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As the floodwaters recede from Texas Hill Country following devastating flash floods that swept away lives and homes over the July 4 weekend, Catholic leaders are offering prayers, solidarity, and support to the affected communities.
The tragedy, centered near the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, claimed dozens of lives and left several campers, including young students, still missing.
>> Trump issues major disaster declaration for Texas county as flooding death toll rises to 70 <<
Pope Leo XIV addressed the crisis during his Sunday Angelus July 6, expressing “sincere condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters who were at summer camp,” CatholicVote reported.
Speaking in English, the Holy Father added, “We pray for them.”
Closer to the scene, the Archdiocese of San Antonio reported that on July 4, Archbishop Gustavo García‑Siller visited Notre Dame Catholic Church in Kerrville — serving as a shelter for evacuees — and spoke with families impacted by the flooding.
“Let us answer Christ’s call to love one another,” the archdiocese said, pledging continued presence “as our people seek to rebuild.”
A special Mass for the victims, missing persons, and grieving families was scheduled for July 6 at Notre Dame Church in Kerrville, with Archbishop García‑Siller and the parish’s new pastor, Father Scott Janysek, presiding.
Other dioceses across Texas also joined in prayer. Archbishop Joe Vásquez of Galveston – Houston issued a statement July 5 extending spiritual support.
“In this time of uncertainty and sorrow, we unite ourselves to the Good Shepherd and ask for His protection and comfort over the victims, families, and first responders,” he said. “We entrust the souls of those who passed to the mercy of Our Heavenly Father, and we seek the intercession of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, imploring her assistance in the rescue of those still missing.”
In the Diocese of Beaumont, where several missing girls attended Catholic schools, the local Catholic community has been especially affected, Beaumont Enterprise reported. A July 5 prayer service at St. Anthony Cathedral Basilica honored the missing, including students from Kelly Catholic High School and St. Anne Catholic School. Community members gathered to support the families and mourn together, sharing memories and hope as recovery efforts continued.
Father Shane Baxter, who presided over the Mass, spoke in his homily of the “helpless feeling” that comes with not knowing the fate of missing loved ones, encouraging those gathered to “gather together for prayer and seek comfort from God.”
Father James Misko, administrator for the Diocese of Austin, urged the faithful to join in prayer for those impacted by the flooding, especially in Kerr County.
“May the lives lost today rest in peace, through the mercy of God, and may their families know God’s presence during this time of sorrow and uncertainty,” he said.
He also commended the efforts of first responders and invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title Our Lady of Prompt Succor “that God will bring to a calm the rushing rivers, keep safe those who are missing and protect those working to rescue the lost.”
As cleanup and rescue operations continue, Catholic Charities and parish volunteers across the state have provided aid, with local churches becoming centers for distribution of food, water, clothing, and shelter.
CatholicVote previously reported that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Catholic, designated July 6 as a day of prayer “for the lives lost, for those still missing, for the recovery of our communities, and for the safety of those on the front lines.”
