{"id":2382,"date":"2012-01-04T08:27:15","date_gmt":"2012-01-04T07:27:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/padrimariani.org\/en\/2018\/03\/13\/antonio-dos-reis-fernandes-mic-passed-awayheartbreak-leads-to-heavenly-calling-copy-copy-101\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T17:12:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T16:12:01","slug":"marian-missionaries-make-plea-disaster-relief","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/padrimariani.org\/en\/2012\/01\/04\/marian-missionaries-make-plea-disaster-relief\/","title":{"rendered":"Philippines: Marian Missionaries Make a Plea for Disaster Relief"},"content":{"rendered":"

Philippines<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Jan. 4, 2012<\/p>\n<\/div>

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As you may know, in 2008 the Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception founded a\u00a0mission<\/a>\u00a0in the island nation of the Philippines \u2014 a mission focused on proclaiming the message of The Divine Mercy and devotion to Mary Immaculate.<\/p>\n

As you may also know, the Philippines was devastated by a massive typhoon on Dec. 16-17 responsible for the deaths of more than 1,000 men, women and children. The damage has also left countless families homeless and has ruined the water supplies in several areas, leaving local authorities struggling to organize aid efforts. Authorities are predicting an epidemic of cholera and diphtheria.<\/p>\n

The Marians in the Philippines are requesting your help in the form of prayers and financial assistance. Funds will be distributed to relief efforts centering on helping people to be resettled and new homes built for them, as well as providing food, clothing, water, and medical supplies to victims.<\/p>\n

To help, please scroll to the bottom of this page.<\/em><\/p>\n

Elzbieta “Ela” Chodzko-Zajko, a lay missionary of the Marian Fathers stationed in the province of Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, says reports put the number of fatalities in Cagayan de Oro alone at 650. In addition, she says, “There are still over 1,000 people missing in the two main towns of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro, although most now assume these can be counted as victims.”<\/p>\n

“Many inhabitants had to vacate their houses because of the flood warnings. According to the latest news, about 44,000 indigenous people are seeking temporary shelters with very poor sanitary facilities; up to 4,000 people are sharing school buildings with about two toilets available and no available water or food. Also, 276,000 people had to leave their homes and their livelihoods.<\/p>\n

“Many of the Cagayan clergy were hit hard and took some time to get their act together, but now we see volunteers and groups organizing relief work, packing food parcels, clothing, water containers, etc.,” Ela says. “As usual it takes a lot to knock Filipinos down and much more to keep them down for long. They are very resilient, God-fearing people, and they deserve our help.<\/p>\n

“Still, we feel so helpless at the moment as many people are not able to survive due to lack of water and food and lack of supplies,” she says.<\/p>\n

Visit our Philippines’ mission blog for continuing updates.<\/a><\/p>\n

View a video of the plight Filipinos are now facing. …<\/p>\n<\/div>