Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Quito (Agenzia Fides) - The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Ecuador has called on Catholics to help the victims of a violent eruption of Tungurahua volcano which affected the central provinces of Tungurahua and Chimborazo. “This is the time to live solidarity” is the title of a statement in which the Bishop call all Catholics and all men and women of goodwill to help meet the "urgent and growing needs " of the people in areas affected by the eruption of Tungurahua.
The statement is signed by the Conference president Bishop Néstor Herrera Heredia of the diocese of Machala who describes the situation: "Lava, ash and incandescent stones are destroying thousands of hectares of forests, plantations of what, vegetables, legumes; the destruction is starting to strike banana plantations in the province of Los Ríos; whole families have to move and have no where to go and no means of livelihood; the first deaths have been reported".
The Bishops underline the rapid intervention of government bodies and "other institutions which are collecting money to help these brothers and sisters who have lost everything and have to move away". In the framework of the move to provide help for people struck by this emergency the Bishops encourage people to “give generously to special collections on Sunday 23 July in churches, chapels, pastoral centres, Catholic centres of education and places of worship in general”. The collections will go to the local bishop’s office from where it will be sent to the bishops in the affected areas. The Bishops also ask the people to give to fund raising campaigns launched by the Red Cross and Caritas Ecuador. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 19/7/2006; righe 21, parole 296)
