Scottish Catholic Observer

Pope Francis immediately called on Scottish Catholics to send ‘concrete aid’ to survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan after it killed tens of thousands of people and left millions homeless in the Philippines last weekend.

The Holy Father repeated this call on Wednesday, asking Catholics to engage in the ‘real battle in favour of life’ by helping the Philippines.

In Scotland, SCIAF has launched an emergency appeal to help victims of the catastrophic storm, which ravaged the island nation with 150 mph winds, and is working with its partners on the ground, Caritas Philippines, to help emergency aid reach people who have been made homeless by the storm. Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) has also promised help for people devastated by the typhoon.

Early estimates suggest that at least 10,000 people died after the typhoon hit, although many of the victims may never be found. More than 80 per cent of the population of the Philippines is Catholic and the Pope said at his Angelus on Sunday that he wanted all Catholics to pray ‘for these brothers and sisters and let’s try, also, to make our concrete help reach them.’

“I wish to express my closeness to the people of the Philippines and that region that has been hit by a terrible typhoon,” he said. “Unfortunately, the victims are many and the damage is enormous.”

Aid

The Vatican has made an initial donation of $150,000 (close to £100,000) for the relief efforts through the Pontifical Council Cor Unum. The money, sent through the local churches hardest hit by the storm, was earmarked to support ‘assistance for the displaced and those impacted by the flooding.’

The Pope also sent a telegram to Philippine President Benigno Aquino saying he was ‘deeply pained by the destruction and loss of human lives.’ In the message, he also encouraged civil authorities and rescue workers in their efforts and prayed that God would offer ‘the nation strength and consolation.’

The Philippine Catholic bishops have called for a novena of prayer and emergency aid for the victims and their grieving families.

SCIAF Appeal

In Scotland, Lorraine Currie, head of international programmes for the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF), said the scale of the disaster was hard to understand but the charity’s emergency appeal would make a vital difference.

“This is a major disaster which will require a huge humanitarian response over a prolonged period,” she said. “There is an urgent need for clean water, food, temporary shelters, hygiene kits and medicines.

“I would urge everyone to give whatever they can to support the people in the Philippines as they try to survive over the coming days and recover in the longer term.”

Haiyan struck the coastal provinces of Leyte and Samar on Friday. It was one of the most powerful storms on record to make landfall. Hundreds of thousands of people had been evacuated before the typhoon hit, but many evacuation centres were unable to withstand the onslaught.

The typhoon then headed west, sweeping through six central Philippine islands and into Vietnam and southern China, where there were also fatalitie

— Donate to SCIAF’s Philippines Typhoon Emergency Appeal by visiting www.sciaf.org.uk/typhoon or calling 0141 354 5555.

—     Support ACN’s efforts by calling 020 8642 8668 or visit www.acnuk.org/donate

— [email protected]

—This story ran in full in the November 15 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.