Bishop of Buffalo meets with families of Continental crash victims

Buffalo, N.Y., Feb 13, 2009 / 09:33 am

As people around the country mourn the loss of the 50 people who died in the crash of Continental Flight 3407, Bishop Edward Kmiec of Buffalo is meeting with family members of the victims and asking the diocese to join him in prayer for those suffering from the tragedy.

On Thursday night at about 10:20 p.m. neighbors reported hearing the plane pass overhead at a lower than normal altitude. Moments later the plane suddenly nosedived into the house of Douglas and Karen Wielinski. Karen and her daughter Jill were taken to the hospital, while it appears that Douglas was killed in the crash. All 49 people on board the aircraft perished.

Bishop Edward U. Kmiec, bishop of Buffalo, was quick to respond to the spiritual needs of those involved in the tragedy and met with family members of the victims at the Cheektowaga Senior Center on Friday morning.

"My prayers are with the crew members, passengers, the individual who died on the ground, as well as their families and friends," Bishop Kmiec said.

"I am asking everyone in the Diocese of Buffalo to join me in prayer today as we offer spiritual support to those who have been touched by this tragedy.  I offered my Mass this morning for the victims and their families, and prayers are being said today, and will be said this weekend at Masses in all of our parishes throughout the eight county diocese.  May God grant the victims of Flight 3407 eternal rest."

Continental Airlines is asking friends and family who need information regarding those on board flight #3407 to call 1-800-621-3263.