MANILA -- The Diocese of Borongan on Friday requested its parish priests, particularly those in San Julian and Arteche, and chaplaincies to conduct donation campaigns for victims of Typhoon "Ursula" (Phanfone).
“In solidarity with our brothers and sisters in the diocese who were severely affected by the recent Typhoon Ursula. I would like to request that you conduct a Donations Campaign (in-cash and in-kind) in your respective parishes/chaplaincies,” said Bishop Crispin Varquez in a circular.
“The said donations can either be forwarded as soon as possible to our Diocesan Curia for distribution to our center of southern region parishes that were badly affected by the typhoon,” he added.
The Catholic prelate said the parishes can also distribute the donations themselves together with their parishioners.
“In case you opt to distribute the donations yourselves, please coordinate with the respective parish priests,” Varquez said.
He also informed them that the Diocesan Commission on Social Action-Justice and Peace is currently conducting post-calamity interventions.
At the same time, the head of the Borongan Diocese urged “to include in their prayers and masses the souls of those who died, the safety of those still missing, the healing of those who were wounded, and the immediate recovery of those who were affected”.
“Together let us entrust to Our Lady, the patroness of the diocese, all our own spiritual, and material needs; as we also include in our prayers and acts of mercy those outside the diocese who were affected by the recent calamity,” he added.
Meanwhile, Pope Francis on Thursday prayed for the people of the Philippines, who were hit by the typhoon on Christmas Day.
“I join in the pain that hit the dear population of the Philippines because of the typhoon Phanfone,” the pope said Dec. 26, at the end of his Angelus address, according to an article posted on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) news website.
The Holy Father also invited the 25,000 people present in St. Peter’s Square to pray a Hail Mary for the Filipino people, “whom I love so much”.
The typhoon struck Eastern and Western Visayas and southern Luzon. (PNA)
