Vietnamese archbishop urges help for flood victims
Thursday, 13 November 2008 11:14 - Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Hanoi has urged local Catholics to donate generously to victims of the worst floods the capital and other northern provinces have experienced in 40 years.
The archbishop also asked the faithful "to take part actively in flood prevention work, rebuild or repair river dykes and save people in their areas".
In a letter to the Hanoi Archdiocese, Archbishop Kiet invoked God's blessing on "all of you who passionately love and help victims in this difficult time".
Vietnam's central Flood and Storm Prevention Committee reported that recent heavy rains caused the worst flooding since 1968 in Hanoi and 16 northern provinces. The disaster claimed 84 lives, including 22 in the capital, with five people still missing. Floodwaters also damaged nearly £249 million worth of crops, cattle, livestock, bridges, houses, roads and dykes.
The committee reported that in the capital alone nearly 23,000 homes were flooded.
The archbishop said: "Priests should urgently appeal for donations in their parishes.
Lay brothers and sisters should make generous donations to assist flood victims to overcome these difficult challenges."
Archbishop Kiet and six priests have visited people in the parishes of Thai Ha and Thinh.
Redemptorist Father Pierre Nguyen Van Khai said that Archbishop Kiet had to pull his trouser legs up, use walking sticks and wade thigh-deep through floodwater to visit people in Thai Ha, where a student drowned after being washed away.
Fr Khai said the archbishop consoled victims and offered them money or instant noodles. The priest added that the following day the archbishop also sent some priests to visit and offer food to people in the Dong Chiem parish, nearly 40 miles from the capital.
Meanwhile, in blogs, many local residents condemned government authorities for blaming one another and doing nothing until five days after the flooding.
(Source: http://www.totalcatholic.com/tc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=362:vietnam-archbishop-urges-help-for-flood-victims&catid=15:world&Itemid=35 )
Thursday, 13 November 2008 11:14 - Archbishop Joseph Ngo Quang Kiet of Hanoi has urged local Catholics to donate generously to victims of the worst floods the capital and other northern provinces have experienced in 40 years.
The archbishop also asked the faithful "to take part actively in flood prevention work, rebuild or repair river dykes and save people in their areas".
In a letter to the Hanoi Archdiocese, Archbishop Kiet invoked God's blessing on "all of you who passionately love and help victims in this difficult time".
Vietnam's central Flood and Storm Prevention Committee reported that recent heavy rains caused the worst flooding since 1968 in Hanoi and 16 northern provinces. The disaster claimed 84 lives, including 22 in the capital, with five people still missing. Floodwaters also damaged nearly £249 million worth of crops, cattle, livestock, bridges, houses, roads and dykes.
The committee reported that in the capital alone nearly 23,000 homes were flooded.
The archbishop said: "Priests should urgently appeal for donations in their parishes.
Lay brothers and sisters should make generous donations to assist flood victims to overcome these difficult challenges."
Archbishop Kiet and six priests have visited people in the parishes of Thai Ha and Thinh.
Redemptorist Father Pierre Nguyen Van Khai said that Archbishop Kiet had to pull his trouser legs up, use walking sticks and wade thigh-deep through floodwater to visit people in Thai Ha, where a student drowned after being washed away.
Fr Khai said the archbishop consoled victims and offered them money or instant noodles. The priest added that the following day the archbishop also sent some priests to visit and offer food to people in the Dong Chiem parish, nearly 40 miles from the capital.
Meanwhile, in blogs, many local residents condemned government authorities for blaming one another and doing nothing until five days after the flooding.
(Source: http://www.totalcatholic.com/tc/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=362:vietnam-archbishop-urges-help-for-flood-victims&catid=15:world&Itemid=35 )