Bishop William K. Weigand announced Feb. 25 that parishioners in the Diocese of Sacramento have donated more than $850,000 to Catholic Relief Services for tsunami relief efforts in Southeast Asia.

The donation is the result of special collections in more than 100 schools and parishes in January, representing gifts from thousands of families in Northern California.

The donation to tsunami relief efforts is a record for the diocese, the bishop said. He added the donation also includes a contribution of $67,000 from a disaster relief fund maintained by the diocese.

“I am so proud of the generosity shown by parishioners,” the bishop said at a press conference outside the Diocesan Pastoral Center in Sacramento. “For many people, the contribution they made to this fund was a real sacrifice, but I know they made it willingly to help others who were affected by this heart-wrenching tragedy.”

Bishop Weigand presented a check for $846,000 to Father Michael Kiernan, director of social service ministries for the diocese and the local representative for Catholic Relief Services. The bishop noted that the total donation has exceeded $850,000.

“The hearts of people were grabbed in a special way with the immediacy of the need of the victims of the tsunami,” Father Kiernan said.

Father Kiernan said Catholic Relief Services is “committed to helping the hardest-hit areas of Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand rebuild their communities, livelihoods and way of life in the aftermath of the tsunami.”

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