The Hill Country of central Texas awoke on Friday, July 4, to a torrent that erased whole communities in less than an hour. The Guadalupe River surged 26 feet in just 45 minutes, overwhelming cabins, camps and homes while most families still slept. By Monday, July 7, afternoon officials confirmed at least 89 people dead statewide, with 75 of those lives lost in Kerr County alone. Among the victims are 27 girls and counselors from Camp Mystic, the beloved Christian camp in Hunt that has shaped generations of Texans. Sheriff Larry Leitha warned that ten campers and one counselor are still missing as search crews scour every “foot and bend” of the river. (cbsnews.com, washingtonpost.com)
“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly.”
Governor Greg Abbott, after surveying the shattered cabins, called the scene “horrendously ravaged,” adding, “We won’t stop until we find every girl who was in those cabins.” (cbsnews.com) Local leaders admit they were caught off-guard. Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly—whose own home sits along the river—told reporters, “Nobody saw this coming.” Survivors recount flashes of heroism amid the darkness. Reagan Brown described how his octogenarian parents rescued a 92-year-old neighbor before riding out the flood with others in a toolshed on higher ground: “Neighbors…showed up at their tool shed, and they all rode it out together.” (abc7ny.com)
A hotter world, a heavier rain
Scientists are clear about why these disasters are growing more violent. “There has been an explosion in extreme weather in recent years, including more devastating flash floods caused by slow-moving, wetter storms that dump exceptional amounts of rain over small areas across a short time,” explains Prof. Bill McGuire of University College London. He calls the Texas floods “exactly what we would expect in our hotter, climate-changed world.” (commondreams.org)
A Catholic response of solidarity
As Catholics, we meet heartbreak with hope rooted in Christ. Pope Leo XIV, remembering the victims at Sunday Mass, prayed, “I express my sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones…”
In that same spirit, let us:
Pray for the dead and the missing. Offer a Rosary today for the repose of every soul lost along the Guadalupe and for the comfort of those who mourn.
Invoke the Saints. Ask Our Lady of Sorrows to accompany grieving parents, and St. Bernardine of Siena, patron against storms, to shield first responders still on the water.
Support relief efforts. Catholic Charities USA and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul have mobilized teams in Kerrville; monetary donations and volunteer time are urgently needed.
Advocate for the vulnerable. Echo the Church’s call for just stewardship of creation by urging civic leaders to invest in warning systems that protect “the least of these.”
Closing prayer
Heavenly Father, In the midst of rushing waters You are our refuge. Receive Your children who died in Texas into the light of Your face. Console the families who weep, strengthen those who search, and kindle in us a holy resolve to care for one another and for our common home. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
May the merciful Heart of Jesus grant rest to the departed and raise up every shattered spirit along the banks of the Guadalupe.
