Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Montreal (Fides Service) - A joint delegation of the Canadian Catholic Organisation for Development and Peace DP and the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops CCCB is visiting Indonesia to review the successful reconstruction programmes established in the wake of the December 2004 deadly tsunami.
The representatives of the CCCB are Conference president Archbishop André Gaumond of Sherbrooke, vice president Archbishop James Weisgerber of Winnipeg and secretary general Mons Mario Paquette, P.H. The DP delegation is composed of national president Hélène Trépanier, member of the national council and chair of the Asia Program Committee Tom Hardjowirogo, and executive director Michael Casey. The six member delegation arrived in Jakarta on Sunday 18 February; on the 21 it travels to Medan to visit the tsunami stricken area of Banda Aceh. The delegation is due back to Canada on 28 February.
In the Banda Aceh area the delegation will visit DP largest ever reconstruction project from UPLINK (Urban Poor Linkage) which has already built 3,000 homes and 800 more are under construction. On 21 February Ash Wednesday the delegation will attend Mass celebrated by Archbishop Alfred Gonti Pius Datubara and Medan and coadjutor Bishop Anicetus Bongsu Anotnius and there will be a presentation of the annual DP Lenten Campaign .
In Jakarta the delegation will attend a meeting with Canadian Ambassador to Canada John T. Holmes, representatives of CIDA Canadian International Development Agency, members of Karina Caritas Indonesia, Cardinal Julius Riyadi Darmaatmadja and other members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Indonesia. The meeting will serve to consolidate ties between the Catholic Church in Indonesia and that in Canada. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 19/2/2007; righe 24, parole 301)
