Myanmar Earthquake Emergency Appeal

This isn’t what I was expecting to read first thing on a Sunday morning.

Those were the words that began an email from Fr. John Barth, a Maryknoll priest in Thailand, on the border with Myanmar.  He was writing to give me an update on the suffering that country is facing after the horrific earthquake that struck last week.

The situation is dire. Reports from the region tell us that emergency workers are continuing to find bodies under the rubble. As Fr. Barth wrote: “Phone service, electricity, running water and food are all in short supply now.” He wrote that a priest in the heart of Myanmar was barely able to make it out of his office building before it collapsed. “He and many others live and sleep on the streets,” Fr. Barth wrote. “They are worried about the aftershocks. I was not able to reach him by phone. I’ll keep trying.”

We are collaborating with Caritas to help the Diocese of Mandalay, located near the epicenter of the quake. Any gift you can offer at this time will be directed to our emergnecy relief fund, which enables Fr. John and other Maryknoll fathers and brothers to respond to emergencies wherever they occur. 100% of your gift will go to help those in need, enabling the delivery of food and medical care. Every dollar will make a difference — and could even help save a life.

As we continue to monitor the crisis in Myanmar, I want to express my gratitude for your ongoing support of Maryknoll’s work around the world. Let’s join our hearts in prayer for the people of Myanmar and ask for our Lady to shelter that country’s people under her mantle, to sustain them and give them hope.