Urgent appeal for support in Lebanon—Joint call for help and prayers, with the support of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).
Press release – Highlights – full press release at the bottom of this article, in PDF format.
Montreal, 15 October —With the support of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Aid to the Church in Need Canada (ACN), Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) Canada, and Development and Peace ― Caritas Canada (DPCC) are launching an appeal for prayers and generosity to support the most urgent needs of people in Lebanon, following the bombardments in the country that have already claimed hundreds of innocent lives.
“With the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel now having spread into Lebanon, causing further death, destruction and displacement, let us, the Catholic faithful in Canada, renew our prayers for peace in the Middle East, as urged by Pope Francis, and do whatever we can to help the people who are affected by this recent escalation in violence,” says the Most Rev. William T. McGrattan, Bishop of Calgary and President of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB).
Echoing Caritas Lebanon, Most Rev. McGrattan says,
“There are people in Lebanon who urgently need our help at this time. That is why, in my capacity as CCCB president, I invite you to donate either to Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) Canada, to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA) Canada, or to Development and Peace—Caritas Canada (DPCC).” He adds, “Each of these organizations will work with local agencies in Lebanon to ensure your donations bring targeted and effective relief to those who are suffering.
Marie-Claude Lalonde, National Director of ACN Canada; Dr. Adriana Bara, National Director of CNEWA Canada; and Luke Stocking, interim Executive Director of DPCC, are launching a joint appeal for help for the Lebanese people: “Your donations and prayers will be a great comfort to the shaken population.”
The directors explain that funds received will be used towards food, medical supplies, shelter, and other essential goods now and, in the months to come, to meet the basic needs of the affected population. With winter just around the corner, heating assistance will also become important. When the conflict subsides, which they hope will happen as soon as possible, the focus will move to the reconstruction of the buildings and, above all, the healing of all those who are traumatized.
Finally, we call on our benefactors to pray for an end to the violence, not only in Lebanon, but throughout the Holy Land and Middle East,” implore the directors, adding, “We echo Pope Francis’s call for a ceasefire, which is a necessary first step toward a just and peaceful resolution of this conflict.”
To donate :
Read the full press release:
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