On September 26, Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 hurricane, made landfall in northwestern Florida. Over 100 people have been killed across six states. Damage across the southeast has been catastrophic, with many states plagued by intense winds, flash floods, record storm surges, and tornados. 4.5 million people have been left without power. Damage has been described by witnesses as “biblical levels of devastation,” and entire communities have been completely destroyed and washed away. Many are completely isolated and unable to access clean water, food, or cell phone service since power outages are ubiquitous and roads have been washed out.
We at the Covenant pray for all of those devastated by Hurricane Helene and their families.
St. Ignatius is often credited with saying, “Pray as if everything depends on God, and work as if everything depends on you.” For many of the poor and vulnerable among us in places impacted by climate change, this isn’t far from the truth — so many of our brothers and sisters need our help, not just to pick up the pieces, but to prevent disasters like these in the future to the best of our ability.
Research has shown undeniable connections to climate change and worsening, intensified natural disasters — including hurricanes.
For years, scientists have been saying that climate change makes hurricanes more dangerous due to warmer oceans. A hotter ocean allows hurricanes to grow more powerful and amplifies their effects: increased rainfall totals, storm surge damage due to higher sea levels (sea levels around Florida are as much as 8 inches higher than they were 50 years ago), and the probability of rapid intensification fueled by warmer waters. As Helene approached landfall, it gathered strength from Gulf waters that were abnormally warm and sucked up moisture to fuel the storm’s rage.
Unfortunately, scientists state that we can expect more hurricanes and natural disasters like this one — storms amplified by climate change that disproportionately impact the most vulnerable among us: the poor, the shelterless, immigrants, and individuals who lack the means and resources to evacuate or start again somewhere else.
Catholic Climate Covenant urgently calls on Catholics and all people of goodwill to take action on climate change and to better care for God’s creation. Generous donations to Catholic Charities USA are a great first step to aid those who have lost everything, particularly in the western towns of North Carolina.
With its Catholic Energies, Creation Care Teams, Youth and Young Adult Mobilization, and Encounter programs, Catholic Climate Covenant stands ready to assist the U.S. Catholic Church in taking action on climate change and caring for God’s creation. As the Vatican stated, we urgently need “to bend the warming curve by phasing out fossil fuels and rapidly reducing greenhouse gas emissions to enable sustainable living.” At the same time, we must focus our efforts on strengthening the resilience of people and ecosystems.
“Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)
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About Catholic Climate Covenant
Catholic Climate Covenant is a national U.S. nonprofit founded with the support of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in 2006 that inspires and equips U.S. Catholics and institutions to care for creation together. Through 20 national partners, we guide the U.S. Church’s response to climate change and integral ecology through faith-driven education, advocacy, and resources.
www.catholicclimatecovenant.org
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