Letter of Appeal: Turkey and Syria Earthquake

Dear Parishioners,

This week we have watched and listened, almost in unbelief, to reports of the result of devastating earthquake in Turkey and Northern Syria. The catastrophe is of such a magnitude that it is almost impossible to know how to help. Many charitable organisations, such as Trócaire, will, of course, seek our help in the coming days, but as our Parish, and our One World Group, have direct contacts with Northern Syria in the persons of Fr Fouad Nakhla, S.J., and Fr Tony O’Riordan, S.J. we will channel our funds directly to them. To this end, we will rely on the generous support of parishioners – on the weekend of 18^th/19^th February envelopes will be distributed at Mass and collected the following weekend.

For further information on the situation in Northern Syria the following links are useful:

• Jesuits in Ireland - Earthquake appeal from Jesuit Missions;
• Vatican News – JRS: Quake struck Syrians.

The following is a WhatsApp message which I received on Friday morning from Fr Fouad:

Hello my dear friend,

The situation is really difficult, and it becomes worse. A lot of people lost their homes and are not able to return. The weather is very cold, and we have had snow also. No one is prepared. No fuel in the country or electricity or gas.

I don’t know what to say. People couldn’t support another catastrophe and now they are facing a destructive earthquake! Pray for them to keep the courage and for us to have strength to stand with them.

We keep our friends, Fr Fouad and Fr Tony, and those with whom they work among, in our prayers.

Fr Eddie O’Donnell.