MACAU (UCAN): Caritas Macau raised one million Macau patacas [HK$973,000] from local Catholics to support victims of the conflict between Israel and Hamas, according to Jornal O-Clarim the weekly of Diocese of Macau.
Paul Pan, the secretary of Caritas Macau, reported that the funds were collected from parishes and Church-run organisations since Christmas.
Pan said the funds have been sent to Caritas Internationalis to offer assistance to Palestinian refugees and internally displaced Israelis.
“The money will be used to help the victims. We did not specify which ones. What we said from the beginning, since this donation collection campaign was launched, is that it was intended to help the victims of the conflict,” he was quoted as saying.
“We raised money for refugees, some of whom are staying in churches. Churches were turned into shelters. But this is one of many different situations that require support,” he said, adding that over the last few months, Caritas Macau has actively responded to the calls made by Caritas Internationalis, to help “those most in need in this part of the planet.”
The funds were collected through two campaigns during Christmas and Lent, Pan said adding that the amount might be small in terms of need, but the response from people has been overwhelming.
Students and teachers from schools are still sending their piggy banks, he added.
Catholics in Macau have responded to calls for generous donations for humanitarian crises in the past years, such as helping victims of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, when four million patacas was raised and sent.
Meanwhile, St. John de Britto School is promoting a fundraising campaign for the victims of the April 3 earthquake in Taiwan that left 16 dead, more than one thousand injured, and damaged hundreds of buildings.
