The devastating earthquake of April 6, 2009 in the region of Abruzzo, Italy produced many victims. And the aftershocks show little sign of abating. The earthquake killed hundreds and left more without a home and very vulnerable. The Camillians – who are OK themselves - are nevertheless quite sensitive to the plight of the victims.Thanks to the Roman Province of the Order they were able to quickly move into action. The Camillians have two communities in Abruzzo and a third on the border with the neighboring region. The Camillian Task Force/SOS DRS has also been following the situation closely and is itself organizing a response in coordination with the Province.

What are we doing? The Camillians of the Roman Province have a community in Sora (Province of Frosinone) that is presently housing 60 earthquake victims. The Province is also looking at how to use the Nicola D’Onofrio Center for Spirituality in Bucchianico (Province of Chieti) to house an equally large number of people. Fr. Emilio Blasi, the Provincial of the Roman Province, is in dialogue with civil authorities to figure out how to best utilize the Center in order to help the neediest, possibly even those who are ill or recovering from trauma.

The CTF – through the Central Office – is looking to collaborate with the Roman Province at the Center in Bucchianico by providing both human and material resources. SOS DRS, the US-based NGO of the CTF, will support this initiative as well. And the Lay Camillian Family will likely join the effort.

Fr. Aristela Miranda who is from CTF Philippines and presently resides in Rome will be going to Bucchianico very shortly to assess the situation there and initiate the disaster relief project that the CTF/SOS DRS will coordinate together with the Roman Province.

The Camillian disaster relief network is responding to this disaster in Abruzzo, the region where Saint Camillus was born. As soon as we have more information about these initiatives, we will notify you about the details. That way we can coordinate our efforts to help the victims – all under the red cross of Saint Camillus.

Brother Luca is in touch with the Roman Province and the Provincial who agrees to offer the Center of Spirituality in Bucchianico for a relief project that the CTF would coordinate to help those who are sick, traumatized and without a place to stay. The Provincial is waiting for the final go ahead from the civil authorities. The formation house of the Roman Province in Rome has started a relief effort. They are bringing basic necessities to the site, and CTF central is supporting them financially.

Brother Luca notes: As the aftershocks continue, making life for the survivors more painful and difficult, another praiseworthy activity has been planned by the Camillian Formation House of the Roman Province.

This Monday, April 13, the Superior and his students will reach L’Aquila, the most affected area, and will hand over a large quantity of basic necessities to the local Red Cross authorities. This will be an occasion to set contacts for future collaboration. CTF Central has contributed to this activity by partially supporting it through a donation.

If you are interested in supporting this endeavor and future similar initiatives that the Camillian Formation House might plan – please contact Fr. Sergio Palumbo (condor26@tiscali.it) or send your donation to: Prov. Romana dell'Ordine Chierici Regolari Min. Infermi - Bank account, IBAN: IT 02 S 03512 03211 000000001688 Reason: Contribution to the victims of the earthquake in Abruzzo - CTF Relief Effort

Other ways and means to support the victims are being discussed among the Provincial Fr. Emilio Blasi, CTF Central and local civil authorities. If you would like more information or to financially support the relief effort, in Italy contact CTF Central at 39-06.899.281.11 or by e-mail segreteria.generale@camilliani.org

By means of many small and large gestures of generosity, the Camillians are in a position to give concrete help to the populations affected by the earthquake in Abruzzo. Fr. Sergio Palombo writes: "As concerns the donations that we have received for the previously mentioned account we have gathered up until now a total of 3,000 euros of which 2,000 came from CTF Central and 1,000 euros from the ‘Associazione Blindenapostolat della Famiglia Camilliana Laica di Bolzano’. (The Association for the Apostolate of the Blind of the Lay Camillian Family in Bolzano). In liquid assets we have received 8,000 euros that have come from various sources (our Camillian communities in the Roman Province, parishes with which we collaborate, and friends). The total of these donations is 11,000 euros. Of this amount 6.000 euros has been utilized to acquire material for personal hygiene, various forms of clothing (shirts and men's, women's and children's underwear), food with a long shelf life (in particular large cans of food), infant care products (diapers, creams, moisturizers) and camp-related instruments. We have also purchased disinfectants and products to promote better hygiene in the camp. Slowly but surely as the people are getting to know us we are learning of their greatest needs for which we continue to count on the support of benefactors. And we are starting to recognize their needs as well, human and spiritual. In some camps there are chapels where one can celebrate mass. In fact, the activity of the Church is clearly seen via the presence of priests. It will probably be necessary to send some experts from the pastoral centers (for counseling), but with regard to this I am waiting for more precise information.

Dear Luca, I am updating you about our last mission to Aquila. This morning we went to the "tent city" of Caporciano, a few miles from the center. They requested a washing machine and some cleaning products for the "tent city"

At Coperciano there was a "tent city" with 100 people. There were not serious damages in the city but the people are afraid to go back in their homes, and the entrance into some of these has been legally barred. We remained for lunch, which was the most beautiful aspect of the day - to be able to share a few hours together with the inhabitants. Being together for these people provides a bit of strength to confront with greater the possibility of being able to return as soon as possible to normal life...

As I told you in my previous e-mail, the emergency phase is over. The requests on the part of those responsible for the camps is more and more always more specific and aimed.

I'll take this opportunity to thank all those who in these days have given and are giving us a hand to confront the many needs that we have attempted to address.

We continue to count on the generosity of all in order to be ready, as much as possible, to meet the needs of people again in the near future. We may even undertake specific initiatives to help reconstruct the city.

As far as the house at Sora is concerned where there are some 40 persons housed, Saint Camillus Parish has organized a benefit concert on the 24 of April at 2100 with the parishioners (see www.parrocchiasancamillo.it).

During these days we have understood that rapidity, concern and immediacy are fundamental aspects in order that one does not cede to the temptation to exagerate. Charity has its own logic. May Our Founder Saint camillus help us to always rediscover the beauty of being Camillians.

Two weeks after the Abruzzo earthquake the situation is beginning to normalize, i.e. the emergency phase is over and now people are dealing with problems related to reconstruction and to restarting their lives after such a tragic event. Even our Camillian structures, which initially made themselves available for immediate help, have to now take into account the many new needs that have come about as a result of the presence of displaced people in their facilities. In some cases, in fact, these people may need to stay for a long period in the places where they have been welcomed. This is the case in the Saint Camillus Institute in Sora (Frosinone), a healthcare assistance residence. This facility of the Roman Province of the Order of the Ministers of the Infirm (Camillians) is housing about 40 people from the City of Aquila, where they were residents of a local nursing home named "ex Onpi." Given the great damage sustained by this structure, the 40 elderly people from Aquila who are now in Sora could be there for a long time.

Saint Camillus Parish in Rome (the Basilica) has created a bridge of solidarity with the healthcare residence in Sora in order to provide people with basic necessities, in particular food (see www.parrocchiasancamillo.it). The Parish has established a place for collecting goods for the displaced elderly, and these items are then sent regularly to the healthcare residence. Many different groups are participating in this activity. Of particular note is the help that has been offered by various nonCatholic Christian communities that lie within the boundaries of the Parish. The Evangelical Lutheran Church on via Sardegna has been noteworthy in its collaboration.

On April 24, 2009 the Parish will host a concert with the help of, among others, singer-songwriter, Fr. Sergio Palumbo MI. The proceeds of this concert will go to help the displaced people in Sora.

CTF Central continues its involvement in the April 6 Abruzzo earthquake in 3 areas: funding, sending out information and post trauma counseling. On Wednesday 29, representatives from CTF Central will attend a meeting at Bambin Gesù Hospital in Rome with Professor Biondi, the head of the Department of Pediatric Psychology, and his team. Also present will be Dr. Raffaele Arigliani - pediatric psychologist, counselor and President of the Italian Pediatric Counseling Association - and Fr. Leoni, the head of Pastoral Care for Health Services in the Archdiocese of Aquila, the town hit worst by the earthquake. The goal of the meeting is to establish the lines of collaboration and some common objectives for our joint intervention in Abruzzo, as requested by Caritas Pescara. On the following day, April 30, representatives from CTF Central will have a meeting in Pescara to work out the details of our involvement there. The focus will be post trauma counseling. Camillian Pastoral Centers in Italy have been contacted and are checking for the availability of trained counselors. Fr. Arnaldo Pangrazzi, MI has already contacted five women who are ready to volunteer. Many thanks to all who are collaborating to help the people traumatized by the earthquake. Let us keep them, each other and our efforts in prayer.

The activity of the Camillians on behalf of the victims of the April 6 earthquake in Aquila (Abruzzo) is consolidating and now involves many actors working in diverse ways.

It gives us pleasure to note that the whole Order of the Ministers of the Infirm (Camillians) is now involved. The great generosity of some provinces that are unable to participate directly yet are financing the work witnesses to this fact. To this day a little less than 100,000 euros have been gathered. And this calls us to a transparent rendering of account of the use of this money, which we will do ASAP.

Fr. Sergio Palumbo and the students at the house of formation in Rome are at this time ministering at the "tent city" of Bazzano (Province of Aquila). There they are offering concrete help at a location established to help meet the needs of the displaced victims of the earthquake. This presence will permit them to better direct future interventions. The two Camillian facilities in Sora (Frosinone) and Bucchianico (Chieti) continue to house about 60 displaced victims.

We are considering ways to help the 30,000 people on the Adriatic coast who are presently being housed in families or hotels. Many of these are being helped by the local Caritas organizations that often find it necessary to multiply their efforts in order to face the emergency which is now significantly affecting the daily life of people. Not infrequently the situation is unsustainable for Caritas, leaving workers and displaced people unsatisfied. In fact, it is often very difficult for workers to go beyond the simple, immediate response to another need, and they relegate to second place the empathic listening of victims that have a significant need to "blow of steam" and be listened to.

For this reason, CTF Central, Bambin Gesù Hospital in Rome and the Italian Pediatric Counseling Group recently gathered in Rome. The purpose was to organize a common activity that can offer help, formation and collaboration to agents involved in responding to the needs of the displaced. After a first meeting with Fr. Marco, the director of Caritas Pescara, it appears that we will soon be sending counselors to help the local "listening center". We are also looking for ways to offer "help sessions", i.e. help for the victims and formation for those already assisting the displaced. The project will likely go forward for many months, and volunteers who want to accompany victims and form personnel are most welcome.

Fr. Scott Binet MD, MI
Translated from the Italian
May 3, 2009

Donate Online:
Click here to donate to the relief effort

By Check:
Checks can be made out to SOS DRS. On the memo line write "Earthquake in Abruzzo". This is the title of the special account set up for the disaster.
Checks should be mailed to:
SOS DRS
1039 East Russell Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53207

By Wire Transfers in the US:
If you would like to make a wire transfer from your bank account in the US to support the relief effort, please use the following information:
Routing Number: 071921891
National City Bank
3470 South 27th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53215
Account Number: 986928728
Account Name: SOS DRS (subtitled Earthquake in Abruzzo)
Credit to Servants of Saint Camillus Disaster Relief Services - Acct. #986928728

By Wire Transfers from outside the US:
If you would like to make a wire transfer from your bank account outside the US to support the relief effort, please use the following information:
Routing Number: 072000915
National City Bank
4100 W. 150th Street
Cleveland, OH 44135
Account Number: 986928728
Account Name: SOS DRS (subtitled Earthquake in Abruzzo)
Credit to Servants of Saint Camillus Disaster Relief Services - Acct. #986928728


For more information, in the United States contact the SOS DRS Secretariat at 414-431-6503 or by e-mail fatherscott@ctfmercy.org

On Behalf of CTF Central
Fr. Scott Binet MD, MI
April 17, 2009