Florida bishop invites all to pray for God’s protection from Hurricane Ian September 27, 2022By Catholic News Service Catholic News Service Filed Under: Environment, Feature, News, World News ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (CNS) — As the Tampa Bay area on Florida’s west coast prepared for what was expected to be a direct hit from Hurricane Ian, Bishop Gregory L. Parkes of St. Petersburg invited all in the diocese to pray to God “for the protection of life and property as we face this serious threat.” “As Hurricane Ian approaches our area, as we make our final preparations, and as we begin to feel the effects of the storm, I invite you to pray with me,” he said in a video message released Sept. 27 to the diocese, which includes Tampa. Police officers walk near a destroyed home along the coastline in Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland, Sept. 25, 2022. Canadian troops are being sent to assist the recovery from the devastation from Fiona, which hit the country’s Atlantic provinces as a post-tropical storm and swept away houses, stripped off roofs and knocked out power. Hurricane Ian is expected to hit Florida. (CNS photo/John Morris, Reuters) “Loving God, maker of heaven and earth, protect us in your love and mercy. Send the spirit of Jesus to be with us to still our fears and to give us confidence. In the stormy waters, Jesus reassured his disciples by his presence, calmed the storm and strengthened their faith,” he prayed. “Guard us from harm during the storm and renew our faith to serve you faithfully. Give us the courage to face all difficulties and the wisdom to see the ways your Spirit binds us together in mutual assistance,” he continued. “With confidence, we make our prayer through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.” News reports said Hurricane Ian hit the western side of Cuba early Sept. 27, moving north and growing in strength to a Category 3 storm with 125 mph sustained winds. The National Hurricane Center predicted the storm would grow bigger before making landfall on Florida “likely near Tampa Bay” late Sept. 28 or Sept. 29. Bishop Parkes is the spiritual leader of 500,000 Catholics who live along Florida’s Suncoast, Tampa Bay and the Nature Coast. “May God bless you and stay safe,” he said in his message. The bishop’s prayer was airing on the radio on Tampa’s Spirit FM 90.5 starting Sept. 27. A video was emailed to pastors at the Catholic parishes in the diocese and to 11,000 parishioners. It also was posted on the diocese’s Facebook page, which has 13,000 fans, and on the diocesan website, https://www.dosp.org, and its YouTube channel. Read More World News Pope Leo XIV prays for leaders to ‘abandon projects of death’ in peace prayer video Lebanon’s Eastern Catholic patriarchs, bishops call for ‘spiral of violence’ to end Sudanese bishops express distress at the massacre of 178 people in northern South Sudan Iran’s exiled Christians watch events unfolding across Middle East with hope, fear Beloved Notre Dame coaching legend Lou Holtz remembered for ‘building men, not just players’ Catholic sisters to host livestream prayer for peace as violence continues in Iran, Middle East Copyright © 2022 Catholic News Service/U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Print
