In a Nov. 11 letter sent to all priests in the Diocese of Trenton, Bishop David M. O'Connell, C.M., called for a special collection scheduled for Masses the weekend of Nov. 16-17 to provide financial aid to the people of the Philippines "in this time of devastation there" following the impact of typhoon Haiyan.

Writing from the floor of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Fall Assembly in Baltimore, Bishop O'Connell asked his brother priests "to invite our good people in the Diocese of Trenton to unite with the sufferings" of the Filipino people. He said, "Here in central New Jersey, our memories of such natural destruction are all too fresh and all too painful. For that reason, we need to reach out and embrace our Filipino sisters and brothers with our generosity and love. The immediacy of their need underscores our need to respond immediately and not wait."

All collected funds will be sent to the Diocese's Chancery offices, and will be forwarded on in their entirety to the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, Bishop O'Connell stated. Father PJ Alindogan, liaison to the Filipino community in the Diocese of Trenton and pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish, Cinnaminson, was named by Bishop O'Connell as the coordinator of the effort on behalf of the typhoon victims.

Acknowledging the anguish that the typhoon has brought to local people who hail from the Philippines, Bishop O'Connell told his priests, "In your name, I embrace our brother priests, seminarians and religious from the Philippines working in the Diocese of Trenton and offer them and all our Filipino sisters and brothers in the four counties our heartfelt prayers for their families and loved ones back home."

He underscored the importance of the Catholic response, writing, "Thank you for your willingness to 'witness' Christ's love to those in need, the essence of evangelization. Please express my gratitude to our parishioners."

The following parishes in the Diocese of Trenton have a specific outreach to members of the Filipino Catholic community: St. Dorothea, Eatontown; St. Rose of Lima, Freehold; St. Raphael-Holy Angels, Hamilton, and Holy Innocents, Neptune.

Pope leads world in prayer for typhoon victims. Click here.
Church workers lose contact with central Philippines as typhoon hits. Click here.
Desperate Filipinos add to challenging logistics of delivering adi. Click here.
Caritas Philippines leader calls typhoon devastation 'unimaginable.' Click here.
At Manila air base, distraught family members hope for plane to Leyte. Click here.