Nuncio in Haiti says Church should use 'moral authority' to distribute aid

Port au Prince, Haiti, Jan 20, 2010 / (CNA).-

The Apostolic Nuncio to Haiti, Archbishop Bernardito Auza called on volunteers in the country to use “their moral authority” in distributing aid arriving in Port-au-Prince. Due to logistical complications such as lack of transportation, it has been difficult for donations to reach victims of the January 12 earthquake.

In an exclusive interview with CNA outside the Apostolic Nunciature in Petionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, the archbishop urged those bringing aid to distribute it without waiting for greater security to be put in place.

“The Church must trust her moral authority in this task. Together with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), we have set up 12 aid-distribution stations. We cannot wait to have sufficient security in order to distribute (the aid), so we must make use of the moral authority we have as part of the Church of Christ,” the nuncio continued.

“We have to trust in that moral authority and do this work so that the people who need the aid can receive it,” he added.

The nuncio also announced that the funeral for Archbishop Serge Miot of Port-au-Prince will take place on Saturday, January 23.