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Not long after the 8.8 earthquake rocked Chile early Saturday morning, Caritas flew out their emergency response team from Haiti.

Caritas search and rescue team from Haiti is on way to Chile to help rescue effort (Credits: Katie Orlinsky/Caritas)

Caritas Internationalis is a confederation of 162 Catholic relief, development and social service organizations operating in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide.

“It was an enormous earthquake, so you would expect major damage,” said Alistair Dutton. Caritas Internationalis humanitarian director in a press release yesterday. “It is too early to tell the extent of that damage. Caritas is mobilizing in preparation for a major earthquake response.”

Caritas Chile was there to respond to the 1960 earthquake in the South American country. That earthquake 50 years ago is still the largest in the country’s recorded history.

Tsunami warnings have been issued across the Pacific and the country has already experienced several aftershocks. Many of Caritas relief efforts have focused on Haiti, which is still in disarray. Catholic Relief Services, also doing much work in Haiti, doesn’t have an office in Chile.

“We, along with the Catholic humanitarian network, stand poised to help if needed,” the U.S. bishops’ international relief organization said on it’s Web site. “CRS staff in Bolivia, our South American hub, are closely watching the situation in Chile, which includes tsunami warnings for other countries in South America, as well as in the Asia Pacific.”

Whether or not you can support CRS and Caritas relief efforts financially, be sure to keep the people in Chile and Haiti in your prayers. Their suffering is something we can keep in mind during our Lenten sacrifices.