Good Shepherd Sisters worldwide are united with the victims and survivors of the earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti through prayers and its efforts to encourage communities to send donations to the country.
While there are no Good Shepherd Communities in Haiti, a congregation, the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur (SNDdeN) that rents space at the Generalate in Rome, has its own community whose sisters can directly help the victims.
Through the February 2010 prayer posted on the congregational website (www.buonpastoreint.org) the Good Shepherd International Justice and Peace (GSIJP) Office in New York prepared a prayer guide/reflection on Haiti. Srs. Winifred Doherty and Marie-Helene Halligon of GSIJP reflected on the current situation in Haiti and the need to help the people who are living in abject poverty. The prayer recommends that it could be prayed in community or individually if sisters and lay partners are in offices and using a computer. It also called on the communities to action.
Sr. Brigid Lawlor, congregational leader, in the Flash News issued on January 23, 2010, also encouraged Good Shepherd Sisters, lay partners and friends to help financially the victims. The collection may be sent to the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur or could be sent to the Congregational Treasurer of the Good Shepherd Sisters in Rome, Sr. Yolanda Borbon RGS.
In the Philippines, the intentions of the people of Haiti are brought in the daily Masses and collections from sisters and friends during the January 24 Sunday Mass at the Good Shepherd Chapel in Quezon City will be sent to the victims through the Generalate in Rome.
Sr. Maureen Catabian RGS, of the Women, Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (WJPIC) Office of the Philippine Province, said that should communities, apostolic and contemplative, in the Philippines have collections from sisters and friends, they may send the amount to the Province Treasurer, Sr. Amelia David RGS, who will forward the amount to the Generalate.
As the Second Plenary Council of the Philippines (PCP II) said "no one is too poor so as not to give, no one to rich so as not to receive." The Philippines has been ravaged by strong typhoons in September and October 2009 but people have also been generous to help.
Related to this, Filipino priests, religious and migrants in Rome are scheduled to gather for a Mass for Haiti to remember the victims, survivors and rescuers of the earthquake and in solidarity with the Filipino Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, Archbishop Barney Auza. The Mass will be held on Saturday, January 30, 6 p.m. at the Pontificio Collegio Filipino in Rome with Msgr. Ruperto C. Santos, PCF rector as main celebrant.
Several Filipinos also perished during the earthquake, most of them members of the Peace-keeping mission in Haiti.
(RK)
Download:
 |
Gs NGO Prayer Feb.2010 |
| Flash News 24 January 2010 Good Shepherd Response to Haiti |