Haitians in tent camp give thanks, place future in God’s hands
Catholic san Francisco Northern California’s Weekly Catholic Newspaper
By Dennis Sadowski PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CNS) – With words of praise to God in a melodic song that carried over the din of thousands of people, Dolce Rochelle let it be known to anyone who cared that no matter the challenge, she was doing just fine. One of an estimated 50,000 people living in makeshift shelters of sheets, blankets and plastic tarps on what was once a golf course at the Petionville Club, Rochelle passes her days singing and selling goods for a friend out of her tent. “I like to praise God,” she said, a smile gracing her face. Rochelle, her husband and daughter lost everything – their home in the Delmas neighborhood, their few possessions, and their way of life – Jan. 12 during a magnitude 7 earthquake. “I’ve got hope because in what happened, my family and I didn’t die,” she said in an interview with Catholic News Service. In a world where the future remains uncertain, Rochelle and many others camped out at the Petionville Club expressed a great deal of hope that God will help them survive. The U.S. bishops’ Catholic Relief Services has worked with the United Nations and the U.S. military to turn the informal gathering of people into a formal camp. A two-week supply of food was delivered recently, and 40,000 shelter kits were to be delivered this week (Feb. 1-5), said Lane Harthill, CRS spokesman in Port-au-Prince. The effort, among the largest in the agency’s history, has kept most people from going hungry. Such an enormous undertaking has not gone unnoticed by Haitians in the camp. Because food and water supplies remain steady, camp residents are able to focus on other needs: raising income, education and recreation. Ernsot Dormeil has been at the camp almost since people started claiming spots on the golf course – far from the danger of still-teetering structures – only hours after the earthquake. A civil engineer by profession, Dormeil, 29, is spending his HAITIAN TENT CAMP, page 9
(CNS PHOTO/BOB ROLLER)
People walk among tents at the makeshift camp on the Petionville Club golf course in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. An estimated 50,000 people were living at the camp after the Jan. 12 earthquake that left up to 1 million homeless.
Church has right to bring Gospel values to public debate, pope says By Carol Glatz VATICAN CITY (CNS) – Catholic teaching and the truths of the Gospel have a right to be heard in public debate, especially in a country where so many people claim to be Christian, Pope Benedict XVI told the bishops of England and Wales. However, the Church must recognize dissent within its own ranks and not accept it as being part of a balanced discussion, he said Feb. 1 in an address to bishops. Referring to the Equality Bill under debate in Britain’s Parliament, the pope said some legislation designed to guarantee equal opportunity for all people actually would impose “unjust limitations on the freedom of religious communities to act in accordance with their beliefs.”
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Catholic bishops have said the bill means churches could be sued by anyone who was turned away as a candidate for the priesthood on grounds of gender or sexual lifestyle. A recent vote in Britain’s House of Lords, however, supported an amendment that protected the existing rights of churches to insist that clergy and high-profile lay employees live in a manner consistent with Christian moral teaching. Pope Benedict urged the bishops to continue defending Church teaching in the public realm, adding that they have a right “to participate in national debate through respectful dialogue with other elements in society.” By being vocal participants in public discussion, the bishops are maintaining Britain’s long-standing tradition of freedom of expression and are giving voice to the
similar beliefs held by many people who are unable to express them, he said. “When so many of the population claim to be Christian, how could anyone dispute the Gospel’s right to be heard?” the pope asked. “Fidelity to the Gospel in no way restricts the freedom of others – on the contrary, it serves their freedom by offering them the truth,” he said. To bring a coherent, convincing message to the people, the church must ensure the Catholic community speaks with one voice, he added. In a culture that encourages the expression of a wide variety of opinions, the pope said, “it is important to recognize dissent for what it is, and not to mistake it for a mature contribution to a balanced and wide-ranging debate.”
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S EDITION Universities, bishops . . . . . . 3 News in brief. . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Scripture & reflection. . . . . 14 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Haiti Journal . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
“The Archbishop’s Hour” with San Francisco Archbishop George H. Niederauer airs each Friday morning at 9 a.m. on Immaculate Heart Radio – 1260 AM in the Bay Area. Repeat broadcasts air Friday evening at 9 p.m., Sunday at 11 a.m., and Monday at 9 p.m.
New Parish Center at St. Stephen’s ~ Page 6 ~ February 5, 2010
VA hospital chaplain brings Christ to Vets ~ Pages 10-11 ~
Guest commentary by Datebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 New York Archbishop Classified ads, services . 19-20 ~ Page 12 ~ www.catholic-sf.org
ONE DOLLAR
VOLUME 12
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No. 5