Second National Congress of the Clergy

The UN Development Programme employed hundreds of Haitians to clear roads and to make fuel pellets in a cash-for-work scheme. (Wikipedia)

MANILA, Jan. 28, 2010—The more than 5,000 priests and bishops’ participants to the ongoing national congress of the clergy currently being held at World Trade Center, Pasay City, have donated one million pesos to the devastated Caribbean nation of Haiti.

A special collection that yielded 988,675.35 pesos was made during the morning mass on the third day of the congress.

The collection filled three cartons of bills and coins in various denominations and currencies (Euro, US, Australian, Hong Kong dollars, Yuan).

Manila Archbishop Cardinal Gaudencio Rosales filled up the remaining balance to make the amount to a million pesos.

Rosales said he was touched by the clergy’s expression of solidarity with the people of Haiti.
“I was moved to tears when I learned we have collected that much amount,” he said.

Ambassador Henrietta de Villa, chairperson of the NCC II Central Committee said, the 1 million pesos collected will be matched up with another million by the Mary, Mother of the Poor Foundation.

In an email sent to Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, Bernardito Auza, the Cardinal notified the Filipino archbishop of the donation made by the congress’ participants.

“This is an expression of the Filipino priests’ solidarity and concern for our brothers and sisters in Haiti. As soon as we have organized the amount, we will send it to the office of Your Excellency. Please continue to pray for the success and fruitfulness of the Clergy Congress,” the cardinal said.

Auza expressed his gratitude to the Philippine bishops and clergy for the generosity shown to the people of Haiti.

“If you want the contribution to be used for specific aid projects, please don’t hesitate to indicate to me what the Philippine Church would like its aid to be used,” Auza said.

The congress, already in its 4th day has proven to be an inspiring experience on the part of the participating clergy.

Fr. Joey Faller, a priest famous for his healing ministry earlier said that the “gathering is already an inspiration for us to go on our journey with the Holy Spirit guiding the Church.”

“[It is] very exciting to see 5,500 or so priests gathered solely to pray, celebrating the Eucharist, reciting the Holy Rosary and going to confessions and observing the Holy Hour,” Faller said.

The series of conferences were given by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, OFMCap, preacher to the papal household.

The congress ends January 29 with a final conference by Cantalamessa in the morning and the closing Mass at 3:30pm at the Cuneta Astrodome.

A massive procession of bishop- and priest-delegates will start at 2 p.m. from World Trade Center towards Cuneta Astrodome. The procession will include the images of Jesus on the Cross, Our Lady of Fatima, St. Joseph, St. John Mary Vianney and his relics. (CBCPNews)