ASIA/SRI LANKA - Missionary in Sri Lanka told Fides: “Besides material help the Catholic community is working for moral rehabilitation of the population offering consolation and comfort”

Colombo (Fides Service) - “Besides material help the Catholic community is offering consolation and comfort”, extremely necessary in these moments for the population victims of the disaster. We are also working for moral rehabilitation recreating human values such as courage and desire to make a new start. As soon as the disaster struck the many different religious communities present Sri Lanka went to help in all the affected accessible areas and villages”: this testimony was given to Fides by Brother Jeremy Christy, Provincial of the Franciscan Missionary Brothers CMSF in Sri Lanka.
“The most urgent work was to find a place for the many people left homeless”, the Religious said. “The Catholic Church and many organisations offered shelter for the homeless in their centres and structures along the coast which runs from north to south. Churches, schools and other religious institutions have been made into refugee shelters”.
“We also launched an appeal for basic necessities, water, medicine, food and clothing”, he continues “and people responded immediately and generously”. This Catholic work of assistance is mostly co-ordinated by parish priests, heads of religious communities and young volunteers. Brother Jeremy says that besides material work the work of moral rehabilitation of the people is just as important and fundamental to restore hope to the victims.
The work of the Catholic community will concern the areas of Jaffna, Batticaloa, Protegge, Trincomalee, Hampantota, Ammazzasse, Galle, Colombo and Kalutara.
(RG) (Agenzia Fides, 05/01/2005 - 22 righe, 232 parole)