Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, issued the following statement in solidarity with Lebanon after the explosion in the Port of Beirut:

“The world watched with shock and horror the catastrophic explosion in the Port of Beirut Tuesday. Over 100 have died, thousands are injured, and the suffering has only begun to be told.

“Lebanon was already reeling from economic and government corruption along with the novel coronavirus pandemic. The plight of the Lebanese people is now even more dire. I received Lebanon’s patriarch, Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai’s Appeal to the Nations of the World with fraternal love and solidarity. I encourage Catholics and all people of good will to pray for the afflicted and give generously to Catholic Relief Services’ Lebanon disaster response. In addition, I call on the U.S. government to accelerate any and all humanitarian assistance to Lebanon in this hour of critical need.

“Joining in Pope Francis’ prayer on Wednesday that Lebanon may ‘overcome the grave crisis they are experiencing’ and beseeching the intercession of Our Lady of Lebanon, we place our sure hope in Him who reconciles all things unto himself.”