Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Rio de Janeiro (Agenzia Fides) – The State of Rio de Janeiro is experiencing the worst climatic tragedy ever recorded in the Country. The latest developments, sent to Fides by the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, speak of 540 deaths in Região Serrana, Nova Friburgo, Petrópolis, São José do Vale do Rio Preto, Teresópolis and Sumidouro. The homeless are already more than 10,000 and the numbers of missing continue to rise. From the first news of the tragedy, the Church has mobilised. Bishop Filippo Santoro of Petrópolis, and Bishop Edney Gouvea Mattoso of Nova Friburgo visited the affected areas. Priests, seminarians and religious men and women are working to assist families who have lost their homes and the homeless. The parishes and religious houses welcome those who have lost everything and do not know where they will sleep or what they will eat. The seminarians from the diocese of Petrópolis have also donated blood to respond to the most serious emergencies.
According to Bishop Santoro, the situation in the diocese of Petrópolis is dramatic, especially in two places: Itaipava in the Valley of Cuiabá and Teresópolis, where the disaster is even greater. The priests are all actively working, the churches have been made available, welcoming displaced people, offering emergency first aid, distributing daily meals and collecting food. The Bishop of Nova Friburgo expressed his regret for the tragedy which has affected the city of the episcopal headquarters, which are unusable, and instituted a welcome centre in the Cathedral of Nova Friburgo.
The nearby dioceses which make up part of the East I Region of the Bishops' Conference of Brazil (CNBB), are coordinating to assist the population. The Archdiocese of Rio immediately put Caritad in place, while the churches and educational institutions mobilized to collect donations, clothes, mattresses, water and non-perishable food.
With the slogan “San Sebastiano calls us to solidarity”, the Archbishop of Rio, Archbishop Orani Tempesta, placed the image of the Patron Saint of the Archdiocese on a train which will collect donations around various points in the city, which will then be distributed to affected areas. “Our procession of San Sebastiano Messenger of Peace has become a procession of solidarity,” declared Archbishop Orani. “We need to take solid action to return peace to hearts, to lives, to the families in our State of Rio de Janeiro, especially in cities such as Teresópolis, Nova Friburgo, Petrópolis and Itaipava.”
The CNBB published an official message of solidarity for the victims of the tragedy and, together with Caritas Brazil, launched a “SOS SOUTH-EAST” campaign to collect funds around the Country, which will be distributed to the zones affected by the rains. The work of Caritas Brazil is conducted with assistance from Caritas of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, which is making the donations. The president of Caritas Brazil, Bishop Demetrio Valentini of Jales, proposed 30 January, for all the country's dioceses to collect funds for the flood victims.
Even the Cardinal Archbishop of São Paulo, Odilo Pedro Scherer, through Caritas São Paulo, launched an “appeal of solidarity with the victims of the disaster in Região Serrana, Rio de Janeiro.” Among the necessities marked as more urgent, are blood donations, health workers, medicines, pain killers, water, materials for cleaning and personal hygiene and non-perishable food. (AP) (15/1/2011 Agenzia Fides)
