We publish below the telegrams that the Holy Father Francis – signed by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin – sent to H.E. Mgr. Freddy Antonio de Jesús Bretón Martínez, Archbishop of Santiago de Los Caballeros, and to H.E. Rubén Antonio González Medina, C.M.F., Bishop of Ponce, for the victims of Hurricane Fiona in the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico:

Telegram from the Holy Father to the Archbishop of Santiago de Los Caballeros

H.E. MONS. FREDDY ANTONIO DE JESÚS BRETÓN MARTÍNEZ
ARCHBISHOP OF SANTIAGO DE LOS CABALLEROS
PRESIDENT OF THE DOMINICAN EPISCOPATE CONFERENCE
HOLY DOMINICAN

THE HOLY FATHER, DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN THE NEWS OF THE NATURAL
NATURAL DISASTERS THAT HAVE STRUCK THE COUNTRY IN THE LAST FEW HOURS DUE TO HURRICANE FIONA, CAUSING NUMEROUS VICTIMS AND MATERIAL DAMAGE, OFFERS HIS HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES AND ELEVATES HIS FERVENT PRAYER TO THE MERCIFUL FATHER, BESEECHING HIM TO GRANT HIS CONSOLATION TO THE BELOVED DOMINICAN PEOPLE, WHO ARE SUFFERING FROM THESE ADVERSITIES. ALSO ASKS THE ENTIRE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL, TO INCREASE THEIR SOLIDARITY TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS CALAMITY, AND IN THIS WAY TO MANIFEST THE FRATERNAL CLOSENESS TO WHICH WE ARE ALL CALLED. CALLED TO.

HIS HOLINESS FRANCIS ENTRUSTS THEM TO THE LOVING AND MATERNAL HANDS OF OUR LADY OF LOVE.
MATERNAL HANDS OF OUR LADY OF ALTAGRACIA, AND IMPARTS TO YOU THE
COMFORTING APOSTOLIC BLESSING, AS A SIGN OF AFFECTION TOWARDS THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE DOMINICANS AND DAUGHTERS OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC.

CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN
SECRETARY OF STATE

Telegram of the Holy Father to the Bishop of Ponce

H.E. MONS. RUBÉN ANTONIO GONZÁLEZ MEDINA, C.M.F.
BISHOP OF PONCE
PRESIDENT OF THE PUERTO RICAN EPISCOPAL CONFERENCE
SAN JUAN

THE HOLY FATHER, DEEPLY SADDENED TO LEARN OF THE NATURAL DISASTERS THAT HAVE STRUCK THE ISLAND IN THE LAST FEW HOURS DUE TO HURRICANE FIONA, CAUSING THE DEPLORABLE LOSS OF HUMAN LIFE, IN ADDITION TO NUMEROUS VICTIMS AND MATERIAL DAMAGE, RAISES HIS FERVENT PRAYER TO THE MERCIFUL FATHER, ASKING HIM TO GRANT HIS CONSOLATION TO THE BELOVED PUERTO RICAN PEOPLE, WHO ARE SUFFERING THESE GRAVE MISFORTUNES. HE ALSO ASKS THE ENTIRE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE OF GOOD WILL TO INCREASE THEIR SOLIDARITY TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS CALAMITY, THUS MANIFESTING THE FRATERNAL CLOSENESS TO WHICH WE ARE ALL CALLED.

HIS HOLINESS FRANCIS ENTRUSTS THEM TO THE LOVING AND MATERNAL HANDS OF OUR LADY OF THE DIVINE
TO THE LOVING AND MATERNAL HANDS OF OUR LADY OF DIVINE PROVIDENCE, AND IMPARTS TO THEM THE COMFORTING APOSTOLIC BLESSING, AS A SIGN OF AFFECTION FOR THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF PUERTO RICO.

CARDINAL PIETRO PAROLIN
SECRETARY OF STATE