Pope offers prayers for Hurricane Sandy victims

Vatican City, Oct 31, 2012 / 10:32 am

At the Oct. 31 general audience, Pope Benedict offered prayers for the victims of Hurricane Sandy which ravaged the East Coast of the United States early this week.

"Conscious of the devastation caused by the hurricane which recently struck the East Coast of the United States of America, I offer my prayers for the victims and express my solidarity with all those engaged in the work of rebuilding," he said at the conclusion of his address in St. Peter's Square.

Hurricane Sandy struck the mid-Atlantic region earlier this week, leaving more than 60 people dead in its wake, according to an Associated Press count. Over 6.2 million homes remain without power. The monstrous storm killed almost 70 people when it swept through the Caribbean prior to making landfall in southern New Jersey.

The flooding and winds from the historic storm inundated entire towns, downed power lines and caused fires. Hurricane Sandy also shut down New York and New Jersey's train lines, and officials are uncertain when they will be able to reopen.

Pope Benedict used today's general audience to continue his series of reflections on faith, emphasizing that although it is deeply personal, it is necessarily lived and transmitted in community and in relationship with others.

"I cannot construct my personal faith in a private dialogue with Jesus, because faith is given to me by God through a believing community which is the Church. And faith makes me part of the multitude of believers bound by a communion which is … rooted in the eternal love of God," he expressed.