“The roof was ripped off, yet the candles burned on,” said a May 19 post on the Facebook page of the Diocese of Salina, Kansas.
The roof belonged to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Grinnell, Kansas, which was in the path of a powerful tornado that ripped through the small town (population 260) at 7 p.m. local time May 18.
“Please keep the faithful and community that were (a)ffected by the tornado in Grinnell in your prayers,” the diocesan post urged.
Kansas and neighboring Colorado were on the western edge of a storm system that ripped through the central U.S. starting late May 16, destroying thousands of homes and buildings and killing nearly 30 people. At least 70 tornadoes were reported across the region, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. Preliminary estimates of damage and economic costs caused by the multi-day severe weather outbreak have been put at between $9 billion to $11 billion, according to AccuWeather May 19.
Kentucky was the hardest hit by tornadoes. At least 19 of the storm system’s overall fatalities were in southeastern Kentucky, where Laurel, Pulaski and Wayne counties, all in the Diocese of Lexington, especially experienced widespread devastation. Multiple news sources said Laurel County alone reported 17 deaths, with one death in Pulaski County and one in Russell County; eight others were injured.
Missouri came in second as tornadoes caused extensive damage in St. Louis, destroying 5,000 homes and buildings. Other states targeted by the severe storm system included Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas; still others were hit with thunderstorms.
“I promise that we will be there for our people until every home and every life is rebuilt. And I want to thank all our heroic first responders for the work they’ve done over the past few days,” Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear said in a May 20 statement in London. He was in Laurel County, where a tornado touched down, to se the destruction firsthand.
“This is another incredibly tough time for Kentucky,” he said. “And it’s another reminder that life is short and it’s our duty to be kind and do good. As always – we will get through this together.”
During the storm, Lexington Bishop John E. Stowe was at the Vatican to attend Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration Mass May 18, but he issued a message May 17 expressing his prayers and solidarity with all those affected by the storms.
“I greet you from Vatican City where I bring your prayers and congratulations to our first pope from the US!” he said. “I also share in the loss and sorrow of all who lost lives and homes in the devastating tornadoes in Laurel and Pulaski Counties.”
“Even as we are taking up collections this weekend in solidarity with those affected by flooding,” he said, “yet another natural disaster strikes. Let us do all we can to provide help, hope, and healing.”
That second collection Bishop Stowe mentioned was for relief efforts for victims of severe flooding in February and April, according to Shelli Gregory, executive director of the Lexington Diocese’s Catholic Charities.
Twenty of the diocese’s 50 counties “are under FEMA declarations” already from the earlier storms, she told OSV News in a May 19 email, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“Catholic Charities of Lexington has been actively engaged in disaster relief since the February floods, and while we are able to offer some immediate assistance, such as supplies and gift cards, our primary focus is long-term recovery: helping families rebuild with essential items like furniture and home repair materials,” she said.
Gregory said she has been in contact with the parishes in three cities in southeastern Kentucky — London in Laurel County, Somerset in Pulaski County and Monticello in Wayne County. “Thankfully, none of our churches sustained damage, though some parishioners have been personally impacted by the tornadoes,” she said.
“We are staying closely connected to recovery efforts through nightly VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) meetings, and are working to ensure survivors have information on where to find hot meals, crisis cleanup registration and other vital services,” added Gregory, who planned to personally deliver a truckload of supplies to St. Mildred Church in Somerset May 22.
By day’s end May 20, London was bracing for yet another severe storm expected to hit that evening.
In Missouri, WBNS-TV, a CBS affiliate, reported that at least five people were killed and over 5,000 homes and buildings were damaged by two confirmed tornadoes that raced through St. Louis the afternoon of May 16.
Catholic Charities in the Archdiocese of St. Louis said it is “responding swiftly to an overwhelming surge of requests for assistance.”
The morning after the tornadoes, more than 750 individuals and families had already reached out through the agency’s website, seeking support — and the number continued “to rise by the hour,” the agency said May 17.
Catholic Charities was mobilizing emergency resources to provide critical services, including temporary housing, food, counseling and long-term recovery assistance for those affected.
“We are seeing a heartbreaking level of need, and our ministry is here to respond with urgency and compassion,” said Jared Bryson, president and CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Louis. “Requests for help are pouring in — and we are doing everything we can to meet each one with dignity, care, and concrete support.”
Catholic Charities said it was also working closely with parishes and civic partners to ensure timely and equitable outreach across the affected areas.
“This is the mission of Catholic Charities — to be a visible sign of Christ’s love and mercy in moments of great need,” said Bryson. “We are committed to walking alongside our neighbors as they recover and rebuild.”
Contributing to this story was Julie Asher, OSV News senior editor.
