The 15-year-old program has saved millions of lives around the world and prevented millions of new infections.

A 5.9-magnitude earthquake rocked the Caribbean nation of Haiti Oct. 6, with authorities estimating 15 dead and 333 injured, the Associated Press reports.

The United States is gutting the funding for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, creating an instant humanitarian crisis for a region already overloaded with them.

Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo urged bishops make this special appeal and that "we each take up the collection as soon as possible so that those most in need can receive assistance quickly."

The announcement that the United States will cap its intake of refugees at 30,000 was swiftly denounced by Catholic leaders.

Congress has authorized one-third of the estimated $120 billion some estimate Puerto Rico will require for recovery.