Skip to content
The Catholic Leader
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute
No Result
View All Result
The Catholic Leader
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Bishop sends SOS to Catholic agency

byStaff writers
14 February 2014
Reading Time: 2 mins read
AA

Danger zone: A boy pushes a stroller holding water and another child past destroyed buildings in the besieged area of Homs, Syria. Syrians fleeing to neighbouring Jordan from Homs said some people there were starving to death for lack of food; and (below) Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo. Photo: CNS/Thaer Al Khalidiya, Reuters; Other: ACN

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Danger zone: A boy pushes a stroller holding water and another child past destroyed buildings in the besieged area of Homs, Syria. Syrians fleeing to neighbouring Jordan from Homs said some people there were starving to death for lack of food; and (below) Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo. Photo: CNS/Thaer Al Khalidiya, Reuters; Other: ACN
Danger zone: A boy pushes a stroller holding water and another child past destroyed buildings in the besieged area of Homs, Syria. Syrians fleeing to neighbouring Jordan from Homs said some people there were starving to death for lack of food. Photo: CNS/Thaer Al Khalidiya, Reuters; Other: ACN

WOUNDED, destitute and sick people in one of the cities worst affected by the conflict in Syria are to receive emergency aid amid worsening reports of crisis as winter bites deep across the region.

The aid packages totalling $290,000 being sent out by Aid to the Church in Need will provide medical help for the wounded, repairs to the war-damaged homes of Christians and basic aid – heating, food and rent money for people on the breadline.

This emergency help means that, since the Syrian crisis broke nearly three years ago, ACN urgent aid for the region has topped $4.1 million – one of the largest aid packages of its kind since the charity began in 1947.

Amid continuing dire reports from Syria, ACN pushed through this latest aid after a desperate SOS appeal from Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo, who described “the bombing of many Christian homes” and the urgent need to help “many wounded people” in his city, in the north of the country.

Working under Bishop Audo’s authority, Aleppo-based Sisters of Jesus and Mary are being entrusted with $140,000 to help up to 500 families in urgent need of gas and electricity for heating and cooking as well as rent money, medical assistance, food and clothing.

A further $77,000 will fund repairs to war-damaged homes, shops and other businesses of Christians in Aleppo who are determined to stay in the country.

Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo
Bishop Antoine Audo of Aleppo

Bomb-blasted windows and doors are being given top priority for repairs.

At Bishop Audo’s request, another $77,000 is going to help wounded people receiving treatment at St Louis Hospital, Aleppo.

In a recent letter requesting ACN help, Sister Annie Demerjian, from the Sisters of Jesus and Mary, described the urgent need to increase help for suffering families both in Aleppo and in another northern Syrian city, Hassake, also receiving aid from the charity.

At a time of increasing reports of a widespread breakdown of schools and employment in Aleppo with bombing of factories and key services, Sr Demerjian said: “We feel the massive need to carry on providing assistance to our Christian families threatened with the loss of morale.

Related Stories

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

“The assistance will enable us to erase the families’ pain.”

Echoing the words of Bishop Audo, she said a key aim was to help Christians to stay in the region.

“Despite the dramatically difficult situation, people still do not want to leave their homes,” she said.

“So that they are not forced to emigrate, we are trying to help them survive until hopefully this present crisis is overcome.

“Many people in Aleppo and Hassake, particularly women, children and elderly are expecting us – as workers of Christ – to give a helping hand.

“Without your help, we cannot alleviate their suffering in this misery that we actually undergo in Syria.”

ACN

[divider]

ShareTweet
Previous Post

Anything to help end child abuse welcome

Next Post

First man ordained in Townsville since 2006

Staff writers

Related Posts

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday
QLD

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

17 May 2022
Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks
Faith

Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

17 May 2022
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day
Vatican

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

17 May 2022
Next Post

First man ordained in Townsville since 2006

Knowing Jesus takes a lot of growing at every stage of life

Indian priests set to open Brisbane base

Popular News

  • Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    Here are the stories of 10 new saints being canonised this Sunday

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The Church canonises 10 new saints who shared God’s love

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Queensland election: The pro-life political parties committed to abortion law reforms

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Search our job finder
No Result
View All Result

Latest News

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday
QLD

Parishes unite for Logan deanery family festival this Sunday

by Joe Higgins
17 May 2022
0

PARISHIONERS from Beaudesert, Beenleigh, Cornubia, Daisy Hill, Rochedale, Woodridge, Kingston and Marsden, Boronia Heights and Regents Park...

Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

Lives of the saints – St Kateri Tekakwitha, the Lily of the Mohawks

17 May 2022
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI turned 95 on a ‘very happy’ day

17 May 2022
Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

Cleanup begins after floodwaters swamp South East Queensland again

16 May 2022
Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

Angel’s Kitchen serves hot meals to the hungry in Southport

16 May 2022

Never miss a story. Sign up to the Weekly Round-Up
eNewsletter now to receive headlines directly in your email.

Sign up to eNews
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Jobs
  • Subscribe

The Catholic Leader is an Australian award-winning Catholic newspaper that has been published by the Archdiocese of Brisbane since 1929. Our journalism seeks to provide a full, accurate and balanced Catholic perspective of local, national and international news while upholding the dignity of the human person.

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader
Accessibility Information | Privacy Policy | Archdiocese of Brisbane

The Catholic Leader acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the First Peoples of this country and especially acknowledge the traditional owners on whose lands we live and work throughout the Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • QLD
    • Australia
    • Regional
    • Education
    • World
    • Vatican
  • Features
  • Opinion
  • Life
    • Family
    • Relationships
    • Faith
  • Culture
  • People
  • Subscribe
  • Jobs
  • Contribute

Copyright © All Rights Reserved The Catholic Leader

0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyChoose another Subscription
    Continue Shopping