Links and Updates 22 January

I am actually starting this update for the fourth time now today - my laptop keeps crashing. Hopefully this time all will go smoothly.

The documentary screened last year on RTE called '100 dead people in my truck' featuring Gena and Fr Rick is being repeated tonight on RTE2 at 8:05.

I have received this update from Adele about Fondwa. I have banking details if anyone wants to donate.

'Thanks for your concern, your support and prayers. We have lost about 25 people in Fondwa including a member of the Sisters of St. Anthony of Fondwa: Sr. Odile Damus and a child of 2 years from the Fondwa Orphanage: Jude Dubic. They both died at the APF Guest Center which have been destroyed completely. Everything in Fondwa has gone. The infrastructure that we have built in 22 years: the Orphanage, the School, the APF Center, the Clinic, the Radio Station (Radyo Zetwal ) the Sisters' Convent, the buildings of the University of Fondwa ( 7 of them). Everything has gone. The epi-center of the earthquakewas in Fondwa, between Leogane and Jacmel. The big building of Pastor LucGuerrier has gone. The Roman Catholic Church in Fondwa has gone also. The Church of Philadelphie ( a Protestant Church) has gone with about 15 young people under the concrete blocs. The Spiritan have lost one Seminarian,Stephane Douge who died with 12 other Seminarians ( Oblates, Montfortans ) at CIFOR. CIFOR ( a theological school for religious in Port-au-Prince) is gone completely. The Cathedral of Port-au-Prince has gone also. TheArchbishop of Port-au-Prince, Mgr. Joseph Serge Miot died and will be buried on Saturday January 24. A big part of St. Martial College has gone, specially the Elementary Section which was also used as the Spiritan Pre-Noviciate House. All of the buildings of St. Martial are damaged alot. Our spiritan house in Senghor where I live with Fr. Patrick Eugene is seriously damaged. Our court-yard is used actually as a Refugee Center for about 200 victims of the earthquake. The other Spiritans are Ok. Fonkoze has lost 3 employees - one Branch ( Bizoton near Port-au-Prince) has gone and 6 other branches very damaged. The Central Office and the Port-au-Prince branch are among them. But the rest of us are alive and are in strongly in solidarity with the rest of the Country. Together, we can rebuild Fondwa andHaiti.'

I have the following update from Damien Moran 'Sr. Helen, Sr. Mary Hardiman and Sr. Eileen Davey are also fine, as are all the LSU nuns. As regards Fr. Nicholas, the parish priest, I don't know, but I'm sure we would have heard by now if there were any serious casualties from the Montfortan community. The compound seemingly suffered a few cracks. They are currently sleeping outside and trying to take care of the kids' (100) nutritional needs. I was told that Helen was busy doing hospital visits but there was no. info abou who she was visiting. The info. I got was quite scant as it seems the info the nuns in Banagher got was also minimal. They have had no direct contact with Helen or any of the Port-au-Prince community since this all started. They have nuns in Gonaives who they have been able to contact once from what I know.'

There is a mass on Sunday the 24th for the People of Haiti in Whitefriar Street Carmalite Church at 4pm. All are welcome and if anyone would like to contribute I have the contact details.

I received the link for this on-line petition 'The work ahead to recover from this tragedy is immense. So here's our goal: $890 million for Haiti. That’s how much Haiti owes to the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, and a handful of others.
Sign the petition below to ask Haiti's creditors to act quickly and cancel Haiti's debts:
http://one.org/international/actnow/haiti/index.html?rc=upgradeaidmailto
As Haiti begins to rebuild we can help by lifting this debt.'

Garda Club gig on tomorrow night 8:30 entry ten euro. All proceeds to NPFS Haiti.

Also worth attending is DUBLIN MUSICAL SOCIETIES FOR HAITI AT THE BURLINGTON HOTELON SUNDAY 31ST JANUARY 2010 AT 8PM Tickets: €20
Book now! Call or text: 087 2063309.

There is a Folk benefit concert for Haiti on the 3rd Febuary with Tommy Sands. Email seanpoboyle@hotmail.com or call call 087 6398571 for details. I don't have full details as I didn't get the flyer but if anyone wants to forward it to me I'll post full details.