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Manila archdiocese to hold 2nd collection for Sendong victims


The Manila Archdiocese will hold a second collection during Masses from Monday to Christmas Day for the victims of Tropical Storm Sendong (Washi).
 
New Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle issued the directive in a circular to priests, rectors and chaplains in the archdiocese Monday.
 
"In the spirit of Christian solidarity, I request that a second collection be made at all Masses in all parishes, shrines, and communities in the Archdiocese of Manila from today until Christmas Day," he said in his Dec. 19 circular. The Manila Archdiocese covers the eight cities of Manila, Caloocan, Pasay, Quezon, Mandaluyong, Makati, Muntinlupa and Pasig (excluding the districts of Santolan and Rosario), and Parañaque, Malabon, San Juan, Navotas, Las Piñas, Taguig and Pateros, according to the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines website.
 
Over the weekend, Sendong struck northern Mindanao and some parts of the Visayas and left thousands of families affected and hundreds of lives lost. As of 3 p.m, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Coucil said the death toll stood at 684. 
 
Such a calamity "saddens us and breaks our hearts, as it struck at the dawn of the Christmas season," Tagle.
 
Tagle instructed priests, rectors and chaplains to immediately remit all collections to the Treasury and Accounting Department of Arzobispado de Manila.
 
"We will then send them to the bishops of the affected places," he said.
 
Donations in kind may be sent to Caritas Manila, he added.
 
Keep Christmas parties simple
 
Meanwhile, Tagle encouraged his flock to keep their Christmas parties simple.  "Let Christmas joy be found again in Jesus who became poor for us," he said.
 
"As we celebrate the mystery of the God who became man to be in solidarity with us, let us make our Christmas this year more meaningful by our solidarity with each other," he added. — RSJ, GMA News
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