German Catholic churches offered spiritual and financial support to survivors of devasta-ting flooding in two regions of the country.
At Masses July 18, bishops, priests and parishioners prayed for those who died, emergency workers who continued to clear mud-lined streets and residents seeking to salvage what they could from damaged and destroy-ed homes, the German Catholic news agency KNA reported.
Officials recorded at least 196 deaths July 19 in western and southern Germany, eastern Bel-gium and parts of the Nether-lands. Hundreds more were missing. In a visit to the region July 18, German Chancellor Angela Merkel called the cata-strophe the worst natural disaster in the country in 60 years.
Pope Francis reiterated his sympathy for the victims of the flooding in the three countries, asking that God to receive those who died, comfort survivors, and strengthen rescue workers as he addressed the crowd in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican July 18.