exclamation

Important notice: To continue serving our valued readers during the postal disruption, complete unrestricted access to the digital edition is available at no extra cost. This will ensure uninterrupted digital access to your copies. Click here to view the digital edition, or learn more.

A woman reacts as rescuers search for survivors Feb. 7 after a magnitude-6.4 magnitude earthquake in Tainan, Taiwan, the previous day. Pope Francis sent condolences following the quake that hit as the island prepared to celebrate Chinese New Year.
A woman reacts as rescuers search for survivors Feb. 7 after a magnitude-6.4 magnitude earthquake in Tainan, Taiwan, the previous day. Pope Francis sent condolences following the quake that hit as the island prepared to celebrate Chinese New Year. CNS photo/Ritchie B. Tongo, EPA

Pope sends condolences after earthquake in Taiwan

By 
  • February 8, 2016

TAINAN, Taiwan - Pope Francis sent condolences to Taiwan following an earthquake that left at least 37 people dead as the island prepared to celebrate Chinese New Year, reported ucanews.com.

"The Holy Father was saddened to learn of the suffering caused by the deadly earthquake which struck Tainan, leaving many people dead or seriously injured," read a message sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, on behalf of the pope.

The magnitude-6.4 quake hit the southern city of Tainan early Feb. 6. Two people were rescued from the ruins of an apartment building on the morning of Feb. 8, more than 48 hours after it collapsed on itself.

A woman was pulled out of the rubble underneath the body of her husband with their 2-year-old son also found dead nearby, Taiwanese media reported. A man was found alive shortly afterward, but he had severe injuries.

At least 527 people have been injured and many more have lost their homes as the quake also forced the cancellation of trains a day before the island began celebrating Chinese New Year.

Ucanews.com reported that Archbishop John Hung Shan-chuan of Taipei, president of the Taiwan bishops' conference, called on Catholics to pray for victims during his Chinese New Year Mass Feb. 7.

Tainan Diocese was among religious groups and other donors who together submitted NT$400 million (US$12 million) in goods after the earthquake, causing authorities to run out of storage space. Cash donations have since been requested instead.

"After the earthquake, the diocese started handing out necessities like water and clothes," said Father Joseph Lee, a priest in Tainan.

At least two Catholic churches were among a number of religious buildings reported damaged in historic Tainan, the oldest city in Taiwan.

More in this category: « Obama: An attack on one faith is attack on all faiths Communist official to religious leaders: Promote Chinese culture »

Please support The Catholic Register

Unlike many media companies, The Catholic Register has never charged readers for access to the news and information on our website. We want to keep our award-winning journalism as widely available as possible. But we need your help.

For more than 125 years, The Register has been a trusted source of faith-based journalism. By making even a small donation you help ensure our future as an important voice in the Catholic Church. If you support the mission of Catholic journalism, please donate today. Thank you.

DONATE