Detail: Tower, Sweetest Heart of Mary Roman Catholic Church (Color Version)–Detroit MI, originally uploaded by pinehurst19475.
As the need remains great in Haiti following the Jan. 12 earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of people and leveled much of Port-au-Prince, contributions and fundraisers are ongoing in the Catholic church in southeast Michigan. (*Please note: As of this writing, the Archdiocese of Detroit and Catholic Relief Services are continuing to monitor the situation following the Feb. 27 earthquake in Chili for possible relief efforts.)
To date, people have donated $1.35 million for Haiti earthquake victims to the Archdiocese of Detroit on behalf of Catholic Relief Services, an agency that was present in Haiti prior to the earthquake and which has played a strong role on the ground since the immediate aftermath. Donations have come through the archdiocese Web site, parish collections, and various fundraising efforts at Catholic parishes and schools. Additional funds have been collected for a number of other outreach organizations.
“It has been a great blessing for me to witness the tremendous outpouring of support from so many people from across the Archdiocese for the critical work of Catholic Relief Services in aiding the people of Haiti,” said Archbishop Allen Vigneron, Archbishop of Detroit. “I praise God for their generosity, and I am deeply grateful for their demonstration of charity, even as we all remain aware that the people of Haiti continue to need our prayers and material support.”
Details on upcoming events to benefit Haiti earthquake victims can be found at www.AODonline.org/haiti. Among them:
At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3, St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, 5780 Evergreen Ave. in Detroit, will feature a talk from Bishop Thomas Gumbleton on the film “Franz Jagerstatter: A Man of Conscience.” Bishop Gumbleton founded a clinic in Haiti and has visited the country following the earthquake. A freewill offering will be taken.
At 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 14, a choir benefit featuring local music ministers and choir members will take place at St. Isidore Parish, 18201 Twenty-Three Mile Road in Macomb Township. In conjunction, an album of original, locally-produced songs to benefit Haiti earthquake victims will be released.
At 7:30 p.m. on both March 26 and 27, the play “Twelve Angry Men” will be performed by seminarians at Sacred Heart Major Seminary, 2701 Chicago Blvd. in Detroit. Admission is free; a freewill offering will be taken for earthquake victims.
