Colombian Bishops Ask Nation to Unite in Rebuilding After Earthquake

The Colombian Bishops' Conference thanked citizens for the solidarity shown after the magnitude 7.4 earthquake of August 10, centered in San Jose del Palmar, in the department of Choco in western Colombia. In a video message, the conference's secretary general, Bishop German Medina Acosta of Engativa, a diocese on the edge of Bogota, called for unity to help rebuild the areas hit by the quake.

Medina Acosta said the earthquake had caused damage across much of the country. "We remain pained by this terrible drama that the earthquake has brought," he said, and he stressed the importance of the community response to the emergency.

He pointed to the involvement of young people and of various institutions in the relief work. "This situation has made it possible to see the capacity for love and solidarity through fraternal and coordinated help," he said. He said assistance needs to be organized so that it arrives on time and does its job: "Our invitation is to take ever greater care of this aid and to seek coordination so that it is prompt, organized and effective."

Beyond the emergency: reconstruction

Medina Acosta said the response must move beyond the initial emergency phase to the work of rebuilding. "We will have to think together about how to sustain and maintain this solidarity aid for what we all call rebuilding the country," he said, adding that the Catholic Church is ready to contribute through its network across the country and its pastoral structures.

The bishops' conference and Caritas Colombiana have launched a campaign called "Con Colombia, hasta el ultimo rincon" ("With Colombia, to the Last Corner") to direct donations to the most vulnerable communities affected by the quake. Medina Acosta asked people to keep supporting the dioceses and parishes working in the damaged areas, and said the channels for aid remain open.

A call to prayer

The bishop asked for prayers for those who died, their families and those left homeless or otherwise affected. He closed his message with a prayer: "We ask the Lord of life to keep enlightening and strengthening us, to give us the capacity to unite so that all together we can face this emergency and keep working toward the country we dream of."