MISSION
AWARENESS — Flooding in Brazil was discussed at
a meeting July 5 organized by the Brazil Mission Awareness Committee
(BMAC) in Saskatoon, with, from left: Margaret Sanche; Sister Leona
Meier, SMS; Rev. Emile April; Rev. Leslie Paquin; Bishop Donald Bolen,
Sister Louise Hinz, OSU, Sister. Jeannine Rondot, SMS, and Marcie Lukan.
(Yaworski photo)
Diocese
responding to Brazil flooding
By Kiply Lukan Yaworski
SASKATOON — While Saskatchewan
has received record amounts of rain since May, with flooding of fields,
roads and basements, northeastern Brazil has also been hit by extensive
flooding that has left an estimated 100 dead or missing, and more than
70,000 without shelter.
Floods in June wreaked havoc
on communities within the Archdiocese of Maceió, where missionaries
from the Diocese of Saskatoon and the former St. Peter’s Abbacy
have served for the past 46 years.
Ursulines of Bruno Sisters
Claire Novecosky and Louise Hinz and Sisters of Mission Service Marie-Noelle
Rondot and Jeannine Rondot are members of the diocesan mission team
presently serving in northeastern Brazil. The São José
da Laje community where the Rondots live is one of the areas affected
by the flood.
Archbishop Antônio
Muniz Fernandes of Maceió, Brazil has appealed to parishes in
his own diocese, as well as to Maceió’s sister Diocese
of Saskatoon for assistance in the wake of the disaster. The Diocese
of Saskatoon recently received a letter from the archbishop describing
some of the devastation caused by the floods in which the river Mundau
rose six metres June 18.
A total of 450 mm (nearly
18 inches) of rain fell on the area in the space of two days, said Rev.
Les Paquin of Saskatoon, a member of the diocesan Brazil Mission Awareness
Committee (BMAC), who served in Brazil as a diocesan missionary for
eight and a half years. During that time, he witnessed the devastating
effects that floods in Brazil have on the poorest of the poor.
Paquin noted that images
from news organizations and the Internet are revealing this flood to
be much worse than some of the flooding experienced in the area in the
past.
Diocesan missionaries Sisters
Jeannine Rondot, SMS and Louise Hinz, OSU, who were visiting Saskatchewan
this month, recently met with Saskatoon Bishop Donald Bolen and members
of the Brazil Mission Awareness Committee to discuss the flooding disaster
in Brazil and consider the response of the Diocese of Saskatoon.
“I greatly appreciate
the chance to talk about this with two of the four sisters that are
presently serving in the Brazil mission,” said Bolen, noting the
long-term connection that the Diocese of Saskatoon has to the area and
the importance of providing support even in the midst of many other
demands, issues and concerns. “The Maceió mission has a
very special place in our diocese.”
Parishes across the Saskatoon
diocese were immediately asked to pray in solidarity with the diocesan
mission team in Brazil and the people of Maceió affected by the
disaster.
In addition, Bolen announced
that Rev. Emile April, who served in the diocesan Brazil mission for
28 years, will move up a planned October trip to the area, travelling
to Brazil July 27 in order to demonstrate solidarity, meet with leaders
in the Archdiocese of Maceió, and investigate how the Diocese
of Saskatoon can best assist with long-term reconstruction after the
severe flood, which is hitting the poor the hardest.
After discussion, it was
also decided that a diocesan-wide collection for long-term Brazilian
flood relief and reconstruction will be held in September, with more
details to be worked out once April returns from his visit to the affected
area.
When floods occur in Brazil, there is a pattern that sees immediate emergency relief from the government and from aid agencies pouring in right after the disaster, April described. However, within a few weeks that assistance tends to disappear, and the greatest need is for long-term help for those most affected, he said.
“More than creating poverty, a flood reveals poverty,” April
said, describing how those who have a regular job might recover from
such a disaster in a few months, but those with nothing to fall back
on fare much worse.
Corruption is also a problem when it comes to the distribution of aid,
April said, describing the power of local politicians to manipulate
who receives assistance, or to use the aid to benefit political supporters.
This is particularly true during an election campaign, which is underway
now in Brazil, with elections to be held in October.
In providing aid, Caritas, the international disaster relief organization
affiliated with the Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and
Peace, has in the past refused to work with politicians, in an effort
to ensure that assistance helps those most in need, April said. Caritas
prefers to work with grassroots church and community groups.
The flood damage is compounded by accompanying problems: a lack of clean
water, power and communications; an increase in black market activity
and looting; the loss of personal documents; and the dangers of disease.
In addition, the rainy season is continuing.
“The infrastructure is precarious to begin with,” said Paquin,
describing how temporary tents of plastic will probably be erected in
an effort to provide shelter for displaced families.
A note from Bolen about the situation in Brazil will be sent to parishes
across the diocese in the near future, accompanied by prayer suggestions.
The prayers include a recognition of the local situation and issues
close to home in addition to addressing the suffering in Brazil, noted
Paquin.
“There are levels of solidarity: we are called to be in solidarity with our parish, our family, our local community, but also the world community. These are not at cross purposes.”
 |
|