Washington D.C., Sep 1, 2005 / 22:00 pm
On Thursday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a special call for Catholic faithful to help the poorest dioceses in the path of Hurricane Katrina--especially those in Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana.
Bishop William Skylstad of Spokane, WA, and president of the USCCB said that “All the bishops of the United States are concerned for the number of church personnel who are isolated, working under great adversity, and perhaps not even aware that the whole rest of the country is praying for them…We don’t even know if all of them are safe.”
The USCCB reported that Bishop Thomas J. Rodi of Biloxi, Mississippi was able to reach their Alexandria, VA offices by cell phone to say that some 20 percent of the diocese’s parishes are wiped out and a third of his schools have been destroyed.
Likewise, he said that every rectory, convent, school, and diocesan building sustained at least moderate if not severe damage in the storm.