Important Feature
Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, to people of good will. We praise You, we bless You, we worship You, we glorify You, we give You thanks for Your great glory, Lord God, heavenly King, Almighty God and Father; Lord Jesus Christ, only-Begotten Son of the Father: and You, O Holy Spirit. Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father: You take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. You are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.
Statement on Haiti Earthquake
My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
The blessing of the Lord be upon you all!
We are deeply saddened by the recent news of the devastation and loss of life in the nation of Haiti which occurred as a result of a major earthquake which struck that already impoverished and suffering country on Tuesday, January 12th, 2010. We ask God’s mercy and compassion upon the dead, the suffering, and upon those who have lost loved ones. May the Holy Spirit bring comfort, strength and hope to the survivors of this terrible tragedy as well as to those who are involved in rescue and assistance efforts.
I urge of all you to fervently pray for the people of Haiti: for those who have died, for the injured, for those searching for loved ones and for those who have rushed to the aid of the Haitian people in this, their time of trial and great suffering. What has happened in Haiti is a major catastrophe and a stark reminder of just how precious and fleeting human life is. None of us lives in a vacuum and when a tragedy like this occurs, it affects us all. As the children of God, we are called to help our brothers and sisters who are in need and suffering. Today, the people of Haiti need us and we must answer their cries for help.
In addition, I urge all the members of our Church, both here in the United States and in Sicily, to show true Orthodox Christian spirit and love by giving generously to the relief efforts in Haiti. In these difficult economic times I know how difficult it is to stretch that dollar, but this is a time for us to put our Faith into action. I ask all of us to look deep into our hearts and draw out from the well-spring of our compassion a sacrificial financial offering which will help a people whose suffering is beyond description and comprehension.
If you would like to make a donation through the Archdiocese of America and Canada, you can do so with the assurance that 100 percent of the funds collected will be forwarded to both International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS). Funds collected through the Archdiocese will be distributed to each of these organizations on a 50/50 basis. We will make sure that information about the collection and status of funds received through the Archdiocese is made available on our Archdiocesan website.
Those who wish to donate directly to a specific relief agency are strongly encouraged to utilize one of the following three Archdiocesan-approved organizations:
1. International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC)
www.iocc.org
2. Catholic Relief Services
www.crs.org
3. Caritas Internationalis
www.caritas.org
The three above named organizations are leaders in the field of disaster response and international aid and you have the assurance that 100% of your donation will go where it is intended to go.
May God open our hearts and may we be generous in our prayers and giving to our brothers and sisters in Haiti during their time of need.
With the assurance of my prayers, I remain,
Your unworthy servant and father in Christ,
+Stephen
Most Rev. Archbishop Stephen J. Enea
Archbishop of Siracusa and All Sicily
Metropolitan of the Americas and Canada of the Italo-Greeks
Bishop of Utica
Primate of the Italo-Greek Orthodox Church
December 31/January 13, 2010
Leavetaking of the Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ