Refugee Agency Reacts to Burmese Cyclone Disaster

A Louisville-based agency that helps to resettle Burmese and other refugees will be joining the effort to help the refugees’ homeland recover from a devastating cyclone.  The cyclone hit Myanmar--formerly known as Burma--over the weekend, killing more than 22,000 thousand people.  Several news reports say that death toll could rise.Catholic Charities spokesman Mark Bouchard says the agency will funnel local donations to its parent, Catholic Relief Services.“We will put out a general alert, which will be extended through our parishes, and our catholic affiliated agencies and schools, for anyone who would like to respond," said  Bouchard.Nearly 40 percent of Catholic Charities’ refugee cases in 2007 involved Burmese families.  The agency expects that case load to remain high for 2008.