Archdiocese of Detroit sends donations to Catholic Relief Services, Near East Welfare Association
DETROIT ─ The Detroit-area faithful responded to Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger’s call to collect money for Gaza relief by raising $462,574.49 over two weekends.
The collection, sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, took place in parishes across the Archdiocese of Detroit on the weekend of Aug. 16-17 and Aug. 23-24 and raised $231,287 for Catholic Relief Services and the Near East Welfare Association each.
The donation comes on top of the Archdiocese of Detroit giving $35,375 to both organizations in August 2025.
Catholic Relief Services is on site in Gaza, partnering with local Church entities in providing food, shelter, financial assistance, hygiene supplies and trauma assistance. The Catholic Near East Welfare Association provides “vital emergency humanitarian relief and medical care for the sick, malnourished, and wounded,” Archbishop Weisenburger said during the initial appeal.
"Not long ago, I asked the people of our Archdiocese to be generous in response to the starvation and destruction witnessed in Gaza," Archbishop Weisenburger said in response to amount of donations collected. "While I am never truly surprised at the generosity of the faithful, still, their response to this great need exceeded all expectations.
"Those who have been a part of our efforts for Gaza through prayer and or contributions have put the Gospel in action," Archbishop Weisenburger added. "They have lived up to that five-word memory device counted on the fingers of one hand on St. Mother Teresa of Calcutta, taken by her from the 25th chapter of St. Matthew's Gospel: In serving the poor, the hungry, the naked, the homeless, the immigrant, you did it for me."
News of the donation comes on the heels of an announcement of an initial peace agreement between Hamas and Israel on Oct. 9 in anticipation of an end to the two-year-long war in Gaza.
