Hurricane Katrina


Donations and offers of assistance are pouring in from Catholic individuals, parishes, dioceses, religious orders, schools and universities, elementary and secondary schools, hospitals, and numerous lay organizations in response to the devastation brought Hurricane Katrina. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is offering this Web page as one clearinghouse of news and information on such Catholic efforts. Please check back regularly.

Hurricane Relief Donations       National Collection in US Dioceses
USCCB News Releases News from Catholic News Service
USCCB Statements Liturgical Prayers

Hurricane Relief Donations

Catholic Charities USA

Catholic Charities USA, which has been commissioned by the U.S. Catholic Bishops to represent the Catholic community in times of domestic disaster, responds with emergency and long-term assistance as needed. Its Disaster Response Office connects the Church's social service agencies and disaster planning offices across the nation. Catholic Charities USA is collaborating with the American Red Cross and other humanitarian organizations to respond to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina.

To make donations online for Hurricane Katrina relief:

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Society of St. Vincent DePaul

Contributions may be made online or by regular postal mail:

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Knights of Columbus

Checks payable to Knights of Columbus Charities USA Inc. should be sent to:

Knights of Columbus Charities USA Inc.
Gift Processing Center
P.O. Box 9028
Pittsfield, MA 01202-9028

Attn: Hurricane Katrina Relief.

Donors in Canada should make checks payable to Knights of Columbus Canada Charities Inc. and send them to:
Knights of Columbus Charities Canada Inc.
Gift Processing Center
P.O. Box 7252 Station A
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5W 1X9,

Attn: Hurricane Katrina Relief.

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Catholic Extension Society

Donations may be made online or by regular postal mail:

Donors are asked to write "hurricane relief" on the memo portion of their checks.

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National Collection in U.S. Dioceses

August 30, 2005
Bishop William S. Skylstad, President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), announced on August 30 that a National Collection for Hurricane Relief will be taken up in the 195 Catholic dioceses throughout the United States, and most, if not all dioceses are planning special collections in the first weeks of September. To read more, see the USCCB news release, National Collection For Hurricane Relief Announced By USCCB (05-183).

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USCCB News Releases

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News from Catholic News Service

Pope offers concern for Katrina's victims, prayers for relief workers
VATICAN CITY (CNS, Aug. 31, 2005) -- Pope Benedict XVI expressed his spiritual closeness and concern for all those affected by Hurricane Katrina in the United States, and he offered special prayers for those engaged in relief efforts.
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Louisianans face long recovery from Katrina, New Orleans flooding
WASHINGTON (CNS, Sept. 1, 2005) -- Many Catholic churches and schools across Louisiana pitched in to provide meals, shelter and services for Gulf Coast refugees from Hurricane Katrina and from the massive flooding of New Orleans that followed -- one of the worst natural disasters ever to hit the United States.
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Most bishops in hurricane's path accounted for
WASHINGTON (CNS, Sept. 1, 2005) -- Efforts by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Washington headquarters to get through to bishops whose dioceses were in the path of Hurricane Katrina generally met with success in the initial days after the hurricane, as power and telephone outages left bishops and laity alike incommunicado.
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Priest witnesses devastation in drive north from Mississippi coast
WASHINGTON (CNS, Sept. 1, 2005) -- Divine Word Father Brendan Murphy thought he was just going to celebrate weekend Masses in Lizana, Miss., and then head back to his order's monastery in nearby Bay St. Louis.
That was not to be.
Read more...

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