Priests in Louisiana are discovering that by helping those affected by Hurricane Laura, they are finding renewed purpose in their vocations.

Pope Francis: “Last Tuesday’s catastrophe calls everyone, beginning with the Lebanese people, to work together for the common good of this beloved country.”

Many Beirut buildings simply crumbled; others are compromised beyond repair. Those that can be saved no longer have windows or doors, residents continue to occupy them to protect what possessions they have left.

Explosions in Beirut left more than 130 people dead and more than 300,000 homeless.

Catholic Charities agencies nationwide have provided nearly $400 million in emergency aid and services since March in response to the pandemic-induced economic recession.

“Let us pray for the victims, for their families; and let us pray for Lebanon so that it might face this extremely tragic and painful moment and, with the help of the international community, overcome the grave crisis they are experiencing.”