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Dear People of God,

Introduction

            Over the past few months the people of the gulf south region have experienced catastrophic events that have changed almost every facet of their lives. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita are events that will be remembered in history for many years to come. This is a time when many people were forced to reflect on big questions: Questions about evil in the world, questions about suffering, helping our brothers and sisters, human dignity and many others. When you look at what the people who were affected by the hurricanes went through, you are really moved into compassion and solidarity. The people of the gulf south region have lost almost everything. Thousands have lost their homes. This is something that is much more than a building. It is a place of memories, of love shared. With the loss of their homes, they also lost their communities, their schools, their churches, their friends, and their businesses. Some even lost their loved ones as thousands lost their lives during these storms. In the days after the hurricane, many people were in a state of utter dismay. Many people were pointing fingers at one another. Politicians were saying he or she was to blame for the massive confusion of relief efforts that took place. People did not know were to start. We saw horrific portrayals of violence were people were taking the laws into their own hands, looting and destroying property. You also saw many people bringing in the issue of race. Saying that many of the problems were because of a particular ethnic community. Basically, in this time, people were confused and did not know what to do. But in the midst of the chaos, amazing things started to happen. The people of God started to help one another. You saw in these times the best of our Christian community. Members of churches organized huge efforts to start to address the peoples needs. Some people took displaced citizens in their homes. People worked hard to provide medical care and clothing to people who had nothing. People would go into shelters and sit down and talk to the “displaced citizens” and minister to them and listen to their stories. And there were many stories. People told stories about how they were trapped on roofs, how they were trapped in attics without food or water. People told how they saw others dying in front of them. So people just listened to each other’s stories and prayed with one another. People have also been helping to repair houses and provide people with temporary places to live. In all of these efforts, we have seen the face of Jesus in one another as we have helped one another.

            This call to see the face of Christ in one another is at the core of our Christian faith. It is at the core of our missionary lives. These hurricanes called us to go back to this, to see the face of Christ. Scripture tells us that this is at the heart of Jesus’ call to us. “I Was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink; I was a stranger and you received me into your homes, naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me. Whatever you do for the least of my people, you do it for me.”[1]

In this encyclical, we will look at all aspects of how Catholic teaching tries to answer the many questions that people have in their hearts in this time of great tragedy.

Human Dignity

            “The Catholic Church proclaims that human life is sacred and that the dignity of the person is the foundation of a moral vision for our society.”[2] In the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, you saw in many ways people’s human dignity being stripped away from them. It of course was innately in them but the victims of the hurricane had a hard time seeing this. In many instances, people were left for dead. We all saw pictures of people dying in front of the Convention Center in New Orleans. People herd politicians say that there city was not worth rebuilding. Many people wondered why their city had been neglected for so long in respects to their levy systems and escape plans. But many people during these times started to step up and make sure that the displaced citizens felt as though their human dignity was being respected. People wanted to know that they were going to be cared for and not forgotten.

 The response that the Church showed for attending to peoples needs and showing them that they had great dignity was a beautiful sign of God’s love poring through the people that helped. The Church says that, “The dignity of the human person is rooted in his creation in the image and likeness of God.”[3]To say that a person is created in the image and likeness of God is a huge statement. We need to treat people like we would treat God himself. Many times after the storm, you herd many people talking about “those people”. You herd it on news programs, and in conversations that people were having with one another. People used the term “those people” like they were talking about people from another planet. But those people were our brothers and sister, our friends, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Those people were made in the image and likeness of God and they disserved our utmost compassion and respect. The catechism says, “Jesus makes charity the new commandment. By loving his own to the end, he makes manifest the Father’s love which he receives. By loving one another, the disciples imitate the love of Jesus which they themselves receive. Whence Jesus says: “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.” And again: “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”[4] This hopefully was at the core of why people helped each other after the hurricane. It should not have been because people wanted to get recognition, or be seen on the television. It should not have been because you just thought it was something that you had to do. It should have been done out of love. It should have been done because Christ commanded us “to love one another as I have loved you.”

The USCCB made a comment about human dignity in response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in a statement they made on the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. It states, “Human lives have been destroyed and human dignity has been assaulted. At times respect for life and dignity was lost in the midst of the disaster. Our faith and what we have seen calls us to insist that every aspect of recovery, every plan for rebuilding should be measured by how it protects human life and how it threatens or enhances the dignity of all those touched by this catastrophe, especially the weakest and most venerable.”[5] This quote I think ascents how we need to be concerned for everyone in the rebuilding process. Not just the rich or the people with the most political or economic influence. Every person has the same amount of dignity as the next person. It is the dignity of the Creator. When we house people or feed people in the upcoming months, we need to be conscientious to provide for them, as we would want to be provided for. For those of you affected by the storms, know that the church is here to help you and will be there to lend the helping hand of Christ. Know that your dignity will be the most important thing considered when we attend to your needs.

 Pope John XXIII talks about our rights as humans in Pacem in Terris. He says, “We see that every man and woman has the right to life, to bodily integrity, and to the means which are suitable for the proper developments of life; these are primarily food, clothing, shelter, rest, medical care, and finally the necessary social services. Therefore a human being also has the right to security in cases of sickness, inability to work, widowhood, old age, unemployment, or in any other case in which he or she is deprived of the means of subsistence through no fault of their own.”[6] People have needs that they need to be met. This is part of our dignity as humans. No hurricane or any type of tragedy should make someone unworthy of these necessities. As we reflect on the past few months, and what has happened, let us reflect on our dignity as humans as well as all those who suffered in the storm.

Community and the Common Good

            “In a global culture driven by excessive individualism, our tradition proclaims that the person is not only sacred but also social. How we organize our society in economics and politics, in law and policy directly affects human dignity and the capacity of individuals to grow in community. Our church teaches that the role of the government and other institutions is to protect human life and human dignity and promote the common good.”[7] In the days and weeks after Hurricane Katrina, we saw how consideration for the common good was greatly jeopardized. It was something that people were talking a lot about, and many questions were being raised. One of these big questions was; why did the government for so long neglect the levies for the people of New Orleans, and other parts of South Louisiana. It seemed that the government had attended to many needs for people of other parts of the country and other parts of the world for that matter, (which is a very good thing) but had neglected the people of South Louisiana by allowing them to live in unsafe conditions. Scientist and engineers for years had warned about the dangers of the situation of the levy system of South Louisiana. But many in power continued to turn a deaf ear. This was a direct attack against being concerned for the common good. It was as if the people of Southeast Louisiana were left out of this equation of respect for the common good. It was not until a great catastrophe occurred that light was shed on this huge neglect of the common good.

            The Catechism of the Catholic Church says this about concern for the common good. “In keeping with the social nature of man, the good of each individual is necessarily related to the common good, which in turn can be defined only in reference to the human person. By common good is to be understood, “the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfillment more full and more easily.” The common good concerns the life of all. It calls for prudence from each, and even more from those who exercises the office of authority.”[8] So we all as humans participate in this common good. In events of emergency like this one was, people should make decisions based on the fact that they are dealing with all in society, even the poor and venerable. Leaders should also have the capabilities and faculties to be able to make these kinds of decisions. They should be competent and capable leaders who can react in times of struggle. We saw in these disasters how much the people affected were counting on these leaders.

            In dealing with the aftermath of Katrina, we need to be certain that no member of the common good is forgotten and no right owed to them be denied. “Let the rights of all persons, families, and associations, along with the exercise of those rights, be recognized, honored, and fostered. The same holds for those duties which bind all citizens. Among the latter should be remembered that of furnishing the common wealth with the material and spiritual services required for the common good.”[9] No one will be left behind in this time of struggle. All people concerned with upholding the common good should work together to bring healing to a broken land and dignity back to shattered lives. “The storm brought out the best and worst heroic efforts of service and abandonment of duty, sacrifice for others and evil acts of opportunism. Renewal and recovery should not become a battle over blame or a contest of interests, or an opportunity for the well connected to overwhelm the weak. After Katrina, we have all learned once again that we are in this together.”[10]

Rights and Responsibilities

            “Catholic tradition teaches that human dignity can be protected and a healthy community can be achieved only if human rights are protected and responsibilities are met. Therefore, every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to those things required for human decency. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities to one another, to our families, and to the larger society.”[11] In the aftermath of Katrina, many people were stepping up to help people whose live were devastated by the hurricane. People might have felt like they were doing something out of the ordinary to help someone in need. They might have felt like they were doing something that they didn’t have to do, or maybe that they were being simply generous with their time or treasures. But in reality, these gestures were things demanded of us as people living in the world. We all have the responsibility to help our brothers and sisters when there lives are shattered. This is not just when tragedy is in your back yard but you should try to help all who suffer in the world.

The Church has the responsibility by divine order to attend to all the needs of the world. The USCCB says, “Our social tradition begins with the right to life and extends to those rights which make life truly human. These are rights such as faith and family, work and education, and housing and health care. Restoring institutions of faith, work, education and health care and providing shelter and descent housing are not just signs of generosity; they are required by justice.”[12] This is why it is imperative that every diocese has well functioning offices of social ministries or the sort. They should have ministries like Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Social Services, Diocesan Disaster Services and other ministries that answer to the responsibility we have as church and as humans to help our brothers and sisters in need not just by giving them handouts but by empowering them to get back on their feet and make a difference for themselves. The Church and the government have the responsibility to help the people, affected by these storms and other disasters to come. We have to help them to recollect their lives and start over. We cannot just sit and do nothing while people are in total despair.

            All responsibilities of Christians flow from Jesus Christ himself. “Jesus Christ is the one whom the father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them.”[13] This is the core of our faith, to love one another and to be Christ on earth. This is a responsibility that God calls us too as he breaths life into us. He desires for us to be his hands and feet on earth and this is something that we must do. Christ is counting on us.

Care for the Poor and Vulnerable

            In looking at how Hurricane Katrina effected the New Orleans area, one might ask how so many lives were lost and why so many people did not get out when they were warned countless times to get out and were pleaded with to get out. If you look closely, the answer lies in that many people did not have the financial means to get out. New Orleans in many aspects is a poor city. Many people who live in New Orleans live below the poverty level. Many of these people have become caught in the devastating cycle of poverty. Many of these people live on very fixed incomes and are not able to have means for transportation.

Many people have also made the claim that one of the reasons that New Orleans’ levy systems were overlooked for so long was because the city was a very poor city. While this claim in many ways is stretched, there may be some truth to it. The poor of New Orleans did not commit a crime. They did not choose to be poor or be caught in the cycle of poverty, it just happened to them. But a person being poor does not mean that they are any less human. They still have the right to be cared for just like any other person.

 Jesus says in the Beatitudes, “Blessed are the poor for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.”[14] In this quote from our Lord, the poor should be treated with great respect for they our close to the kingdom of God. “Our faith insists that the poor and vulnerable should have first claim on our common efforts. They cannot be left behind once again. We should assess this disaster, the response, and the future recovery for how it touches the lives of the least among us. In light of what we have seen and heard, this is a time for constructive dialogue to address how poverty and race divide our society and challenge our nation.”[15] In addressing the situation of evacuation for people who didn’t have the means to evacuate, the government along with the Church and other religious and civic organizations need to come up with detailed plans of we how we will insure that everyone will have the opportunity to get out of harms way when another storm comes. It is very sad that so many lives had to be lost because the government did not have an adequate plan of evacuation for all people. We have the responsibility of trying to provide for the poor and assist them in starting a new life after the storm.

 “The family should live in such a way that its members learn to care and take responsibility for the young, the old, the sick, the handicapped, and the poor. There are many families who are at times incapable of providing this help. It devolves then on the other persons, other families, and, in a subsidiary way, society to provide for their needs.”[16]

            We saw also in the aftermath of the storm that not just poor people had fell victim to neglect but also the venerable such as the elderly in nursing homes and in their own homes and the handicapped. It is a shame that so many of these helpless people were left to die while members of society forgot them in the panic of the storm. These people as with the poor deserve to be looked after in times of disaster with dignity and respect.

Stewardship of Creation

            “Catholic tradition insists that we show our respect for the Creator by our stewardship of creation. We are called to protect people and the planet, living our faith in relationship with all of God’s creation. This environmental challenge has fundamental moral and ethical dimensions which can not be ignored.”[17] Many areas of the United States are affected by storms each year. In the state of Florida, we see on average 3 or 4 hurricanes a year strike the state. It seams that after these storms, the state of Florida is able to get back on its feet relatively easy. Why then did we see so much disaster and what seems to be unfixable damage in South Louisiana? The answerer to this question is poor stewardship of the land. Businesses and the government have neglected the area of South Louisiana for many years. People knew that the levies in New Orleans could not withstand a major category 4 or category 5 hurricane. We saw in the 1960’s when Cammille hit New Orleans what happened. The city flooded. Why wasn’t the problem addressed after this catastrophe some 40 years ago? We new what would happen to the city and basically we as a people let it happen. Another problem that we saw was that coastal areas like St. Bernard parish, Plaquemines Parish, and Terrebonne Parish, flooded. The problem in this instance is that these areas did not have any cushioning to absorb the tidal surge that came in from the gulf. Poor decisions in regards to what we have done to the river infrastructure have caused the barrier island situation to be as it is. We have neglected our stewardship to the land of South Louisiana for too long and in consequence, we are loosing our precious land of Louisiana that everyone loves so much. Choices that were maid about our levy systems that was supposed to protect us from the destructive waters of Lake Pontatrain and the Gulf of Mexico caused many people’s homes to be destroyed, and cities and communities to be destroyed. Worst than that it caused lives to be lost.

            “The renewal and recovery which is to come must seek to acknowledge and repair the damage the storm and the floods have done to God’s creation along the Gulf Coast. The recovery efforts to come should seek to protect and safeguard that environment in the future.”[18] The people responsible with the cleanup and rebuilding need to realize that this land of South Louisiana is a beloved land. People have found God on the bayous, in the lakes, in the forests, and walking along the river walk in New Orleans. This is God’s creation and it needs to be cherished. In the future when decisions are being made for levies and coastal restoration, let us not make the same mistakes again. We need to finally let history teach us its lesson. We need to finally make changes and get the job done to make sure that God’s people and God’s creation our safe.

Solidarity

            “Catholic social teaching proclaims that we are our brother’s and sister’s keepers, wherever they live. We are one human family, whatever our national, racial, ethnic, economic, and ideological differences. Solidarity means that loving our neighbor has global dimensions in an interdependent world.”[19] In the aftermath of Katrina, we saw across the globe a beautiful testament of solidarity. You saw on television and radio people showing report for the people of South Louisiana. You saw people in different parts of the world raising money to give to the people who had lost everything. One of the beautiful things that happened was that groups from different parts of the country and world came into South Louisiana and got there hands dirty and worked. People would walk up to families who were cleaning out their devastated house and offer their services. People took other families into their homes. People in so many ways showed solidarity with their brothers and sisters in South Louisiana.

            There are many stories of Jesus showing solidarity with people in his ministry. One of these stories is Jesus feeding the five thousand in the Gospel of Matthew. “That evening his disciples came to him and said, “It is already late, and this is a lonely place. Send the people away and let them go to the villages to buy food for themselves.” “They don’t have to leave,” answered Jesus. “You yourselves give them something to eat!”

“All we have here are five loaves and two fish,” they replied. “Then bring them here to me.” Jesus said He ordered the people to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. Everyone ate and had enough.”[20] This beautiful story in the Gospels  is beautiful symbolism for solidarity. Jesus was concerned for the people and so He provided for them. He provided out of love. The people of God did this for the victims of the hurricane. They saw the need and they provided. Thousands of displaced citizens entered into make shift shelters. People had to think quick about how they would provide food and clothing and showers for all these people. God provided. He touched the hearts of many and got them to give all they could. Many groups volunteered to cook. There were mountains of clothes that people donated to shelters. People made showers for the displaced citizens at the shelters. God provided for the multitudes with nothing. This is solidarity; people coming together to help. We as missionaries of Christ must always be ready to offer solidarity with the suffering of the world. This is our call as the hands and feet of Christ.

Suffering

            Many people most probably herd at some time after the storm that God had sent the storm to New Orleans to punish the city for its sinful ways. This kind of talk is very incorrect. Our God is a loving God and does not want to punish us. He only wants to console us. In this life, we all experience times of suffering. We experience losses of friends and family members. We experience devastation like hurricanes. In these events, many people often get angry with God and blame God for allowing something like this to happen. But we should in reality turn to God in these situations because He is the only one who can offer us peace and hope. He wants to give us His loving embrace in times of tragedy.

            So suffering is an intimate part of our existence as humans. Many people often wish that they could just go through life without ever having to suffer. But what a cold world this would be if we never experienced healing, or reconciliation, or consolation; all the things that we experience love from the most. We should not be afraid of suffering but embrace it as Jesus embraced His cross. For it was in the cross that Jesus really showed His infinite love to the world! As with Katrina and Rita, in this great time of tragedy God shows his love through all the people who stepped in to make a difference.

Another blessing that we receive from suffering is that it causes us to reflect on our lives. So often times, we can become complaisant in our lives. We loose track of the important things. Tragedies force us to refocus our lives and rediscover meaning and truth in our live. This is all part of the bumpy road of life.

            John Paul II in his apostolic letter Salvifici doloris says this about suffering. “Mary united with her divine Son at the foot of the Cross, teaches us to endure suffering with Christ and in Christ, in the power of the Holy Spirit’s love. Mary is the first and perfect “volunteer of suffering”, uniting her own sorrow to her son’s sacrifice, so that it may acquire redemptive meaning.”[21] How many “Marys” did we have in the days following Katrina and Rita? Mothers who watched their children suffer from exhaust, dehydration, and despair.  But these suffering mothers showed their love by being united with their children. They boded together and pressed on. Our suffering needs to acquire this redemptive meaning. We need to suffer with Christ so that we may experience the love of the mother and the love of the Son. Do not look at the hurricanes as punishment but as invitations for growth, reflection and experiencing the Father’s love.

Conclusion

            We have all been through trials with these hurricanes. We have suffered we have cried, we have questioned. And maybe there are no clear answers. But we as people of God have to believe in the Resurrection. We have to look for the rainbow at the end of the storm. We have seen how all aspects of social teaching were affected. The Church’s social teaching tries to give us guidance on how to deal with these issues. But as in all of the Church’s teachings, all of our efforts must be rooted in love. It must be directed towards love. In events of future catastrophes, hopefully we all will have a little bit more knowledge and wisdom on how to deal with the issues that come our way.

            We have to remain strong in these troubled times. We have to know and believe in the depths of our hearts that the Lord God will carry us out of the darkness and into the light. May the lives that were lost never be forgotten? May all those who were affected by the hurricanes know that the church cares for you and is hear to help you? For you are special in the eyes of God and God will always look after His people.

Prayer for the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

O God of compassion and goodness. You have called your broken and wounded people to you. You desire them to receive healing and new life. Allow them to drink from the springs of your comforting love. Lord, help the victims of the hurricanes return their lives back to order. Help them receive the shelter that they need, the jobs that they need, and all things that they need to have dignity of life. Lord we ask that you bless all leaders who will make the decisions to insure the safety of the people of Louisiana in future times. We pray that the devastation that we faced may never again touch these beautiful bayous and rivers. Lord may your glory be shown in all that you have done to touch people’s hearts and call people to action. Bless us Lord!

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

                                                                                                    In Christ,

                                                                                                            Andre’ Melancon