Pope prays for storm victims in central and eastern Europe

By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis has assured victims of Storm Boris of his closeness, saying at the weekly General Audience that he is praying especially for those who have lost their lives and for their families.

At least 21 people have been killed as heavy rain and snows have caused extensive damage in Austria, Romania, the Czech Republic, Poland, and other central and eastern European nations.

Thousands of people have been evacuated in areas affected by the storms, with Poland’s prime minister declaring a month-long state of emergency. The Polish city of Wroclaw, with a population of more than 600,000 people, is expected to see flooding on Wednesday, while Bratislava and Budapest, the capitals respectively of Slovakia and Hungary, are bracing for rising waters on the Danube River.

In his remarks during the Audience, Pope Francis praised and encouraged local Catholic communities and other volunteer organizations for the aid they are providing to those in need.

World Alzheimer’s Day

Pope Francis also looked ahead to the observance on Saturday, 21 September, of World Alzheimer’s Day. He called for prayers that “medical science might soon be able to offer prospects for a cure for this disease and so that more and more appropriate action will be taken to support sufferers and their families.”

The World Day is “a global effort to raise awareness and challenge the stigma around Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia” that afflict more than 55 million people worldwide.

Greetings to religious

In particular greetings to groups present for the General Audience, Pope Francis welcomed especially those taking part in the Congress of Abbots of the Benedictine Confederation and to their new Abbot Primate, who was elected on Saturday, 14 September.

He encouraged all of them to commit themselves, “with charitable and missionary zeal, to making the Benedictine spirit ever more relevant in the world.”

The Pope also had words of greeting an encouragement for the Lay Carmelites, urging them to be a leaven of the Gospel, reaching out to the most vulnerable in order to become a sign of a Church that is always going forth.”