As the Caribbean reels from the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa, Catholics across the world are joining Pope Leo XIV’s call for prayer and solidarity with those suffering in Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba.
Unprecedented Destruction Across the Islands
Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm with winds reaching 185 mph, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record, according to the Associated Press. Entire neighborhoods were left roofless, power lines lay twisted on flooded streets, and families struggled to recover what little remained of their homes.
“I never see anything like this before in all my years living here,” said Jennifer Small, a resident of Jamaica’s St. Elizabeth parish, where landslides and floods cut off access to main roads and turned streets into mud pits (AP News).
In Cuba, the storm’s ferocity tore through Santiago de Cuba and Granma provinces, leaving hospitals and homes in ruins. “That was hell. All night long, it was terrible,” said Reinaldo Charon, a 52-year-old resident of Santiago de Cuba who sought cover under a plastic sheet as rain continued to fall (AP News).
Officials estimated that 735,000 people remained in shelters across Cuba, and 77% of Jamaica was without power on Wednesday, according to Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaica’s Minister of Education. Haitian authorities, meanwhile, reported at least 40 deaths, with more than a dozen still missing after severe flooding swept through the southern coastal town of Petit-Goâve (AP News).
Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness vowed that “recovery will take time, but the government is fully mobilized… we are doing everything possible to restore normalcy quickly” (AP News).
The Pope’s Words of Compassion and Encouragement
At the end of his General Audience on Wednesday, October 29, Pope Leo XIV turned his attention to the suffering in the Caribbean, offering prayers and encouragement to the faithful enduring the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa.
Calling it a storm of “catastrophic power” that has caused “violent flooding,” the Holy Father said, “I am praying for those who have lost their lives, for those who are fleeing, and for those populations who, awaiting the storm’s developments, are experiencing hours of anxiety and concern,” according to Vatican News.
Pope Leo also urged civil leaders to “do everything possible” to bring relief to affected regions and expressed heartfelt gratitude to Christian communities and volunteer organizations for their immediate humanitarian response.
Faith Amid the Ruins
In Jamaica’s Black River, a coastal town of 5,000 where local infrastructure was destroyed, Mayor Richard Solomon described the situation as “catastrophic,” noting that hospitals and police units were unable to respond due to flooding (AP News). Yet amid despair, acts of mercy emerged — parish churches opened their doors as temporary shelters, and Catholic aid groups began mobilizing food and water distribution through diocesan networks.
As one 84-year-old man, David Muschette, told reporters while sitting among the remains of his home, “I need help.” His words echo across the Caribbean — a call not only for humanitarian relief, but for prayerful solidarity.
A Call to Prayer and Action
Hurricane Melissa’s destruction comes as many Caribbean nations continue to face economic hardship and recovery from previous storms. For Catholics, this moment calls for faith in action — through prayer, generosity, and accompaniment.
As Pope Leo XIV reminded the world, “Life is what matters.” In those few words, shared by survivors and echoed by the Church, lies the mission of every Christian: to bring hope, healing, and Christ’s compassion where devastation reigns.
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