ROME — Pope Francis has sent a telegram expressing his sorrow over the destruction and loss of life wrought by the wildfires ravaging southern California.
The pontiff is “saddened by the loss of life and the widespread destruction caused by the fires near Los Angeles,” states Saturday’s text, signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin at the pope’s behest.
Pope Francis “assures you and the communities affected by this tragedy of his spiritual closeness,” the telegram reads.
While “entrusting the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God,” Francis likewise “sends heartfelt condolences to those who mourn their loss.”
He also “prays for the relief efforts of the emergency services personnel, and imparts his blessing to all as a pledge of consolation and strength in the Lord,” the missive concludes.
As Breitbart News reported, Los Angeles Catholic Archbishop José Gomez has also called for prayers for victims of California’s catastrophic wildfire and asserted, “We don’t know why these disasters happen.”
“In times like this, we can be tempted to question God’s love for us, to wonder where he is while good people are suffering,” Archbishop Gomez said Thursday at a special Mass held at the Los Angeles Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels.
“Why does God let evil things happen? Why does he allow natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes, and earthquakes and floods?” the archbishop asked.
“There is no easy answer. But that doesn’t mean that there are no answers,” he added.
“We don’t know why these disasters happen,” he said. “But we do know that Our Father holds this world, and each of our lives, in his loving hands. And we do know that everything he does, he does out of love for us, and for our salvation.”
“It is not an easy answer, but it is the truth,” Gomez added.
