coming from Catholic charities, either.

Peace to you!

[bpilgrim]

8. exactly, his and other of the people's remarkable religious leaders MSG

now more than ever need to be told.

:hi:

peace

[AngryOldDem]

10. That's what some of us here have been saying all along....

...there are Christians out here who actually follow Christ's message. Not all of us are reactionary right-wing nutjobs or people stuck back in the Middle Ages. We care. We are here. We go where we are sent, literally or figuratively.

I also donated to CRS, because CRS does get on the ground fast and early, and does much to alleviate immediate suffering. It also has very little overhead, which means almost all of the money donated goes where it is needed.

Peace to you, as well!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

17. Right on! nt

[Oversea Visitor]

3. There are

22 million christians in Indonesia
Maybe less now with so many dead in Acheh
This money will ready help them to help others
:toast:

[Historic NY]

7. I donated to them because they are on the ground there now and....

since the tsumani hit have been mobilizing what resources are in the immediate area. I did here this in the print & television media.

[happynewyear]

20. thanks for letting me know this! :)

I just sent them some money. I strongly support Catholic charities and relief and I am pleased to learn of this! :)

[Kathryn7]

22. They are the group I trusted to give to.

[illflem]

9. I wonder if the Stingy Chimp's stinginess

caused more people in the US to donate privately than would have normally?

[AngryOldDem]

11. Has this disaster raised more private response?

I like to think that as a whole, the American people step up when catastrophes like this hit, regardless of what the government does. But I think the outrage of Bush taking three days to speak out, and then offer relatively paltry aid, may have spurred some who otherwise would not give, or would be slow to give, to offer an immediate donation. Either way, they gave, which is what counts.

Americans, for the most part, are better, more compassionate human beings than the joke we have in the White House, and I for one am glad to see that we are, once again, proving that, not only to ourselves, but to the rest of the world.

My finances are tight, but if I can swing it, I plan to make monthly donations to this disaster for the foreseeable future. It's just what we do to help our fellow men, women, and children, y'know?

[CountAllVotes]

12. same here

I'm trying (note that word) to live on less than $800 a month. I contributed to the Red Cross and to the International Red Cross as well. I also intend to donate to the Catholic Relief as I know they work very hard to help.

I figure if I can afford a couple of small donations, anyone can! If everyone in the world did this, a great difference could be made during these horrible times we are witnessing.

:kick:

[AliciaKeyedUp]

13. Waiting

I think this is the longest a Catholic thread has gone without Catholic or church bashing.

[barb162]

15. well that's good because talking to some Protestant charity

people who worked in India they said the Catholic charity efforts and giving was a lot better than theirs as the Catholics don't have strings attached to their charity. They said the Catholics didn't try to convert like the protestants do.

[AngryOldDem]

19. And it is good to see

:-)

[Kathy in Cambridge]

14. This is wonderful

it's the true spirit of the Catholic Church!

[barb162]

16. yes, it is the right spirit! And this is coming from an ex-Catholic

[Renew Deal]

18. This is great news. The Orthodox Christians are also working hard there.

And you don't see anything from the American Bible Thumpers (Fallwell, Robertson, Christian Coalitian, etc.).

[Zynx]

21. The Bible Thumpers in this country would try to convert.

Generally, the Catholic charities do not. Maybe several hundred years ago they would have, but not now.

[Tinoire]

25. Sure you do.. You hear them at least

"Thank God for 2000 dead Swedes"

I shudder to think of what else they're saying but in about 1 month, on late night TV, they'll all be there with their donation drives.

I ask you... Would Jesus wear a Rolex on late night TV

Ray Stevens got it right...

Woke up this mornin', turned on the t.v. set.
there in livin' color, was somethin' I can't forget.
This man was preachin' at me, yeah, layin' on the charm
askin' me for twenty, with ten-thousand on his arm.
He wore designer clothes, and a big smile on his face
sellin' me salvation while they sang Amazin' Grace.
Askin' me for money, when he had all the signs of wealth.
I almost wrote a check out, yeah, then I asked myself

Would He wear a pinky ring, would He drive a fancy car?
Would His wife wear furs and diamonds, would His dressin' room have a star?
If He came back tomorrow, well there's somethin' I'd like to know
Could ya tell me, Would Jesus wear a Rolex on His television show.

[DemBones DemBones]

23. GOOD news deserves a kick!

:kick:

[Tinoire]

24. God bless the invisible priests and nuns scattered all over the world

to help the poor who make it possible by already having an extensive network of schools, hospitals, clinics, shelters etc in place... and already have the trust of the local population.

Mother Teresa's friends.

[Chicago Democrat]

26. Yes! Bless them!

:)