Posted May 20, 2015

Catholics of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia will have a chance to contribute to a special collection in support of victims of the earthquake in Nepal that has claimed more than 6,000 lives and left thousands more homeless.

Archbishop Charles Chaput has asked that all 219 parishes of the archdiocese take up the collection at Masses during the weekend of May 30-31 as part of a national effort called for by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops to aid Catholic Relief Services (CRS).

All contributed funds will support CRS efforts in providing 10,000 families, and an estimated 50,000 people, with emergency shelter materials, blankets, water treatment and hygiene kits. CRS is working with Caritas Nepal to identify the most pressing needs in Kathmandu and Pokhara, the districts hardest hit by the 7.9 magnitude earthquake April 25.

CRS has committed an initial $825,000 from private funds to the relief response, and estimates that more than $10 million will be needed for long-term recovery.