“With deep distress we’ve heard the sad news of the earthquake in Molise and of the innocent victims. The Catholic Church of Kosovo, Caritas and the parish of Peshter which was twinned with the dioceses of Molise and the Abruzzo, express their full communion and solidarity through prayer”: these words are contained in a letter written by the director of Caritas of Kosovo, Father Albert Krista. His letter is just one of the many messages that have arrived in recent days at the interregional centre of Caritas for the earthquake emergency in Molise, expression of a truly “global” solidarity. Representatives of the diocesan Caritas of Scutari, accompanied by the mayor of the Albanian city, personally delivered to the parish priest of San Giuliano di Puglia, don Ulisse Marinucci, an album pf drawings, letters and photographs by Albanian schoolchildren with messages of affection and solidarity for their fellow-children in S. Giuliano and in the other towns in Molise struck by the quake. The Albanian children also collected small donations for the purchase of educational material for the new school in S. Giuliano. Yugoslav Caritas, in turn, assured its solidarity in prayer: requiem masses for the victims of the quake were celebrated in 7 different churches in Serbia and Montenegro last week; in Belgrade the rite was officiated by Msgr. Stanislav Hocevar, president of Yugoslav Caritas and archbishop of the diocese. Particularly significant are the expressions of solidarity by the populations that have themselves experienced the tragedy of an earthquake: “ Turkish Caritas says a message sent by its director Fr. Adriano Franchini will never forget the great assistance it received on the occasion of the major earthquake three years ago. We are close to you in solidarity and prayer. To all the injured and to all the homeless our hopes for a speedy recovery and return, as soon as possible, to their dear ones and their homes”. From Romania has come the offer to provide a month’s free holiday to a group of fifty children in Molise. Expressions of solidarity and offers of assistance have also come from the Caritas agencies of the Africa Region, from Bulgaria, from Switzerland and from Caritas internationalis through its general secretary, Duncan MacLaren.
