The Antilles Episcopal Conference calls for prayers and solidarity with the populations affected by Hurricane Melissa.
By Isabella H. de Carvalho
The Antilles Episcopal Conference (AEC) issued a press release on Sunday, October 26, calling for prayers and solidarity with the populations affected by Hurricane Melissa, a powerful category 5 storm expected to make landfall on Tuesday.
“As Hurricane Melissa continues to move slowly through the central Caribbean with the threat of severe destruction, […] I invite all the faithful of the Caribbean to unite in fervent prayer for our sisters and brothers in Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic,” Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon of Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) and President of the AEC, wrote in the statement, which was shared on the body’s Facebook page.
“We especially hold in our hearts the people of the Archdiocese of Kingston under the pastoral care of Archbishop Kenneth Richards, and the Dioceses of Mandeville and Montego Bay led by Bishop John Persaud,” the statement continued. “May the Lord protect them and all communities in the hurricane’s path from harm.”
In July 2025 the AEC published a Pastoral Letter on Natural Disasters titled “In the Eye of the Hurricane: Living the Rhythm of Natural Disasters in the Caribbean with Faith, Solidarity, and Hope”, that included reflections on how the Church and the faithful can respond to these increasingly frequent occurrences. According to the BBC, Melissa is the 13th hurricane in this year’s Atlantic season, which lasts from June to November.
“In the face of such trials, ‘our shared vulnerability calls us to deeper faith, solidarity and stewardship of creation’”, Archbishop Gordon wrote, citing the Pastoral Letter. “Let us live that call now – supporting one another through prayer, compassion and concrete acts of generosity”.
1.6 million children at risk
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned that at least 1.6 million children are at risk as Hurricane Melissa slowly moves through the Caribbean, in a statement published on Sunday, October 26.
“All efforts to prepare for the arrival of hurricane are vital to mitigate damage and loss of life in the most vulnerable communities, especially in regions like the Caribbean. Small islands always face heightened vulnerability to extreme climate events,” said Roberto Benes Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean. “UNICEF helps strengthen national capacities to anticipate and respond to climate-related emergencies, and to deliver essential services for children. This is fundamental to protecting those who need it most.”
The statement highlights that “over the past decade, approximately 11 million people, including nearly 4 million children, were directly affected each year by natural and human-made hazards in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
UNICEF, in partnership with national authorities, has been working on the ground to help populations prepare for the storm, for example by providing essential supplies or sharing early warning messages.
