Images of destruction caused by typhoon left me speechless: Card. Tagle
Vatican City, 13 Nov 2013: Images of the massive destruction caused by typhoon Haiyan
has left me speechless, said Cardinal Luis Tagle, the head of the Catholic church
in the Philippines. While speaking to Vatican Radio’s Susy Hodges, he said, however,
that he is consoled by the love and solidarity that is pouring in from all over the
world in the wake of this disaster.
Talking candidly about the distress he
and others experience when they see the extent of the devastation wrought by typhoon
Haiyan in their homeland, the Cardinal said: “To be honest with you, I think I’m not
alone in saying every time we see images of the destruction we are left speechless.”
“We are still recovering from the emotional and psychological shock.”
At the
same time, the cardinal says he draws strength “from the love, the concern, the solidarity
pouring in, not just from other parts of the Philippines but from all over world.”
I’m deeply consoled when I see and hear testimonies of faith, especially from the
victims who have lost loved ones. “They turn to God, saying in God we have hope.”
Cardinal
Tagle goes on to describe how the Catholic Church is coordinating relief programmes
to help the victims but says they have not yet heard from some bishops and other Church
leaders in the worst affected areas because “communications are still down.”
Asked
whether he fears there will be people dying because of a lack of food, water and medicines
in the aftermath of this huge disaster, the cardinal acknowledges there is “a real
possibility of this” although the Church, the government, the military and aid organisations
are all doing their best to reach out to the victims. However, he says he is “afraid
that poor people living in far flung villages” in remote areas are at special risk
of hunger and thirst in these coming days.
Cardinal Tagle’s voice cracks with
emotion when he sums up the plight facing his stricken homeland and the wonderful
outpouring of solidarity it has engendered: “We see rubble and ruins everywhere but
we see faith, hope and love and it’s making us stronger people. I want to thank the
Holy Father, everyone…. For remembering us and trying their best to reach out, in
the name of the victims and the poor, we really thank you”Source: VR Eng