ROME, April 16, 2009-Twenty-eight Filipina nuns belonging to the religious congregation "Zelatrici del Sacro Cuore" were among those affected by the earthquake that struck the medieval city of L'Aquila, in central Italy (Abruzzo Region) northeast of Rome last April 6.
According to a report by Ms. Lilibeth V. Pono, Charge d'Affaires of the Philippine Embassy to the Holy See, the Filipina nuns were based in the different houses of their religious congregation located in L'Aquila.
The nuns were mainly involved in the three houses caring for women and children in need and a nursing home for aged couples.
Pono learned from the nuns how they immediately left their collapsing houses when the earthquake struck the city at 3:32 a.m., bringing along the children and old people under their care.
The nuns were not able to bring their personal belongings when they ran for their lives.
Some of them sustained minor injuries while two Italian members of the congregation died in the incident.
The nuns and their wards were later relocated to Giulianova, a city of the neighboring Province of Teramo in the Abruzzo Region. An Italian volunteer organization, UNITALSI has been attending to their basic needs at the "Centro di Accoglienza" (Hospitality Center) Casa dell'Immacolata.
With some Embassy staff, Pono visited the Filipina nuns at Giulianova last 11 April. The team brought some toiletries for the Sisters and provided a mobile phone service to call their respective families in the Philippines. The nuns have asked for more help like additional religious clothes (nun's habit), undergarments and footwear.
Since the congregation "Zelatrici del Sacro Cuore" includes some Indonesians, the Indonesian Ambassador to the Holy See immediately provided one religious habit and one jacket each not only to the Indonesian nuns but to all members of the community including the Filipina sisters.
Pono said that a request to provide for the aforementioned needs of the Filipina nuns has been sent to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila.
His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI expressed his closeness to the people of L'Aquila and praised the work of rescue workers during his public audience at St. Peter's Square last April 8. He said: "I want to tell those dear people that the pope shared their suffering and their worries."
The earthquake that registered a magnitude between 5.8 and 6.3 on the Richter scale has reportedly left 275 people dead, more than 1,000 injured and around 20,000 displaced in makeshift tents. There was much damage to properties in the affected areas.
L'Aquila has a population of 72,913 inhabitants. (Fr. Joe Quilongquilong, SJ)