The following is a brief update on the situation in Haiti after the devastating earthquake...
* The exact number of victims is unknown, but estimates say 50,000 were killed (including the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince), while another 3 million were left "injured or homeless"
* The devastation in Haiti (population 80% Catholic) includes "the cathedral, the archbishop's residence, all the great churches, all the seminaries"
* Earthquake survivors have been forced to remain outside due to safety concerns, even sleeping outdoors overnight
* Nearly 1 in 8 of all priests in Haiti are reportedly either dead or missing
* Catholic Relief Services will send more staff to Haiti to assist in relief efforts
* Observers have described the devastation as "immense" and "unimaginable"
* Some looting has already broken out and there is "very little visible presence of the police"
* At least some good news: Various emergency supplies were "stockpiled" since the neighboring Dominican Republic "had a mild hurricane season"
* CNS has provided a list of Catholic agencies accepting donations for relief efforts (see link on site labeled "Catholic aid agencies accepting donations for Haitian relief efforts") [Commentary: One should support good Catholic relief organizations rather than non-Catholic religious charities. For more on this topic, try the user-submitted article: "Please Don't Do That! Reasons Catholics Shouldn't Lend Their Support To Non-Catholic Efforts"]
* There will be second collection nationwide this Sunday to assist in Haitian earthquake relief efforts
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