Nuncio to U.N. says Vatican gave about $650 million in tsunami relief

Published: 2005-07-14

UNITED NATIONS (CNS) -- Archbishop Celestino Migliore, Vatican nuncio to the United Nations, said July 13 that agencies related to the Vatican had given an estimated $650 million in relief to victims of the Dec. 26 tsunami in the Indian Ocean area. In addition, work is still being done by several organizations involved in projects throughout the region, he said. The nuncio made his comments in a statement to the U.N. Economic and Social Council, which was holding its annual meeting June 29-July 27 at U.N. headquarters in New York. He began by commending the U.N. agencies for their "swift response" to the "unprecedented crisis." Then, speaking of the Catholic response, he said that in carrying out the tsunami relief, Catholic agencies were committed "in all circumstances to respect religious and cultural differences" and sought to "facilitate greater trust among believers of all faiths and nonbelievers."

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