We join our prayers and our voices in solidarity with the people of Nepal following the devastating floods and mudslides that have swept through communities in the Himalayan border region.
On August 26, a powerful surge of water, mud, and debris raced through communities along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers, devastating parts of Rasuwa, Nuwakot, Dhading, and Gorkha. Roads and bridges have been destroyed, homes damaged or swept away, and thousands of families have been affected. Search-and-rescue efforts continue, and the full human toll of this tragedy is still emerging.
We grieve the lives lost and hold in prayer those who remain missing, those who have been injured, and the families and communities facing unimaginable loss. We pray especially for children, older adults, people with disabilities, pregnant women, and others who are particularly vulnerable both during and in the aftermath of such a disaster.
This tragedy also reminds us of the growing dangers posed by a changing climate. Across the world, communities are experiencing increasingly dangerous combinations of extreme heat, intense rainfall, flooding, drought, and other climate-related hazards. In the Himalayan region, accelerating glacier melt, combined with extreme precipitation and other environmental changes, can create cascading risks for downstream communities, including those in Nepal. We have also seen the destructive power of extreme rainfall closer to home. In the past year, we have seen catastrophic flooding across the southeastern United States, including up to North Carolina from Hurricane Helene; in Washington state; in many states in Appalachia; and in Northwest Indiana in the wake of the recent derecho, among others.
These disasters do not affect everyone equally. The people who have contributed least to the accumulation of greenhouse-gas emissions are often among those who suffer the greatest consequences. Nations and communities across the Global South face profound climate risks despite having contributed far less to the historical emissions that have driven the climate crisis. This is not simply an environmental or political challenge. It is a matter of justice and a moral responsibility.
As Pope Francis reminds us in Laudato Si’, the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor are deeply connected. Climate change threatens human dignity, livelihoods, homes, food and water security, and the well-being of generations yet to come. Our faith calls us not only to a compassionate response after disasters occur, but also to address the underlying causes of a crisis that places vulnerable people and communities at ever-greater risk.
For this reason, we urge the U.S. government, the U.S. Catholic Church, and Catholics throughout the United States to respond. We must act with renewed urgency to the moral imperative to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and accelerate the transition to a clean-energy future. The United States has both a responsibility and an opportunity to lead through ambitious climate action, support for vulnerable communities, and international cooperation.
Catholic Climate Covenant and Laudato Si’ Movement – North America are committed to accompanying U.S. Catholics on this journey. Through formation, prayer, advocacy, community engagement, and practical resources, we seek to help the Church move from concern to conversion and from conversion to action. In moments of ecological crisis, our global Catholic network has the power to turn solidarity into action.
We also give thanks for the relief workers, first responders, humanitarian organizations, and local partners who are risking their own safety to serve communities affected by this disaster. We encourage Catholics to support trusted relief organizations working alongside communities in Nepal, including Catholic Relief Services and Caritas partners, as they provide emergency assistance and help families begin the long work of recovery and rebuilding.
In this moment of suffering, we remember that our neighbor is never far away. The people of Nepal are our brothers and sisters, and their suffering calls us to solidarity, compassion, and action.
Ways to help
- Donate to Catholic Relief Services’ efforts in Nepal
- Learn more about Catholic efforts to assist in Nepal and broader Asia
- Learn more about Nepal and climate change
- This Season of Creation, move into action
- And of course, prayer
A Prayer for Those Impacted by Flooding
Let us pray:
God of mercy and Creator of all,
we entrust to you the people of Nepal
who have suffered loss and devastation from these floods and mudslides.
Receive those who have died into your loving embrace.
Comfort those who mourn.
Protect those who remain missing or displaced.
Give strength to those who are injured and courage to those who are afraid.
Bless the rescuers, relief workers, local communities,
and all who are working to bring safety, shelter, food, water, and hope to those in need.
Open our hearts to the suffering of our brothers and sisters
and awaken in us a deeper commitment to care for our common home.
Give wisdom and courage to our leaders,
and move us toward the climate action that justice, compassion, and love require.
May we hear both the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor,
and respond not with indifference, but with solidarity and hope.
Amen.
