AMERICA/HAITI - Earthquake affects Salesians

Port-au-Prince (Agenzia Fides) – Despite the communication difficulty with Haiti, news has reached Fides that among the victims of the earthquake that struck the Caribbean Island, there is also a Salesian Brother, Hubert Sanon, age 85. It seems there is also a Salesian priest who has died: 38 year old Fr. Harold Bernard, buried under the rubble, of which there has been no news. The two Salesians were busy in their work when, a few kilometers from Port-au-Prince, at 16:53 local time, the earthquake struck. There have been no reports whether any of the victims have also been children or other Salesians working at "San Giovanni Bosco" in Port-au-Prince-Enam, where Sanon and Fr. Bernard resided. There, the Salesians run a primary school, a professional school, homes for minors in difficulty ("Foyer"), and an oratorio. Port-au-Prince has also seen the collapse of Carrefour-Thorland. The Daughters of Mary Help of Christians have suffered damage in Port-au-Prince and at "Santa Maria D. Mazzarello "of Petion-Ville. A Daughter of Mary Help of Christians is also recovering in the hospital. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 14/1/2010)