Pope pledges Catholic institutions' continued presence in Haiti

Vatican City, Jan 23, 2010 / 09:46 am

The Press Office of the Holy See has released the content of two letters written by Pope Benedict XVI to leaders in Haiti following the country’s devastating earthquake.  In the notes, the Holy Father expressed the solidarity of the Church with the people of Haiti and the intention of Church institutions to do everything in their power to create a “better future.”

In separate letters sent on Jan. 16 to the President of Haiti, Rene Preval, and the president of the Haitian Catholic Bishops' Conference, Archbishop of Cap-Haitien Louis Kebreau, the Holy Father transmitted his "fervent prayer for all of the people touched by this dreadful catastrophe" and assured the presence of the Catholic Church in providing continued assistance to the tragedy’s victims.

He expressed his prayer that God take the deceased into "the peace of his Kingdom," especially Archbishop Serge Miot "who shared the fate of so many of his faithful."  The Pontiff also asked for consolation for the families of victims, "who, often, haven't been able to give a decent burial to their disappeared loved ones."

The Holy Father hailed the quick response of the international community in coming to the aid of the Haitian people and assured President Preval of the Catholic Church's intentions to stay beside those affected by the disaster and to do everything possible to help give them a “better future.”

In the letter to the archbishop, the Pope also pledged the continued presence of the Catholic Church in providing emergency aid and "patient" reconstruction in devastated areas.  He then entrusted the hearts of the people to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, that she direct them to choose solidarity over isolation.