Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued the following statement praying for the lives and safety of all those impacted by Hurricane Ida. which has made landfall in the Gulf Coast and has moved inland as a tropical storm, continuing to cause damage across several states:
“Hurricane Ida has hit the Gulf Coast and brought with it catastrophic damage with wind, rain, storm surges and flooding. As the storm moves inland, it continues to hit communities in several states and causing damage. Multiple dioceses of the Church in the United States have been affected. I call on people of good will to join me in praying for the safety, well-being and protection of everyone in these impacted areas. We also pray in a special way for the first responders, health care workers, and emergency personnel who bring relief, comfort, and healing. I urge our Catholic faithful and all people of good will across the country to stand in solidarity with these impacted communities. We entrust all our brothers and sisters in harm’s way to our Blessed Mother, and we ask for her continued protection and for her intercession in comforting the those who are suffering.
“Catholics and all people of good will may help our brothers and sisters in their recovery by supporting the work of Catholic Charities USA at https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/2021-priorities.”
