The following are the telegrams sent on behalf of the Holy Father Francis by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to Archbishop Freddy Antonio de Jesús Bretón Martínez of Santiago de Los Caballeros, and to Bishop Rubén Antonio González Medina, C.M.F., of Ponce, for the victims of Hurricane Fiona in the Dominican Republic and in Puerto Rico:
Telegrams
ARCHBISHOP FREDDY ANTONIO DE JESÚS BRETÓN MARTÍNEZ
OF SANTIAGO DE LOS CABALLEROS
PRESIDENT OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE DOMINICAN EPISCOPATE IN SANTO DOMINGO
THE HOLY FATHER, DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF THE NATURAL DISASTERS THAT HAVE STRUCK THE COUNTRY IN THE LAST FEW HOURS DUE TO HURRICANE FIONA, CLAIMING NUMEROUS VICTIMS AND CAUSING MATERIAL DAMAGE, RAISES HIS FERVENT PRAYER TO THE MOST MERCIFUL FATHER, ASKING HIM TO GRANT HIS CONSOLATION TO THE BELOVED DOMINICAN PEOPLE, WHO ARE SUFFERING THESE ADVERSITIES. HE ALSO ASKS THE ENTIRE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL TO INCREASE THEIR SOLIDARITY TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS CALAMITY, AND THUS MANIFEST THE FRATERNAL CLOSENESS TO WHICH WE ARE ALL CALLED.
HIS HOLINESS FRANCIS ENTRUSTS THEM TO THE LOVING AND MATERNAL HANDS OF OUR LADY OF ALTAGRACIA, AND IMPARTS TO THEM THE COMFORTING APOSTOLIC BLESSING, AS A SIGN OF AFFECTION FOR THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.
CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN
SECRETARY OF STATE
***
BISHOP RUBÉN ANTONIO GONZÁLEZ MEDINA, C.M.F.
OF PONCE
PRESIDENT OF THE PUERTO RICAN EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE
SAN JUAN
THE HOLY FATHER, DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF THE NATURAL DISASTERS THAT HAVE STRUCK THE ISLAND IN THE LAST FEW HOURS DUE TO HURRICANE FIONA, CAUSING THE LAMENTABLE LOSS OF HUMAN LIVES, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS CASUALTIES AND MATERIAL DAMAGE, RAISES HIS FERVENT PRAYER TO THE MOST CLEMENT FATHER, ASKING HIM TO GRANT HIS CONSOLATION TO THE BELOVED PUERTO RICAN PEOPLE, WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM THESE GRAVE MISFORTUNES. HE ALSO ASKS THE ENTIRE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL TO INCREASE THEIR SOLIDARITY TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS CALAMITY, AND THUS MANIFEST THE FRATERNAL CLOSENESS TO WHICH WE ARE ALL CALLED.
HIS HOLINESS FRANCIS ENTRUSTS THEM TO THE LOVING AND MATERNAL HANDS OF OUR LADY OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE, AND IMPARTS TO THEM THE COMFORTING APOSTOLIC BLESSING, AS A SIGN OF AFFECTION FOR THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF PUERTO RICO.
CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN
SECRETARY OF STATE