Contact: Monica Yehle, Pontifical Mission Societies, 212-563-8700

MEDIA ADVISORY, Jan. 14 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Pontifical Mission Societies (PMS) in the United States have established a special fund for long-term assistance for the Church in Haiti, as it responds to the devastation of the January 12, 2010, earthquake.

"We applaud and encourage support of the efforts of social service and relief agencies, such as Catholic Relief Services, who are responding to the immediate and overwhelming humanitarian needs of our suffering brothers and sisters in that part of the world," said Monsignor John E. Kozar, PMS national director.

These Societies, which include the Society for the Propagation of the Faith and the Holy Childhood Association, are the basic means of support for the pastoral and evangelizing programs in 1,150 mission dioceses, including the dioceses of Haiti.

"As the Church in Haiti assesses the massive damages and the overwhelming needs," Monsignor Kozar continued, "they will need financial assistance as they help to rebuild the infrastructure of the Church there that will, in turn, be critical to serve the poor and enable the suffering here to rebuild their lives." "We encourage the generous hearts of Catholics in the United States as they reach out in prayer and in sacrifice to the men, women and children who suffer even more now in this country," Monsignor Kozar said.

"I would ask, above all, for prayers for the Church there, and for missionaries, who remain witnesses of the great love and compassion of our Lord, and of His sustaining hope."

Contributions may be directed to www.givetothemissions.org (select Haitian Solidarity Fund) or to the Pontifical Mission Societies, Haitian Solidarity Fund, 70 West 36th Street, New York, NY 10018.

The Pontifical Mission Societies, active in some 120 countries throughout the world, work to animate the faithful to a universal missionary spirit, and to gather support for the efforts of the Church in some 1,150 mission dioceses in Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands and remote regions of Latin America. The four Pontifical Mission Societies are: The Holy Childhood Association directs its efforts to elementary school children, while the Society for the Propagation of the Faith seeks prayer and support for pastoral and evangelizing programs and needs of mission dioceses from high school and college students, and adults. The Propagation of the Faith provides assistance to the Church in Africa, Asia, the islands of the Pacific and remote regions of Latin America, including aid for the education and support of seminarians, Religious novices and lay catechists; for the work of Religious Communities in education, health care and social services, and for communication and transportation needs. The Society of St. Peter Apostle is concerned with gathering help for seminarians and Religious novices in the Missions. The Missionary Union of Priests and Religious is a spiritual apostolate, working on formation in the missionary spirit among those called to animate all the faithful in this essential work.