USCCB president urges faithful pray for, support victims of Hurricane Melissa

WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- As Hurricane Melissa continued its devastating course through the Caribbean, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urged Catholics to pray for and support the people and communities impacted by one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record.

In the Caribbean region, "families face severe risk of flooding, landslides, displacement, and infrastructure damage with little resources to respond" due to the strongest storm the planet has seen this year, the archbishop said in a statement released late Oct. 29. "Our brothers and sisters in small island nations like Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti are the most vulnerable to the impact of such strong storms, often intensified by a warming climate."

Melissa has left dozens dead and caused widespread destruction across Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti. With winds ranging from 175-185 mph, it made landfall in southwestern Jamaica near New Hope around 1 p.m. ET Oct. 28 before heading toward Cuba, where it made landfall early in the morning Oct. 29 as a Category 3 storm.

"After lashing Cuba," Melissa set "its sights" on the Bahamas and Bermuda, The Weather Channel reported.

"The Church accompanies, through prayer and action, all people who are suffering," said Archbishop Broglio, head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services. "I urge Catholics and all people of good will to join me in praying for the safety and protection of everyone, especially first responders, in these devastated areas."

"Let us stand in solidarity," he added, "by supporting the efforts of organizations already on the ground such as Caritas Haiti, Caritas Cuba, and Caritas Antilles, as well as Catholic Relief Services, who are supplying essential, direct services and accompaniment to those in need.”

Catholic Relief Services, the U.S. Catholic Church's overseas relief and development agency, is accepting donations for hurricane relief via its website: https://www.crs.org/donate/hurricane-melissa.

At the Vatican after his main address at the general audience early Oct. 29, Pope Leo XIV assured storm victims of his "closeness" and his prayers.

"Thousands of people have been displaced, while homes, infrastructure and several hospitals have been damaged," he said. "I assure everyone of my closeness, praying for those who have lost their lives, for those who are fleeing and for those populations who, awaiting the storm's developments, are experiencing hours of anxiety and concern."

"I encourage the civil authorities to do everything possible and I thank the Christian communities, together with voluntary organizations, for the relief they are providing," the pope added.