Give to help hurricane victims Sept. 2-3

Published: August 29, 2017

In response to the loss of life, destruction of property and catastrophic flooding that Hurricane Harvey has unleashed on south Texas and Louisiana, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor is asking parishioners in the Diocese of Little Rock to donate to a nationwide emergency collection to be taken up at all Masses this weekend, Sept. 2-3.

The Category 4 hurricane made landfall Aug. 25 with heavy rains and winds of 130 miles per hour in the Rockport, Texas area, northeast of Corpus Christi. The National Weather Service said Aug. 27 that the rainfall after the hurricane and storm "are beyond anything experienced before," according to Catholic News Service. The most affected areas are in the Diocese of Victoria and the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, where thousands of people have evacuated flooded homes and communities and remain in emergency shelters across the region.

"We have all seen the images of people wading through high flood waters, some holding tight to loved ones or pets, homes and businesses under water, and heroic rescue efforts by first responders and volunteers," Bishop Taylor wrote in a letter to all parishes. "And tragically lives have been lost. Seeing these moving images compel us to want to do something. While we all cannot travel to Texas to provide aid firsthand, we can help those in need by giving generously ..."

"There are thousands of people in Texas who have been displaced and must depend on the generosity and love of their brothers and sisters in Christ."

Donations collected in this one-time, special appeal for Hurricane Harvey relief will be used to support the efforts of Catholic Charities USA, the official domestic relief agency of the U.S. Catholic Church, as it and its member agencies respond to immediate emergency needs for necessities such as water, food, shelter and medical care as well as to the long-term needs to rebuild and recover after widespread destruction, and of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for pastoral and reconstruction aid to the Church.

"There are thousands of people in Texas who have been displaced and must depend on the generosity and love of their brothers and sisters in Christ. And we in Arkansas know all too well what they are facing as the long-term recovery process because of our own rebuilding experiences after tornados and flooding," Bishop Taylor added. "Let us commit to lift up in our prayers those who face a daunting recovery effort, especially that they not lose hope. May they be sustained by God’s love through good people like yourselves who care about them. And I thank you for your generosity and prayers."

Donations may also be mailed directly to the diocese. Please note "Texas Flood Relief" on the memo line of the check and address it to:

“Texas Flood Relief”
Finance Office
Diocese of Little Rock
P.O. Box 7565
Little Rock, AR  72217-7565