US Bishops call for prayers and assistance following storms

By Vatican News

Over the Easter weekend 30 people lost their lives in storms that swept across a number of states including Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas, and South Carolina.

The weather also inflicted significant damage in Texas, Louisiana, and West Virginia.

In addition,  many people have seen their homes destroyed or damaged.

In a statement, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, President of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, Chairman of the USCCB's Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, call for prayer and assistance to those affected, as well as hope in the good news of Easter.   

The Bishops highlight that this present situation is made even more difficult by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “We pray for those who are suffering, for those who have died, and for the first responders who are courageously offering help. We also pray for those who remain in the path of these storms and for their safety and well-being.”  

In the midst of disasters from weather and illness, they conclude, “we cling to this hope, that God can redeem our suffering and loss, that God is present to us even now, and that the Lord has conquered death for all time, inviting us to see him face to face in eternal life.”