Preparing for the Second Collection

Approaching the second collection weekend for the 2010 ShareLife Parish Campaign, we're less than halfway to our $12 million goal, but we're optimistic.

The ShareLife Community Challenge continues to draw interest from parishioners and from companies contributing to the campaign - many are returning after a lapse in giving and others are increasing their gifts, all directly linked to this gift matching program. I hope this generous program will help bring us to our goal in what is proving to be a challenging year. (We have a sense that Haitian and Chilean relief, as well as international abuse scandals, have affected some people's giving levels to ShareLife this year.)

There is another international disaster response under way - this time in China, following the earthquake that struck earlier this month. We are accepting contributions and can ensure they get to the workers on the ground as they assist the thousands and thousands of victims affected by this natural disaster.

With people at home and people abroad all in need of our help, it may sometimes be difficult to keep our hearts open to the needs presented to us. Please pray for the vulnerable and needy around us, for the Chinese people, and for the success of the ShareLife Campaign as we head into the second collection weekend, April 24-25.

Chilean Earthquake Relief

Communication is being distributed to all parishes in the Archdiocese of Toronto today, letting them know we're accepting monetary contributions to the relief efforts in Chile, following the dramatic 8.8 earthquake that shook the region last Saturday. The quake left hundreds of people dead and an estimated 1.5 million more displaced from their homes.

Working through the Catholic Church's official international relief network, Caritas Internationalis, funds will be sent to our partners at Development and Peace (the Caritas representative in Canada). Development and Peace will forward the funds to Caritas Chile, which is distributing food through its network in the country. Caritas has also sent a search and rescue team to help find survivors trapped under rubble.

Those wishing to help through a financial contribution may do so in the following ways:
Online through ShareLife's website (www.sharelife.org)
By phone through the ShareLife office – 1-800-263-2595 or 416-934-3411
Through your parish, making cheques payable to: Parish Name - Earthquake - Chile

We offer our prayers for the thousands of families affected by the earthquake and subsequent tsunami.

Haitian Relief - $3.7 million raised!

The parishes, schools and businesses of the Archdiocese of Toronto responded to the Haitian earthquake disaster with incredible generosity!

As of February 12, the deadline for gifts to qualify for the federal government's matching program, contributions to the Archdiocese had reached nearly $3.7 million!!! Thank you very much to everyone who contributed to this true demonstration of support and care for the Haitian people in their time of need. This total represents more than 25% of all funds collected across Canada by Development & Peace for the Caritas Internationalis efforts in Haiti.

On the ground, Caritas teams continue to help. "There are 322 camps spread throughout the city that face the enormous challenge of sheltering nearly all those left in the city. Sanitation is a concern, the threat of disease looms large, and the dark clouds of the rainy season will soon be rolling in from the sea," according to the D&P website. Your funds are making a practical and important difference as Port-au-Prince and the Haitian nation struggles to recover. (You can find regular updates here.)

Our thoughts and prayers continue for all the victims and for the thousands of people on the ground helping the country rebuild.