Caritas Internationalis President Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga visited Haiti on Monday 22 February to deliver a consignment of aid from Honduras and express his solidarity to the people of Haiti.

During his visit to Port-au-Prince, the Cardinal went to the destroyed cathedral and the rubble of the archdiocese where the Archbishop Joseph Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince Msgr and a number of his colleagues were killed.

The Cardinal then went to the Renaissance Hospital and the Champ de Mars makeshift camp, where tens of thousands of people have taken refuge.

During his stay, the Caritas Internationalis President met representatives of the Haitian Bishop Conference to discuss relief and reconstruction efforts.

Speaking to international and national staff at the Caritas Haiti headquarters at the end of his trip, Cardinal Rodriguez said, “I want to thank all the Caritas of the world for their support. It is essential we go on, in order to rebuild Haiti culturally and spiritually as well as materially.”

The Cardinal also thanked the Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Bishop Pierre Dumas, President of Caritas Haiti and Fr Serge Chadic, Director General of Caritas Haiti for hosting his visit.

The Cardinal was also accompanied by President of Caritas Quintana Roo Bishop Pedro Pablo Elizondo Cardenas of Cancun Chetumal and Archbishop Emilio Carlos Berlie Belaunzaran of Yucatán among others.

Caritas members from 40 countries have collected $198 million (Euro 147 million) from private donations for Haiti’s quake survivors. In addition, governments and institutions have pledged $36 million (Euro 27 million) to Caritas for Haiti.

Already Caritas has fed over 500,000 people. The aid network has provided shelter kits to 43,000 people, and given medical treatment to 12,000 people. The two month relief effort will be followed by a 3-5 year reconstruction programme focusing on housing, education, and livelihoods.

For more information, please contact Patrick Nicholson - nicholson@caritas.va - 0039 3343590700 or Caritas Communications Officer in Haiti Mathilde Magnier (French/English) on 0033678065736 or mathilde.caritas@gmail.com