Editor's Desk: Responding to the Tragedy

By Michael F. Flach
Herald Editor
(From the issue of 9/8/05)

It is not often that U.S. citizens get to feel what it’s like to live in a Third World Country. No water. No food. No communication. No electricity. No home. Many of the residents of the Gulf Coast who survived the terror that was Hurricane Katrina are now refugees. State and federal officials estimate that their misery could extend for a minimum of two months, if they’re lucky. In most cases, life as they knew it ceased to exist on Aug. 29. It will never be the same.

President Bush has declared the states of Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi federal disaster areas. Anarchy rules the day in flooded New Orleans. Looting has become routine and violence is escalating to the point that rescue helicopters are riddled with gunfire.

The Church is a strong presence in Louisiana. In some parishes, more than 60 percent of the population is Catholic. Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called on all 195 Catholic dioceses in the U.S. to participate in a national collection for hurricane relief, with donations going to Catholic Charities USA.

As announced last week, Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde requested that a special collection be taken up in all diocesan parishes the weekend of Sept. 17-18 to assist the hurricane relief effort.

Some readers may feel the need to act immediately rather than waiting for the special collection. If that’s the case, then you can go directly to Catholic Charities USA. It is possible to make donations for hurricane relief directly through that organization’s website (http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/news/katrina.cfm) or by mailing checks to: Catholic Charities USA, 2005 Hurricane Relief Fund, P.O. Box 25168, Alexandria, Va. 22313-9788. For those who would like additional information, Catholic Charities USA can be reached by telephone at 800-919-9338.

"Millions of people are in need of assistance and Catholic Charities will be among the primary responders," said Bishop Skylstad, who heads the Spokane Diocese. "Catholic Charities USA, working with the local diocesan Catholic Charities, has a professional and well-developed system of reviewing the needs and providing help where it can accomplish the most good.

"The media coverage has made it abundantly clear that the needs will be great, and long-lasting," Bishop Skylstad said. "At this time there is the possibility of more hurricanes coming in the next several weeks. I therefore ask you to please consider taking up a collection in your diocese for the relief of the victims of the hurricanes of this season."

Similar responses are underway across the nation. The Supreme Council of the Knights of Columbus has pledged a minimum of $2.5 million in financial assistance for the hurricane victims and will match any funds beyond that donated to the Knights’ Katrina Relief Fund over the next 60 days. There are nearly 50,000 Knights in the tri-state area devastated by Katrina. In addition, more than 45,000 live in Florida, where Katrina delivered its initial blow before growing into a category five hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.

Donors in the U.S. should make checks payable to Knights of Columbus Charities USA, Inc. and send them to: Knights of Columbus Charities USA, Inc., Gift Processing Center, P.O. BOX 9028, Pittsfield, MA 01202-9028 Attn: Hurricane KATRINA Relief. One hundred percent of contributions will go directly to hurricane relief and all donations are tax-deductible.

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