20 years ago, one of the most devastating hurricanes ever recorded made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast. Hurricane Katrina caused catastrophic damage and flooding in Mississippi, Alabama, and especially Louisiana. Federal support and assistance were often delayed, and miscommunications were frequent. As a result, there were 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion stemming from the Category 5 hurricane from Aug. 23 to Aug. 30.
Disproportionately, the poor and underserved — predominantly communities of Color — were impacted the hardest. Many of these communities still have not recovered, even 20 years later. This is often the case with all extreme weather, amplified by a changing climate — those with the least tend to lose the most.
Caring for creation doesn’t just mean caring for the planet — it means caring for all who live on it. Pope Leo emphasized this in his message for the 2025 World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on June 30.
“Environmental justice — implicitly proclaimed by the prophets — can no longer be regarded as an abstract concept or a distant goal,” Pope Leo said. “It is an urgent need that involves much more than simply protecting the environment. For it is a matter of justice — social, economic and human. For believers, it is also a duty born of faith, since the universe reflects the face of Jesus Christ, in whom all things were created and redeemed. In a world where the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation and pollution, care for creation becomes an expression of our faith and humanity. … When justice and peace are trampled underfoot, those who are most hurt are the poor, the marginalized and the excluded.”
Our faith compels us to act. On the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, just days before the beginning of the Season of Creation, we uplift not just those impacted by this particular hurricane, but all who are impacted by extreme weather and the effects of climate change — the most vulnerable among us. We reaffirm our commitment to advocacy, environmental justice and serving the poor and vulnerable — so that we too might reflect the face of Jesus Christ.
We encourage you to check out the work of our friends, Rise St. James, in Louisiana, as they fight for environmental justice.
