The biggest earthquake to hit Japan since records began 140 years ago has devastated the country’s northeast coast and triggered a tsunami warning for the whole of the Pacific basin.
Caritas Japan is mobilizing to respond to the 10 metre tsunami that struck in the region of the Diocese of Sendai today.
“A tsunami has hit our people. Is a tidal wave has come to overwhelm our lives. We are still in shock over what has happened,” Father Koichi Otaki of the Diocese of Niigata told Fides. “The news is mixed, but the diocese most affected is that of Sendai. Our Bishop, Bishop Isao Kikuchi, President of Caritas Japan, ensures us that as the Japanese Catholic community, though very small, we will not walk away from our commitment and our solidarity with the victims.”
“The tsunami reminds us of the precariousness of life. Solidarity and assistance to the victims will certainly be our Lenten commitment,” says the priest.
A ten-meter tsunami struck the coast of Sendai, the capital of the prefecture of Miyagi in north-eastern Japan, following several violent earthquakes registered off the coast of Japan. Bishop Kikuchi is invested in the emergency.
He had just returned to Japan after a meeting of Caritas Asia in Bangkok, where the Assembly elected a new president of Caritas Asia. The appointment will be ratified by the General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis in May in Rome.
Caritas Asia’s Fr Bonnie Mendes said: “We are in constant contact with the Caritas Japan, which is monitoring the situation, the damage and the victims. We hope that there are not too many casualties. We expect to have a better understanding of the situation of displaced persons and their need to plan an emergency intervention.”
SOURCE: Fides, agencies
Peace of Christ be with you.
In the advent of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan our prayers are with you during these testing times.
We will be saying special prayer for the families in Japan that God provides comfort to those who have lost their loved ones. We also pray that God assists in removing the potential danger on the nuclear reactor that is threatening more lives in Japan.
God Bless
I pray for strength and hope for all in Japan and wish to extend any aid that I can help remotely to support your work. My heart reaches out to you and feel your pain.
We would like to help Caritas Japan to assist the victims of the current crisis. To whom may we address our cheque (Canadian funds), so that our donation will go toward helping the Japanese people. Thank You.
That would be a good occasion to take some lead off the streets.
You don’t have a donate now button. I understand that due to the dreadful circumstances, you may not be able to accept donations, but to whom should donations be sent.
My heart is with you and I hope all is well
I would like to contribute to help my brothers and sisters in Japan.
I would like to send money via my credit card to Caritas Japan. Judith Clark
God bless Japanese. I am very admire Japanese. Reaking the story of young, adult. eldely Japanese. I thing not any people in the world can be compared with Japanese. I want to donate dirrect to Caritas Japan. How can I donate.. My haart and my pray with you all
As a legionary, I leave up Japan and her people at daily mass, to ask God the almighty, to give them strength, courage,hope and perserverance. Mother Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, hear and intercede for us. I would like to contribute via online. Please let me know how to go about it.
（＾o＾）Everybody can donate here:
Japan Earthquake Emergency Appeal
http://www.caritas.jp/english/index.html
Caritas Japan has launched a national donation campaign and is working closely with dioceses to support those affected by the earthquake and tsunami which hit the northern coast of Japan on 11 march.
For donations from abroad, please contact secretariat@caritas.jp
Or go to this site:
Make a donation to: Earthquake in Japan 2011
https://secure.caritas.org/donation.aspx?DonationTo=E&Emergency=34