Diocesan Update - January 13, 2010

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

I am on my way home from the Province II Bishops Retreat . Here is our letter concerning Haiti and the earthquake devasation .

Declaration of the Bishops of the Second Province on the earthquake in Haiti.

The feast of St. Hilary of Poitiers, January 13, 2010, Elberon, New Jersey

We the Bishops of Province Two of The Episcopal Church were gathered for our annual retreat when we learned of the great earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Having spent our 2008 retreat in that country, we were already very conscious of the desperate situation of the Haitian people and of our Diocese of Haiti. This new disaster which has injured and killed so great a number touches us very deeply. Haiti is the poorest nation of the hemisphere and therefore the less able to cope with such a catastrophe.

Our brother Bishop Zaché Duracin had not been able to attend our retreat this year, and we learned with relief that he is unscathed. However, we have reports that his wife Marie-Édithe has been injured and their family home destroyed. It appears also that one of the Roman Catholic bishops of Port-au-Prince was killed when his office collapsed during the earthquake. Along with the great number of Haitian expatriates and all those who have loved ones and friends there, we await news of them with impatience and worry, including the Episcopal missionaries who do extraordinary work in that country.

We ask therefore that the faithful of our dioceses, as well as all people of good will, pray for this people devastated by yet another cataclysm, that they will know the mercy and comfort of the Holy Trinity. To support immediately our brother Bishop Duracin in the work of reconstruction, we pledge at least $10,000 from our own resources. We ask our members to join in these efforts by giving to Episcopal Relief and Development.

The efficiency of Episcopal Relief and Development in helping people in these crises is well known. They will update their website, www.er-d.org as they receive fresh information. They are currently accepting donations to the Haiti Fund ( https://www.er-d.org/donate-select.php) to support this assistance. 

The Diocese of Haiti is the largest in The Episcopal Church. The efforts of their clergy and laity to proclaim and live out the Good News of Jesus Christ have in the past earned our profound admiration. Now that they have suffered yet another calamity, may the Holy Spirit give us the strength and resources to meet their new needs.

Signed,

Bishop Gladstone Adams

Bishop Mark Beckwith

Bishop George Councell

Bishop William Love

Bishop Larry Provenzano

Bishop Prince Singh

Bishop Mark Sisk

Bishop Pierre Whalon

 

P.S. Our short term mission team from St. John’s, Troy is well and safe . The roads to Port-au-Prince are destroyed and so the team will be returning home via the Dominican Republic this Saturday. Please keep them in your prayers for a safe and expedious trip home and for their families who wait .

Faithfully in Christ Jesus ,

+Bill

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