Call to aid neighbours after Hurricane Beryl

Barbadians have been called upon to focus on assisting their Caribbean neighbours in recovery efforts following the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl. The appeal came from Charles Dominique, chancellor of the Diocese of Bridgetown, during a special mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral.

The service, held by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgetown, offered prayers for the fishing industry, which was severely affected by the hurricane, as well as for other Caribbean islands worst affected by the storm.

Father Dominique addressed the congregation, acknowledging the disheartening scenes of destruction, particularly in St Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. He emphasised that now was the time for Barbadians to unite and support their regional neighbours.

“Sometimes it’s hard to see beyond the destruction, roofs blown away, the extremely high winds, crops destroyed, [and] boats damaged. In the aftermath all we see is nothing,” Father Dominique said. He added: “[Hurricane Beryl] blew through the region with a mighty wind, but God is greater than any storm.”

The chancellor highlighted the swift response to the disaster: “Yes, it takes time to recover, God also acted by touching the hearts of all of us, and so the places that were extensively damaged, the aid began to flow in almost immediately.”

Father Dominique stressed the importance of solidarity: “That is more than just being a neighbour, it’s being a brother, it’s being a sister because that is who we are. That is showing the presence of God in the midst of broken structures in our lives.”

During the service, a special collection was taken to assist citizens in the affected territories. Dominique urged attendees to remain close to God and seek divine protection during this challenging period.

He concluded by calling for empathy and unity: “Let us pray for all of us, because no matter how big or how small the damage was, no matter if the hurricane came close to us, all of us are affected because we are all part of the same Caribbean, we are all God’s children. And if one person is hurting, as family, it means that we should all be hurting and empathise with those persons. In the midst of pain and suffering, God is with us, not only in the good times but also in the bad times. So let’s thank God for his protection and trust God to bring all that has happened to a good end.”