From: Thomas Dunne [mailto:tdunnesdb@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 17, 2010 8:13 AM
To: CMSM
Subject: CMSM Report on the Salesians of Don Bosco in Haiti
Update on the Salesians of Don Bosco in Haiti
At the time of the earthquake, there were 66 Salesians in the Vice Province of Haiti. The Salesians worked in six houses that served the poor in a variety of ways: technical education, job training, primary education, food distribution, care of street kids, outreach to the unemployed.
The Salesians in Haiti have reported the death of three of their confreres: Bro. Hubert Sanon, aged 85 and the two young Salesians in formation Atsime Wilfrid, aged 28 and Vibrun Valsaint, 26.
The most tragic news is the death of the Salesian pupils. After a first estimate which was of over 200 youngsters buried under the ruins with some of their teachers, the latest figure has now been out at about 500. The Crisis Committee of the UNO has confirmed a report from the National Police in Port-au-Prince and from the Central Headquarters of "OCHA" who in spite of everything are continuing the search to try to find some survivors still alive.
The other Salesians in Port-au-Prince are safe and well, although some were injured; some of them have lost family and friends.
The Enam centre has been razed to the ground; the Provincial House at Drouillard is damaged; the work of the small schools of Father Bonhem (OPEPB) is completely flattened; the dormitory at Gressier has collapsed; at Thorland the Salesian community house has been damaged, the chapel split in two and the retreat house totally out of commission; the house at Fleuriot has also been damaged with people sleeping outside in the courtyard.
To most readers, these names mean little. The CNN site has a helpful collection of short clips about the activities undertaken by the Salesians in these sites before the earthquake.
A crisis team at the New Rochelle Mission Office is working on the logistics to send material and to coordinate the work of volunteers. They are also collaborating with the "Federal Emergency Management Agency".
In the past few days, an overall plan has emerged for the Salesian response to this tragedy. The relief efforts of the Salesians will include:
Saving Lives: Salesian Emergency Relief
Rebuilding Lives: Salesian Empowerment and Education
Rebuilding Salesian Educational Infrastructure
The first of these phases (i.e., Saving Lives) has already begun. Fr Victor Pichardo, Provincial of the Salesians in the Antilles, has succeeded in reaching Port-au-Prince with a military helicopter and spent a night there. While there he was also to gather practical information for the next stage of the relief work. The Salesian houses in Santo Domingo and Barahona will have a strategic role to organise this. Already a convoy of ten trucks loaded with food and medicine has left La Vega.
The first stop was at the "Saint John Bosco" community of the Enam, the most seriously affected of the Salesian works in Haiti. Here they met Fr Wim Boksebeld and Fr Olibrice Zucchi Ange. "Silence, suffering and sadness reigned," the four visitors said. Most of the pupils and their teachers are still buried under the ruins. At 16.53, local time, when the earth began to shake the pupils of the primary school were on the first floor of the three storey building which is now a heap of ruins. Unfortunately here too, as in other places in the city, there have been cases of looting, as persons unknown have carried away what remained, desks, chairs, and school computers used for teaching.
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From: rmurphy224@aol.com [mailto:rmurphy224@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 2:49 PM
To: RMurphy224@aol.com
Subject: Letter of the Rector Major
Fr. Tim has requested that I forward this letter to all those on our InTouch mailing list.
Ralph J. Murphy
Direzione Generale Opere Don Bosco
Via della Pisana 1111 - 00163 Roma
Il Rettor Maggiore
Rome, 18 January 2010
My dear Provincials
Members of Provincial Councils
Dear Confreres
I believe that during these days you have been following with attention and compassion the great drama unfolding in Haiti. The earthquake of January 12 was one of unheard violence causing death and destruction. The dead are many, those without a roof on their heads number in the millions, and added to all this is the total destabilization of a country left without any concrete structures of government.
For us Salesians, there is the obvious serious loss of so many lives among our young people and children (around 500) and of three of our confreres.
The quake has practically destroyed all our works in Port-au-Prince. The Provincial House is severely damaged and practically uninhabitable. The professional school ENAM was totally destroyed. The Petites Ecoles of Father Bonhem have collapsed. The House for Latch-key youth was destroyed. The postnovitiate and philosophy center, which includes religious of other Congregations, is totally uninhabitable and must be torn down and rebuilt. The Center of Thorland was semi-destroyed; pavilions where groups normally gathered were destroyed. The Petion Ville School was seriously damaged. All this can be seen in photographs in ANS. To all this we add the damage to the houses of the FMA.
Our confreres in Haiti have been hit hard, and are undoubtedly looking to us. They are requesting help and support which will permit Don Bosco to continue his work in this country and which will give them a sign of hope in their journey as Salesians. During the day they live in the open air together with thousands of homeless. We are grateful to the Province of Santo Domingo for their closeness to the afflicted and for immediately sending food and other necessities as well as for assisting a gravely wounded confrere.
This letter of mine is intended as a strong appeal for solidarity within our Salesian Congregation. As in a family which turns all its attention to a sick son or daughter, so also we, moved by great compassion, wish to commit ourselves to assisting during this extraordinary necessity, bringing concrete help to this small suffering Visitatoria.
I share now my joy that our poorest provinces of Africa, Asia and America are the ones that have replied most promptly and spontaneously to this appeal for solidarity.
Meantime I invite all provinces and Salesian houses of the world to send significant help for our confreres who find themselves in absolute necessity. After the basic necessities (food, water, provisional needs), we must think about a plan of reconstruction which will require much energy and resources. I turn to you all, and with more insistence to provinces and houses who have more possibility, to help in this endeavor. In Don Bosco's name I assure you that the Lord will bless your act of charity. Be generous therefore even if it means a particular project is put on the back burner for now.
As you have seen, the Congregation has opened a special account in the New Rochelle Mission Office for benefactors. But please send your donations directly to the General Headquarters (Direzione Generale) indicating the offering is for Haiti. This will allow a more immediate and direct intervention. I have made this arrangement in agreement with the Provincial of Haiti.
Dear confreres, I believe our Father Don Bosco is challenging us at this time to be radical and to have total faith in Divine Providence. For this reason, I in the name of Don Bosco make this request for the poorest of our brothers!
I am most grateful for all you can and will do. God bless you! This is a beautiful moment for us to manifest our fidelity to our common Father Don Bosco on the occasion of his coming feast.
In his name I send my great affection and esteem.
D. Pascual Chávez Villanueva, SDB
Rettore Maggiore
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T. Michael McNulty, SJ
Justice and Peace Director
Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM)
Phone: 301-588-4030, x236; Fax: 301-587-4575
www.cmsm.org
"Justice is what love looks like in public." - Cornel West |
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