I received the following link from my Redemptorist colleagues, concerning the devastating typhoon last week in the Philippines. Our Redemptorist church in Tacloban, one of the worst-affected regions, is currently home to over 2,000 people whose homes and livelihoods have been destroyed. The need is desperate.  At the end of the BBC news clip, you can see the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help over the door of the church — a real family connection for us… See the video

Our parish council has decided to give the proceeds of our collection this weekend to this cause — and we will match the amount raised from our parish account. We will send the amount raised directly to Fr Aidan McMahon CSsR (from the Dublin Province of the Redemptorists) who is the bursar of the community in Tacloban. And of course, we keep the whole awful situation in our prayers. See photos which dramatically illustrate the emergency…

And a BBC report on the devastated city of Tacloban: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24953433

Fr Ed