President of U.S. Bishops Conference Offers Condolences and Call for Prayer for Victims and Families Involved in Mexico Earthquake

WASHINGTON—CardinalDaniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the United StatesConference of Catholic Bishops has issued the following statement and call forprayer for those involved in this morning's devastating earthquake off thesouthern coast of Mexico and Guatemala.

WASHINGTON—CardinalDaniel N. DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, President of the United StatesConference of Catholic Bishops has issued the following statement and call forprayer for those involved in this morning's devastating earthquake off thesouthern coast of Mexico and Guatemala.   

Full statement follows:

"Our most heartfelt condolences goout to the victims of this morning's catastrophic earthquake, which hit off thecoast of southwestern Mexico and Guatemala. As of now, thirty-two people arereported dead, and many have lost their homes in what could be the mostpowerful earthquake to hit Mexico in a century.

I call on the faithful of thiscountry to pray for the victims and their families, as well as for emergencypersonnel and rescuers.

The Mexican and Guatemalan peopleare resilient in their faith and trust in the loving Providence of God, and wecommend them to the loving embrace of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who, amidst thesorrows of life, reminds us today as she did five hundred years ago: 'Am I nothere who am your Mother? Are you not under my shadow and protection? Am I notthe fountain of life?'"

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Keywords: United States Conferenceof Catholic Bishops, USCCB, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, earthquake, southwestern Mexico, Guatemala, Our Ladyof Guadalupe.

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