Pope Francis has already reached out to the many victims of the wildfires in Los Angeles, but at the end of the general audience on January 22, he did so again.
I want you to know that my heart is with the people of Los Angeles, who have suffered so much from the fires that devastated entire neighborhoods and communities. And they are not finished -- may Our Lady of Guadalupe intercede for all the people so that they can be witnesses of hope through the power of diversity and creativity for which they are known around the world.
The archbishop of Los Angeles, José Gomez, has been offering Masses and coordinating support for the victims.
“These are difficult and challenging days for our city and county and our local Church,” Archbishop Gomez said in a homily. “As we pray, the wildfires keep burning around us and, as we know, the damage continues to be devastating. … We are reminded today how precious every life is, and how fragile. We are reminded also that we are brothers and sisters, that each of us — we all belong to the family of God.”
"Always forward, never back"
At the same time, the resilience of the people has been palpable.
The pastor of Corpus Christi Church in Pacific Palisades, which was destroyed in the fire, Monsignor Liam Kidney, noted how the Church is the people:
Msgr. Kidney, in remarks at the end of Mass, said, “We’re going to get a chance to prove that the Church is the people, not the building." Vowing to rebuild the community, he quoted St. Junipero Serra, who said, “Always forward, never back (siempre adelante, nunca atras).”
One of the most encouraging accounts from the tragedy has been the recovery of the tabernacle from the Corpus Christi church:
Read some of the Inspiring Stories coming out of Los Angeles here:
