WASHINGTON —Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued the following statement praying for the lives and safety of all those in the path of Hurricane Laura as it makes landfall in the Gulf Coast:

“On behalf of my brother bishops in the United States, I am praying for the safety and well-being of everyone in the path of Hurricane Laura. May God protect their families and their homes and their livelihoods. We pray especially for first responders and health care and emergency workers. I urge our Catholic faithful and all people of good will across the country to stand in solidarity with the communities that will be hard hit by this storm and to please be generous in providing assistance.

We entrust all our brothers and sisters in harm’s way to the Immaculate Heart of Mary our Blessed Mother, and we ask her intercession to lessen the damage and ease the suffering caused by this storm.”