We recently received a request from the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, asking all dioceses in our country to take up a special collection to provide humanitarian relief and pastoral support for those who are suffering the current wave of violence in the Middle East.
In response to this request, I ask that all our parishes take up a Special Collection for the Middle East in the weekend Masses of Sept. 13-14, 2014.
These funds will be used by Catholic Relief Services and other Catholic agencies working in partnership with the local Church to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs facing the people in Iraq, Gaza, Syria, and surrounding countries where refugees have fled. These organizations have well-established partnerships with the Catholic Church in the region which allow them to respond quickly and efficiently to victims in some of the hardest-to-reach areas. Collection funds will also be used to support Church programs to aid persecuted Christians and to respond to rebuilding needs of Catholic dioceses in the impacted areas.
We mourn the terrible suffering of our Christian brothers and sisters and other innocent victims of the violence in the Middle East. They urgently need the assistance of the Catholic community of the United States. Thank you for your response to their suffering.