On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit southern Haiti, ten miles from the capital, Port-Au-Prince. Heavy damage, severe injuries, and serious loss of life are expected.

Two Americans still missing in the rubble are Catholic aid workers from the Diocese of Norwich, Connecticut. 

Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. About 80% of Haitians live in poverty.

Donate now to Catholic Relief Services emergency relief in Haiti.

A Prayer After the Earthquake in Haiti

Lord, at times such as this,
when we realize that the ground beneath our feet
is not as solid as we had imagined,
we plead for your mercy.

As the things we have built crumble about us,
we know too well how small we truly are
on this ever-changing, ever-moving,
fragile planet we call home.
Yet you have promised never to forget us.

Do not forget us now.

Today, so many people are afraid.
They wait in fear of the next tremor.
They hear the cries of the injured amid the rubble.
They roam the streets in shock at what they see.
And they fill the dusty air with wails of grief
and the names of missing dead.

Comfort them, Lord, in this disaster.
Be their rock when the earth refuses to stand still,
and shelter them under your wings when homes no longer exist.

Embrace in your arms those who died so suddenly this day.
Console the hearts of those who mourn,
and ease the pain of bodies on the brink of death.

Pierce, too, our hearts with compassion,
we who watch from afar,
as the poorest on this side of the earth
find only misery upon misery.
Move us to act swiftly this day,
to give generously every day,
to work for justice always,
and to pray unceasingly for those without hope.

And once the shaking has ceased,
the images of destruction have stopped filling the news,
and our thoughts return to life’s daily rumblings,
let us not forget that we are all your children
and they, our brothers and sisters.
We are all the work of your hands.

For though the mountains leave their place
and the hills be tossed to the ground,
your love shall never leave us,
and your promise of peace will never be shaken.

Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
Blessed be the name of the Lord,
now and forever. Amen.

Copyright © 2010, Diana Macalintal. Permission is given to reprint.

Photo: "Weeping Christ" by Broken Lens via Flickr.com. The sculpture, titled "And Jesus Wept," is on the grounds of the Saint Joseph’s Old Cathedral and the diocesan chancery offices for Oklahoma City, OK, which is right across the street from the Murrah Building Memorial.

Many Web sites claim that a University of Iowa study found that each day a child hears on average 432 negative words but only 32 positive words. Whether that’s accurate or not, we can all try to speak more positively.

Gracious God, with only words,
you created the universe and called it “good.”
Help me, then, to use my words well,
to create only life and give blessing this day.

You numbered the stars and called each one by name.
Let me cherish each person I meet
and speak their name with reverence.

You promised that your word is very near to us,
already in our mouths and in our hearts.
Give me your Spirit and teach me what to say.
Stand guard over my mouth and temper my heart
when emotions race and words so easily cut.
Help me know when to speak up,
to be a cry of the poor and a voice in the desert,
and teach me the wisdom to know when to be silent.

Your words calmed the seas, raised the dead,
forgave the sinner, and comforted the mourning.
Give me the grace to speak the simple words:
“Please” and “Thank you.” “Yes.” “I love you.”
Strengthen me to say the words that need to be said:
“I was wrong.” “I’m sorry.” “Forgive me.” “I forgive you.”
Let my “yes” be “yes,” my “no” mean “no,”
and my promises be kept.

Above all, may I remember that
even if I speak with the tongues of angels,
yet do not have love, I am simply making noise.
So let my tongue be silenced if ever I forget you.
Lord, today, make me your word and open my lips*,
and my mouth shall proclaim your praise.

*Make the Sign of the Cross on your lips.

©Diana Macalintal. For more pastoral resources, visit http://blog.todaysparishminister.com.

Here’s a great example of effective online communication. St. James Cathedral in Seattle publishes a slick looking newsletter in PDF format three times a year. In Your Midst has been in publication since December 1996. Take a look at their September 2009 issue, and note especially the interviews with parishioners who answer the question: “Why am I Catholic?”

Do you have other examples of effective online communication that parishes are using? Click on the comments link above and share your stories.