CRS Update on Haiti, Number 2

Please see below a message and second update on CRS' efforts in Haiti:

Friends,

Thank you for your continued prayers and donations for the people of Haiti. Attached is a second report with information about how Catholics in the U.S. are responding to the needs of our Haitian brothers and sisters through Catholic Relief Services. We continue to be awed by the outpouring of support from around the country.

As you look for resources on Haiti, CRS has lesson plans and prayer services available at http://education.crs.org. These resources can be included in your Food Fast to add a special focus on Haiti.

Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you again for your support of Catholic Relief Services.

Best,
Jennifer

Jennifer Swope
Catholic Relief Services - U.S. Operations
228 W. Lexington Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-951-7265 (direct)
800-235-2772 x7265 (toll free)


Special Report #2

Haiti’s Reality
CRS has worked in Haiti for over 50 years. Even before the devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake, Haiti was a country in need. The nation is the poorest in the Western Hemisphere with 80 percent of the population falling below the poverty line. Estimates are 150,000 people were killed and 800,000 were left homeless.

Latest News from CRS/Caritas Haiti
"It may look to many in the rest of the world that those in need are not receiving any aid, but actually thousands here in Port-au-Prince are getting help," said Karel Zelenka, the CRS country representative in Haiti.

To date, CRS has:

• Provided food to 74,458 people, and non-food items to 15,692 people, distributing an average of 62 metric tons of food per day.
• Sent in medical teams that are treating 300 people per day.
• Supported 2,500 people at Missionaries of Charity centers.

For up-to-date information visit www.crs.org or crs-blog.org.

The U.S. Catholic Community Responds
Examples of the enormous compassion and generosity of the U.S. Catholic community:
CRS has received $26 million in cash donations and commitments.
Parishes are reporting extremely generous second collections for Haiti, such as Our Lady Queen of Peace in Arlington, VA, which raised 7 times the normal second collection. Oakland Cathedral in California held a benefit choral concert.
Hundreds of Catholic parishes with twinning relationships in Haiti are using social networks to help. St. Brendan’s in Cumming, GA organized a "virtual prayer circle" for Haiti.
Catholic universities, such as Notre Dame and Catholic University, responded immediately by setting up special websites. Others held special masses, prayer services and concerts. Seattle University students cancelled a previously planned trip to Haiti and are now raising funds. Basketball teams at Assumption College in Worchester, MA organized a half-time raffle. The Newman Center at Minnesota State University is organizing a benefit Valentine’s Day dinner. More stories…
Catholic youth and schools are responding with prayers and fundraisers such as dress down days wearing the Haiti colors of red and blue. Some have contributed money in lieu of lunch snacks or are holding Raise Money Right chocolate fundraisers. Many teachers are using a CRS lesson plan to teach about Haiti.

How You Can Help
Visit: www.crs.org for prayers, resources and information about the Haiti Earthquake. See us on Facebook.
Call: 877-Help-CRS (877-435-7277) or Text RELIEF to 25383 to donate $10 on your phone bill.
Mail: Catholic Relief Services, Attn: Haiti Earthquake, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090
Advocate: Join the Catholics Confront Global Poverty legislative network to advocate for issues including international assistance reform, relieving Haiti’s debt, and help for Haitian refugees.
Please share this with other Catholics interested in responding to the Haiti earthquake relief effort.

Parish Bulletin Announcement
Weekend of January 30-31

Haiti Earthquake Update from CRS
Generous contributions from Catholics across the country to Catholic Relief Services are helping thousands of Haitians after the devastating earthquake on January 12th. CRS has provided food and other emergency supplies to more than 90,000 people through two large sites and parish distribution sites across Port-au-Prince. CRS medical teams are treating 300 per day. For more information on CRS relief efforts in Haiti as well as prayer resources, educational resources, and information on how you can help with the long-term rebuilding process, go to www.crs.org.

High School Snow Adventure - INVITE FROM ST. ANTHONY'S

Please see the message below from Joy Galvez, Coordinator of Youth Ministry at St. Anthony Parish in Renton. If you are interested, please contact Joy at jgalvez@st-anthony.cc, she has a flyer that she can send you for tweaking for use in your own parish. Please note that the deadline on the flyer is so that you can meet the deadline for letting Joy know your numbers on February 10th.

Hi All!!!

Our group does an annual snow inner tubing trip at Snoqualmie on President’s Day (fine, it is just my 2nd year at St. Anthony’s) and last year Dave (St. Bernadette’s) and I teamed up to bring a group. If you would like to team up (for the group discount) please let me know and I’d be happy to submit the payment (and you could cut a check to St. Anthony’s). I would just need to know numbers by Feb. 10th (that’s the latest).

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

High School Snow Adventure
February 15, 2010
Who: You, in grades 9 – 12
What: Inner Tubing Fun at Snoqualmie!
A fun time of tubing, friends, & snow!
When: February 15 – Presidents’ Day (Monday)
Where: Snoqualmie Summit Tubing Park
Why: Because we all deserve to have some fun!
Cost: $20 (Covers the tube rental, ticket & transportation)
What to wear: Layers of warm clothes, winter coat, gloves, hat & scarf!
7:15 am Meet in front of PARISH HALL
3:00 pm Return to St. Anthony’s
What to bring: A change of clothes, sack lunch or $$ for lunch

ALL FORMS ARE DUE FEBRUARY 8th by 4:30 pm
Questions? Please feel free to contact Joy Galvez, Youth Minister, at
(office) 425.277.6209, jgalvez@st-anthony.cc or (cell) 206.272.0373

ONE Week Dates/Locations for Junior High and High School

For more information about a particular site or for registering your group, please contact Britta Folden at 206.382.2010 and/or britta.folden@seattlearch.org. Please keep in mind that it will be first come, first served in filling these spots once registration materials are available. Your non-refundable deposit check per participant holds your spot until confirmation of numbers date...look for more information to come!

JUNIOR HIGH
July 18-23 - Hoquiam
August 1-6 - Forks
August 8-13 - Everett/Snohomish
August 15-20 - Seattle

HIGH SCHOOL
July 11-16 - Forks
July 25-30 - Seattle
August 1-6 - Hoquiam
August 8-13 - Bellingham - NOTE: changed dates

Update on Haitian Earthquake Response from CRS

Special Report: January 20, 2010

"I believe that our charity and the way in which we live this crisis will help increase our humanity. It will help us be more generous, open and available to each other, because the symbolic ways of living together has been destroyed."

-Bishop Pierre Dumas, President of Caritas Haiti

Latest News from Haiti
 CRS has committed $25 million to the emergency response and
rebuilding of Haiti.
 CRS has worked in Haiti, whose population is 80 percent
Catholic, for more than 50 years. The 313 staff of CRS in Haiti
started helping people within hours of the earthquake.
 Food is moving to people in need. CRS is arranging the
distribution of 2,100 metric tons of vegetable oil and grains from
the USAID for Food for Peace program.
 The CRS/Caritas team helped the St. Francois de Sales Hospital
open three operating rooms which are now up and running.
 For the most up to date information visit http://www.crs.org or the
CRS blog. http:/crs-blog.org/
US Catholics Respond
Over the past week, the US Catholic community has poured out compassion for the people of Haiti. Here are just a few examples:
 Catholics and other people of goodwill have donated $16.5 million to CRS for Haiti relief to date. Dozens of dioceses have held or will hold a special collection for Haiti.
 Social media has helped many CRS supporters express their compassion. CRS Facebook Fans have shared the link to www.crs.org on their profile page.
 Thirty priests and deacons who are CRS Global Fellows are preaching in parishes nationwide. Hundreds of local pastors have focused their homilies on our gospel response to those in need in Haiti.
 Schools and youth groups are finding creative ways to raise funds for Haiti. For example, youth groups are dedicating funds from their CRS Food Fast events to Haiti relief. Seaton Keough High School in Baltimore and Holy Cross School in Rumson, NJ organized school-wide dress down days, the latter raising nearly $19,000 in one day.

For youth/educator resources visit: http://education.crs.org/

Pray and Give

Visit: www.crs.org for prayers, resources and information about the Haiti Earthquake.
Call: 877-Help-CRS (877-435-7277) to give.
Mail: Catholic Relief Services, Attn: Haiti Earthquake, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090

Please share this with other Catholics interested in responding to the Haiti earthquake relief effort.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

A few quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr. to ponder on this holiday:

"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
from Strength to Love, 1963

"Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it."

Let us stand up and let our love be the voice of others who don't have a voice, let our standing bear witness to what is just and let us be at once the rock of foundation and the light for the world.

JUNIOR HIGH RALLY FLYER and LEADERS PACKET

The Junior High Rally flyer will be back from the printer on Tuesday after 12pm and it will be mailed out (along with the Leaders Packet) on that day with a default of 30 copies per parish.

If you...
...need more flyers
...or would like to pick them up on Tuesday or Wednesday in order to have them for youth night on Wednesday night,
...or if you would like Tauno to bring them to our meeting for you on Thursday, January 21st,

please contact Britta Folden at 206.382.2010 or britta.folden@seattlearch.org on or before Tuesday at 12pm and she will hold them out of the mailing process.

Haitian Earthquake - NFCYM resources

In addition to the resources and information from CRS, here are some additional from the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry.

"To Save A Life" - Movie with a message - SCREENING?

I have received some promo and curriculum materials as well as a DVD for pre-screening the movie, "To Save A Life" for youth leaders with its release on the weekend of January 22-24. If you are interested in finding out more about the movie, please go the web page at www.ToSaveALifeLeaders.com. Would you be interested in coming to view the movie here at the office in the next couple of weeks? Please let me know and we will try and schedule.

Haitian Earthquake - Resources for working with communities to respond

Another note from Jeanine Boucher-Colbert.

Please go to the CRS Education Website, to view parish resources, prayer resources and lesson plans. This is an “unimaginable tragedy” as Obama just said, that we can all respond to through prayer and giving. http://education.crs.org/

Haiti - Message from CRS West Youth Programs Organizer, Jeanine Boucher-Colbert

Below is a message from CRS West Youth Programs Organizer, Jeanine Boucher-Colbert. Please share as appropriate with your communities.


Dear friends,

It is rare that I personally send out a update on a global emergency, as I know we can all get overwhelmed at the world’s needs. Yet, the earthquake in Haiti is beyond words and needs a “hemispheric response,” as one person said last night. We are called to stand in solidarity in a very strong way today. Please pray at the very minimum for Haiti’s people and for CRS and the other NGOs responding to this catastrophic disaster. Attached (Ed. Note: see below) is an emergency update, prayer and where to send any financial help possible. Please send this around widely. CRS has been working closely with the Haitian church for decades and has a great record in responding to disasters because of that. Mass is being held as we speak at our Headquarters in Baltimore as emergency teams are being mobilized.

I had the great privilege to spend a couple weeks in Haiti a few years ago and was struck over and over at the incredible faith and Spirit in the Haitian people. I was also struck, despite having lived, volunteered and visited in many countries at the depth of their suffering. May the Spirit give the grace and strength they need, once again, to face this suffering and recover as a people.
Thank you so much.

Peace,
Jeanine

Jeanine Boucher-Colbert
Youth Program Organizer, CRS West
Office: 503-282-6406
Cell: 503-250-2989
5404 NE Mallory
Portland, OR 97211




January 12, 2010
Emergency Brief 1; Haiti Earthquake

Situation: A 7.0 magnitude earthquake has ravaged the island nation of Haiti. The quake occurred 10 miles southwest of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince just before 5pm EST (Haiti is also on EST). Port-au-Prince, with a population of over 2 million, has been devastated. CRS Country Representative Karel Zelenka reports that “Port-au-Prince was covered with a plume of dust from damaged buildings. We should be prepared for many thousands of dead and injured.”

The CRS offices were shaken, with some damage to the compound walls, but there were no injuries in the building. Two CRS staff members remain unaccounted for. Communication with Haiti remains very difficult.

There are also recently confirmed reports that the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot, was a victim of the quake. The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Port-au-Prince has sustained severe damage.


CRS Response:
CRS has made an initial commitment of 5 million dollars for immediate use in the relief effort. Our agency is geared up for a major emergency response to this severe disaster. CRS is mobilizing food and gearing up our emergency capacity, and deploying prepositioned emergency shelter and hygiene kits in Haiti, as well as bringing supplies in from the neighboring Dominican Republic.


From the Field:
Karel Zelenka, CRS Country Representative in Haiti: “I’ve been in earthquakes before. This was a major hit. And it was direct. Thousands must be dead.”

CRS in the News:

From the Washington Post:
"People are out in the streets, crying, screaming, shouting," Karel Zelenka, director of the Catholic Relief Services office in Haiti, said Tuesday night. "They see the extent of the damage," he said, but could do little to rescue people trapped under rubble because night had fallen.
"There are a lot of collapsed buildings," Zelenka said in a telephone interview from Port-au-Prince. "This will be a major, major disaster."
He reported that poorly constructed shantytowns and other buildings had crumbled in huge clouds of dust. Near the CRS headquarters, a supermarket was "completely razed," he said, and a gasoline station and a church were reduced to rubble.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/13/AR2010011300320_2.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2010011300336

Prayer

God of all creation, as we weep with our family in Haiti, console us.
In this time of crisis, open our eyes to look beyond the disaster
to see Christ in our brothers and sisters in Haiti, as Christ sees us.
Be with us as we stand in solidarity with those living and working in Haiti.
Be with us in our mourning and guide our efforts to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, comfort the grieving and stand for justice.
With your mercy, sustain us at this time as we continue to work for peace and justice.
Amen.

For our Brothers and Sisters in Haiti Affected by the Earthquake

Lord, hear our prayer.
For the Haitian people, that help comes to them quickly and comfort comes to those who hurt.
Lord, hear our prayer.
For the lost or buried, that they are found and reunited with their loved ones.
Lord, hear our prayers.
For the relief workers, that they have the tools they need, the courage and the strength to respond fully.
Lord, hear our prayers.
For the families in Haiti and in the United States who are waiting to hear from loved one, that good news comes to them.
Lord, hear our prayers.
For those whose who have perished, may their souls rest with you, oh Lord, where they will find eternal love.
Amen.

How to Help:
Donate via phone: 1-877-HELP-CRS
Donate online: www.crs.org
Write a check: Catholic Relief Services
P.O. Box 17090
Baltimore, Maryland 21203-7090
Memo portion of check: Haiti Earthquake

Information for Church Bulletins:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS), the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, is responding to victims of the massive earthquake in Haiti. To donate, please call 1-877-HELP-CRS, donate online at www.crs.org or send a check to Catholic Relief Services, P.O. Box 17090, Baltimore, MD 21203-7090. In the memo portion of your check, please write: Haiti Earthquake

For more information go to crs.org and crsespanol.org

LOCATION FOR NEXT REGION II MEETING - ST. ANTHONY, RENTON; THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2009

The next Region II meeting from 5-8:30pm (including optional simple meal) will be held at St. Anthony, Renton where we will be located in the current teacher's lounge (Old Chapel). Access can be gained from the front or back entrances to St. Anthony School which is located at 336 Shattuck Ave. S. 98057. Any day of meeting questions, please page Tauno at 206.344.9119. Thanks!

March for Life - Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Greetings all!

I know that many of you are already planning on participating in the "March for Life" rally and events next Tuesday. What you may or may not be aware of is that St. Michael's, Olympia is hosting a Mass prior to the march and a luncheon afterwards for those that participate.

Fr. Jim Lee and Dave Whitesell have also forwarded an outline of a sample note to schools for the purpose of getting excused absences for any students who attend. Feel free to cut and paste and put on your parish letterhead as appropriate.

If you have more questions or would like to RSVP for the luncheon please contact Dave Whitesell at 360∙754∙4667 x106 or at dwhitesell@saintmichaelparish.org




MARCH FOR LIFE

On Tuesday, January 19th, 2010, the annual March for Life will be held at the Capitol at Noon. St. Michael parishioners will participate in the march as a witness to our faith that all life is sacred from conception to natural death.

The March draws people from all over the state and from many different faith communities. They come each year on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that decriminalized abortion, as a reminder that the unborn have not been forgotten.

At 10:00 a.m., the same morning, a Mass will be held at St. Michael to celebrate life. Many people will attend the Mass, then walk or ride in vans to the Capitol. A luncheon will be provided after the March in our Gathering Space around 1p.

This is an opportunity for your child to participate in an active gesture of faith to the community. The schools in the area are willing to provide children with an excused absence when they attend activities based on their religious beliefs and active forms of community leadership. Please simply present this form and ask about an excused absence.

We hope that you will support your child’s interest in attending the Mass and the March this Wednesday.


David Whitesell Fr. Jim Lee




I give permission for my child, , to attend the Mass and March for Life on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010, from 10a to 3p.



Name (PRINT)


Signature Date

Youth Ministry Studies Program - Empower and Train Leadership!

Interested in gaining confidence in your role with youth? Do you need a way of gaining credibility, but don’t have the time for a degree?

Do you want to stabilize and grow youth ministry in your parish or school setting?

Need training for core team members or youth ministry leadership that will root them in effective philosophy and best practices of youth ministry?

A mailing is on the way to pastors/pastoral coordinators with a more detailed brochure and program information. If you did not receive one at your parish, please let Tauno know.

The Youth Ministry Studies program is a ministry education program for those in ministry with youth, ages 11 to 18, in both parish and school settings. It equips leaders with the knowledge, skills, practical tools and techniques needed for creative and comprehensive ministry with youth. Recognized by the Archdiocese, these programs provide a solid foundation in catechetical formation and a specialized education in ministry involving adolescent youth.

The program includes eight courses. The primary aim of the program is to promote personal, spiritual and ministerial growth. Participating leaders will experience confidence, competence and credibility in their roles in youth ministry.

Courses will be offered on the weekends at our office in Seattle. The first course, Principles of Youth Ministry is coming up on February 27 – 28th! Optional housing and meals will be covered by the cost of the program.

We went back to the weekend format so that volunteers and youth ministry leadership who have other commitments during the weekdays could participate. Please don't see this as for "only the people who get paid". This is an incredible way to invest in the youth ministry in your parish by broadening the scope of who is speaking the language and who is empowered to support and/or lead youth ministry in a comprehensive way. As always, please don't let cost prohibit participation, if financial concerns are an issue, please talk with Tauno (at 206.382.2019 or tauno.latvala@seattlearch.org) or with Britta Folden who coordinates the program for OYYAM (please see her contact information below) about scholarships.

Find out more about the Youth Ministry Studies program and the other dates on the new and improved OYYAM website here and learn more about the Center for Ministry Development here (there is a link on their main page on the bottom to find out more about this program).

Interested in signing up or getting more info? Contact Britta.Folden@SeattleArch.org.

Jr. High Rally Details...Flyers to be available in mid-January...

Registration brochures will be available mid January...

Junior High Rally 2010
DIVE DEEP!
Saturday, March 6th

Location
Highline Community College
S 240th & Pacific Hwy South
Des Moines, WA

Cost
$50 per person on or before February 22nd
$55 per person between February 22nd and March 5th
$60 per person at the door (no t-shirt)
No refund after March 1st

Special opportunity! For every youth a parish brings over the number they brought to Rally 2009, the cost is only $10 per youth!

Tauno will request the registration numbers from last year so if you are interested in verifying how many you had, please let him know. This is a great way to make the experience more affordable by spreading out the costs among your participants. For those of you that didn't bring youth participants last year, this is a SCREAMING deal.

Get some preliminary information into your bulletins, family folders and information kiosks so that people save the date and so you can recruit your team of chaperones...also know that as per our policy we will not be scheduling CYO Athletics for 6-9th graders for that Saturday so there will NOT be a conflict.

Please remember that you must choose between scholarship and this discount and that adult chaperones are required to register as participants and pay full price. Many parishes build chaperone cost into their "parish fee" if their budget doesn't allow for it.

Age
Participants must be in 6th through 9th grade

Meals
Meals are not included. Please bring a sack lunch/dinner or make plans to visit off-site restaurants. The on-campus college cafeteria will be open for purchase of food.

Tshirts
Each participant who registers by March 5th will receive a tshirt.
(Ed. note: Please pay particular attention to this. Because we have to order the t-shirts in advance and in an effort to keep sunk costs down, we try to be as close to actual registrations as possible, this is pretty important to be aware of. Thanks.)

Schedule
8:30am Registration Open (in Gym)
10:00am General Session I
11:15am Workshop I
12:15pm Lunch (on your own)
1:30pm General Session II
2:45pm Workshop II
4:00pm Mass
5:30pm Dinner (on your own)
7:30pm Dance & Games
9:00pm End and Depart

Next Region II Meeting - Thursday, January 21, 5-8:30pm

We are still finalizing the location and specific agenda so look for more information to come. We will gather for those that can for a simple meal starting at 5pm, with some time for networking, connecting and reflecting until the business portion of the meeting begins at 6:30pm.

In terms of general agenda, we will be calendaring for the rest of our gatherings up until summer (youth and young adult ministry leadership as well as ACCY) so please bring your calendars with you. We will also discuss ACCY so bring your thoughts and energy around that as well.

More information to come...