Catholic News Service reports that Pope Benedict XVI urged world leaders to tackle poverty with courage, even in the face of the current global financial crisis.

“On the occasion of this important meeting … I want to renew my invitation to adopt and implement with courage the measures needed to eradicate extreme poverty, hunger, ignorance and the scourge of pandemics, which strike above all the most vulnerable,” he said.

The news service reports that the pope said he recognized that honoring commitments to development aid will require “sacrifice at this difficult economic moment in the world.”

Greg Elder — Catholic Relief Services Deputy Head of Programming for Haiti — spoke from Haiti with Sara Fajardo. Greg reported on what he saw when he arrived in Haiti.

Some Haitians are resigned to annual storm and flooding disasters, but recent storms hit the country harder than normal. Photo by Alix Innocent/CRS

I was sitting in the Miami airport trying to make my way when Gustav hit. I’d just finished my home leave and all flights were grounded. I knew that immediately after the storm passed we needed to start responding.

We went through hurricane Dean last year, and tropical storm Noel, and that was bad enough. When a hurricane rolls around again those memories are fresh in your mind. Hurricanes are very much a part of daily life. Having two major storms last year, the gut reaction is — it’s happening again.

(more…)

Holly Inurreta- CRS Regional Technical Advisor for Emergencies -is on the ground in Haiti. She spoke via phone today with CRS Communications Officer Sara Fajardo. Here’s a portion of the story that developed from that conversation:

It rained so hard on Saturday and Sunday that the water once again reached 10 feet high. The people had two days reprieve and are now back in the same situation. The city is rivers, and people don’t have boats. Our local partners will get out as soon as possible, and as soon as the water gets down to a moveable level they’ll be out distributing.

Holly said CRS and partners were able to bring some supplies to Gonaives, a coastal city thrashed by four storms in the past few weeks. She also notes that Haiti is likely to see more storms before the end of the Hurricane season.