By
WASHINGTON
(CNS) — Archbishop Jose H. Gomez of Los Angeles, vice president of the U.S.
Conference of Catholic Bishops, asked bishops across the country to consider a
special collection to assist victims of Hurricane Harvey along the Gulf Coast.
He
suggested in an Aug. 28 letter to bishops that the collection be taken during
Masses the weekend of Sept. 2-3 or Sept. 9-10.
“Our
hearts and prayers go out to the families that have lost loved ones and to all
who have lost homes and businesses along with their sense of normalcy. We also
stand with our brother bishops in the region who have the difficult task of
providing pastoral care in these most trying times while managing their own
losses. Our prayerful and financial support is urgently needed,” he wrote.
Funds
collected will support emergency aid and recovery efforts under Catholic
Charities USA and pastoral and rebuilding support to the affected dioceses
through the bishops’ conference.
The
storm has dumped as much as four feet of rain on some areas of Texas and
Louisiana, weather observers have reported. Thousands of people have evacuated
flooded homes and communities and remained in emergency shelters across the
region.
Among
the most affected areas are the Diocese of Victoria and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, which Cardinal
Daniel N. DiNardo, USCCB president, oversees. Numerous parishes and schools
have been flooded while others have offered facilities as shelter. Parishes
have also helped distribute food and emergency supplies to storm victims.
“Together
with Cardinal DiNardo and the bishops throughout the affected region, I express
deep gratitude to the first responders and countless volunteers who are assisting
the Gulf Coast region in countless ways,” Archbishop Gomez wrote.
– – –
Copyright © 2017 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. www.catholicnews.com. All rights reserved. Republishing or redistributing of CNS content, including by framing or similar means without prior permission, is prohibited. You may link to stories on our public site. This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To request permission for republishing or redistributing of CNS content, please contact permissions at cns@catholicnews.com.
