Papal envoy sent to Haiti and Dominican Republic in floods' aftermath

Published: 2004-06-21

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II sent a special envoy to Haiti and the Dominican Republic after devastating floods there left at least 2,000 people dead or missing and thousands more hungry and homeless. The pope sent Archbishop Paul Cordes, head of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum," to the Caribbean island of Hispaniola to meet with government and church officials, the Vatican said in a June 19 statement. The archbishop was to meet with Dominican bishops June 19-22 and visit Jimani and Monte Plata -- two areas in the Dominican Republic hit hard by heavy rains and flooding. He also was to celebrate Mass in honor of the victims. Archbishop Cordes was to discuss the emergency efforts under way in the eastern part of the island with representatives from Caritas and other Catholic relief and development organizations. The archbishop was scheduled to head to Haiti June 22-25 to assess the damage left by floods in Mapou and Fonds Verrettes in the south of the country.

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