Irish churches hold special collections for people in Philippines and Syria

Collections to help alleviate suffering in the Philippines will take place at churches throughout the island of Ireland this weekend, while collections to help the people of Syria will also take place at Catholic churches.

The Catholic primate Cardinal Seán Brady has contacted Archbishop Jose Palma, president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines, to express his sympathy and that of the entire Catholic community in Ireland to the people of the Philippines as they recover from the devastation of typhoon Haiyan.

The cardinal will offer Mass for the people of the Philippines in St Patrick’s Cathedral, Armagh, at 11am tomorrow morning. It will also be offered for suffering Christians in Syria and in the wider Middle East. Trócaire collections for Syria and Philippines will take place at Masses over the weekend.

Special collection
In Dublin, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin has asked that a special collection be taken up at all Masses this weekend to help with the relief effort in the Philippines as well as in Syria. The second collection at Dublin Masses this weekend will be replaced by a special collection for the relief effort in Syria.

At 6.30pm tomorrow Archbishop Martin will celebrate Mass in the pro-cathedral for the situation in the Philippines.

The Church of Ireland has encouraged special collections over the next two Sundays in all its churches to help people affected by the typhoon in the Philippines . The Church of Ireland is responding to the disaster through its Bishops' Appeal emergency fund.

Its two archbishops have sanctioned the immediate release of € 10,000 to Christian Aid partners on the ground to provide aid to those urgently in need. They have urged church members to respond generously in the face of such overwhelming need.

The Presbyterian Moderator Dr Rob Craig has also launched a church-wide appeal in support of relief efforts in the Philippines. The church has immediately released £40,000 (€48,000) to its partners in relief and development, donating £20,000 each to Tearfund and Christian Aid, through whom the Presbyterian response will be directed.

To emphasise the importance of a quick response to the urgent need for supplies, Rev Dr Craig is asking congregations to respond in whatever way they can over the next three weeks.