Help Haiti.

It is difficult to know what to say following a tragedy as devastating as the earthquake in Haiti. The first and most important thing that religious believers can do in times like these is to pray - for the dead and the lost, for the homeless and the suffering, and for all those who are now working to help the survivors of this cataclysm. The second thing that we can and ought to do is to do what we can to contribute to ongoing relief efforts. Few of us are in a position to go to Haiti to lend a helping hand, but we can give financial assistance within our means to support groups that are now seeking to provide for the immediate needs of the Haitian people as well as the more daunting project of rebuilding a devastated country.

If you are looking for specific ideas about how to support relief efforts in Haiti, I can offer some suggestions. Catholic Relief Services is soliciting financial and material donations to support emergency operations in Haiti. CRS is also offering frequent updates from within Haiti on a blog entitled CRS Voices. If you have a particular interest in relief efforts associated with the Society of Jesus, you might also consider making a donation to Jesuit Refugee Service either in the United States or through another JRS national affiliate. You might also choose to donate directly to the Jesuits in Haiti through the auspices of the Jesuit Missions Office in Montreal. I also strongly encourage you to find out what kind of relief efforts are going on in your own area and consider making a contribution at that level. By one of these means or through others, I hope that you will consider lending a helping hand to the people of Haiti in this time of great need. AMDG.

The images seen above were taken by United Nations Photo.