It’s hard to believe that most of the promises of help and support that the world’s nations offered after the tragic earthquake in Haiti were never fulfilled. In January, and for a few weeks following the devastation there were offers and promises of all kinds of help. “We care,” said the world, and, “we will help. We Promise!!!!” Well this summer CNN checked out all those promises and discovered they were mostly empty.  For a report on CNN’s investigation, read catholic online’s recent post: Majority of the financial aid to Haiti never arrives. 

If you donated to the Haitian Emergency Relief campaign supported by Development and Peace, you have no need to worry about your money being used to provide help. Twenty Million dollars was collected from Catholics across Canada, and Development and Peace has provided continuous updates on how the funds have been, and are being used: Development and Peace Monthly Reports on Haiti.

BBC News – Brazil man accused of nun murder ‘back in jail’

“For so many, the need to belong is strong but the search can be discouraging and lonely. One may feel isolated, unsure whether there is a place of love and nurturing for them. They do not feel at home anywhere, or with anyone. There is no place at a table for them. Their isolation can be anguishing; their spirit diminished. Every person has a need to belong.” This is a quote from The Downtown Chapel Web Site by one of the priests (Fr. Bob Loughery) who serves this community in Portland Oregon. This Site and ministry certainly deserve a visit, and I especially recommend the Christmas Portrait Slide Show for those of you who are visual. Please visit the site (Downtown Chapel) for more videos, the priest’s blogs, and this very special ministry in the downtown core of Portland, Oregon by the Holy Cross Fathers. It is a very special gift to help one begin the New Year with the blessing of hope.

Read more in my homily for Second Sunday of Advent – Year C: Link

Visit Development and Peace to hear, see, and learn more, and to help by sending an internet message of
support. Earlier this fall, delegates of Development and Peace and a group of Canadian Bishops visited a number of partners in Burundi and witnessed the complex challenges that continue to face the country. The situation in Burundi
• It is estimated that 400,000 lives have been lost over the last 16 years due to civil war and ethnic violence.
• Sixty percent of Burundi’s population are children, many of whom have lost their parents.
• There are 400,000 refugees trying to return to their country and rebuild their lives.

A Canadian delegation from Development and Peace, the Canadian Bishops, and The Catholic Women’s League Of Canada are determined to put AFRICA ON THE MAP. For too long Africa has been ignored and they are determined to do something about it. For more information visit: Here

This is the latest post from the National Catholic Reporter on Twitter: NCRonlineJohn Allen on pope’s new social encyclical: Fighting hunger, beefing up unions http://tinyurl.com/lbv8lqabout 5 hours ago from web.

This Sunday’s second reading in some ways captures what is reported to be a major theme of  Veritas in Caritas. (Truth in Charity)

“Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty. This does not mean that to give relief to others you ought to make things difficult for yourselves: it is a question of balancing what happens to be your surplus now against their present need, and one day they may have something to spare that will supply your own need. That is how we strike a balance: as scripture says: The man who gathered much had none too much, the man who gathered little did not go short.” (2Corinthians 8)

John Allen gives us a good glimpse of what the Pope has to say based upon this morning’s Corriere della Sera, Italy’s leading daily newspaper,  which carried lengthy extracts.  http://tinyurl.com/lbv8lqabout 5 hours ago

Sister Mary Scullion was named one of the world’s most influential people by Time Magaizine for the year 2009.

Best known as the visionary founder of Philadelphia’s PROJECT HOME, the Religious Sister of Mercy beat even the Pope himself in ranking; Pope Benedict was 79th, and Sister Mary was 49th.

Time Magazine stated in honoring her status: “In 1976, a young Philadelphia nun named Sister Mary Scullion began her work as an advocate for the homeless, driven by a personal conviction that "none of us are home until all of us are home." Time

-To learn more about Sister Mary Scullion
and Project H.O.M.E., visit www.projecthome.org.

NBC News has also produced a video on her life and work that you can view at this link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10055262/

On the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time I included a quote that statistically painted a picture of what the world situation was like in terms of quality of life for all. It portrayed the world in terms of a small village of 1000 people, and showed the great disparity between the rich and the poor. It really isn’t a very pretty picture. There is one small thing that all of us can do to make a difference, however, and that is take a look at the Development and Peace initiative and participate. Each one of us can make a difference, if we use our gifts and talents to give a voice to those impoverished by the behavior of others. Please take a look at what some of our Canadian Mining Corporations are doing to the land and the life of others, and join Development and Peace in trying to end this tragedy for some of our poor sisters and brothers who live in our global village. DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE