October 21, 2011
Anonymous donor offers to match $25,000 for CRS Horn of Africa relief effort
By PAUL R. LEINGANG (Message editor)
An anonymous donor associated with St. Anthony church in Evansville will match up to $25,000 in contributions to Catholic Relief Services, in effect doubling the gift to $50,000.
CRS provides relief services around the globe, with a current emergency emphasis on the Horn of Africa — in Somalia and bordering areas where famine, drought in some areas and flooding in others, starvation and disease have brought death and destruction on a scale nearly impossible to measure. As many as 10 to 12 million people are in need of aid, according to relief workers and non-governmental agencie.
“I hope we can match the $25,000 and be able to help a lot of people who are starving,” said Father Jay Davidson, parish pastor. At his request, CRS sent Resurrectionist Father Jerry Watt to St. Anthony, to preach at Masses over the past weekend.
Father Watt -- whose experience includes parish ministry in the midwest, mission work in Mexico and health caare as a physician’s assistant — has visited Mali to learn about CRS efforts.
Between Masses at St. Anthony, Father Watt said whatever the amount of the contributions made, “it will be helpful.”
He hoped that “people who heard [the request for donations] will have their consciousness raised, too.”
The Horn of Africa was included in the prayers of Pope Benedict XVI in mid-July, at his Sunday Angelus.
The United Nations de-clared two areas of Somalia as officially in drought, the first such declaration by the U.N in two decades.
Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Bishop Gerald F. Kicanas, CRS chairman, August 10 asked the bishops of the United States to encourage pastors and parishioners to support emergency relief efforts in the Horn of Africa, possibly by taking up a second collection.
“Every day we are seeing more and more heartbreaking news about the drought and famine in Somalia and the eastern parts of Africa. We see millions of people being forced from their homes, leaving behind what meager possessions they had, and walking for days over rough terrain,” wrote Archbishop Dolan and Bishop Kicanas.
Father Watt said the border areas of Kenya needed assistance as well, as tens of thousands of refugees crowd into camps and emergency shelters.
Father Watt said his message to the people at Mass was intended to raise awareness of the need, to ask for prayers, and to invite people to share what they have.
Contributions may be made to Catholic Relief Services. To be counted toward the matching grant, contributions must be made through St. Anthony Church.
Contact Father John Davidson at 812-423-5209 or email jdavidson@evdio.org.