“The March for Life, faithful to its commitment to life, today becomes a Solidarity March with all the victims, because the Church must live with a beating heart, not just with prayer and the sacraments, but also with love for our neighbour with works of charity” said Cardinal Juan Luis Cipriani of Lima.

In his Saturday radio program “Dialogue of Faith,” Cardinal Cipriani explained that the volunteer program had already set up canteens, tents and medical care in some of the hardest hit areas.

Heavy rains in Peru recently have led to devastating flooding and mudslides, with some 85 people dead and more than 111,000 suffering some damage or material loss, according to the latest report from the Centre for National Emergency Operations.

The need for aid in the area is great, particularly for those who have lost their homes.

In light of the ongoing devastation, Cardinal Cipriani decided to cancel the March for Life and replace it with a collection drive for victims.

According to a news brief from the Archdiocese of Lima, the collection of donations was facilitated by more than 3,000 volunteers for the March for Life, who reached out to some 100 parishes in the Peruvian capital.

Fr. Luis Gaspar, representative of the Archdiocese of Lima, thanked “the thousands of Peruvians who today marched not only for the lives of the unborn children, but brought aid for our brothers in need. We are the largest march in Peru and today it was up to us to shoulder our responsibility.”

“Over the next few days, we will get organized to bring all this aid to the different places in Peru where this it is needed,” he added.

(Story from the Catholic News Agency)