WASHINGTON – As emergency teams in Florida worked to save lives and restore power in areas heavily impacted by Hurricane Ian, Catholic leaders have begun to assess the condition of their communities and begin to mount efforts to help.
Though Ian was downgraded to a tropical storm after wrecking swaths of Florida, it regained strength and regrouped as a hurricane before heading toward South Carolina Sept. 30. President Joseph Biden approved an emergency declaration to send federal help to that area before Ian made landfall in Charleston.
“Our hearts are moved with compassion for all those who have suffered damage and destruction due to Hurricane Ian, especially our brothers and sisters in the Diocese of Venice,” St. Petersburg’s Bishop Gregory L. Parkes said of the diocese that suffered the brunt of the damage.
At least 21 fatalities were confirmed by midday Sept. 30, though numerous authorities have expressed the concern that those numbers will rise.
On Sept. 30, President Biden pleaded with those in the Carolinas about to face the hurricane’s wrath to heed warnings. He told Floridians the federal government would do all it could to help, particularly to rescue people and other recovery efforts. He also announced that 44,000 utility workers were working to restore electricity for the more than 2 million people who have been without power since the hurricane struck.
“It’s not a crisis for Florida, it’s an American crisis,” Biden said during the news conference.
He said the situation on the ground was “far more devastating” than initially believed and “is likely to rank among the worst in the nation’s history.”
In the Diocese of Venice, Bishop Frank J. Dewane gave thanks via Twitter for those who prayed for people in the path of the hurricane.
“Damage is still being assessed, but it is clear that the devastation in the Diocese is widespread,” he wrote. “There are several crews already at work throughout the Diocese, and Catholic Charities is putting their local team into action. We are grateful for all those who have helped, and continue to help, during this difficult time.”
In Charleston, South Carolina, Bishop Jacques e. Fabre-Jeune offered Mass hours before the storm made landfall “for the protection of all people affected by Hurricane Ian and especially for our essential personnel working to keep us safe,” the Diocese said on its Facebook page.
Ian hit close to 2:30 p.m. local time Sept. 30 as a Category 1 hurricane, flooding historic Charleston, with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph.