Diocese of Allentown Bishop Alfred Schlert has authorized a special collection to be taken up in all 84 parishes of the diocese this weekend to help fund recovery efforts in southern states of Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas, parts of which were devastated by Hurricane Florence last month or Hurricane Michael earlier this month.

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called for the collection to be taken up across the United States. The funds will be administered by Catholic Charities USA. Catholic Charities disaster relief personnel are on the ground in the affected areas.

In a memo to pastors announcing the collection, the diocese noted, “It will take months, if not years, for these areas to recover because of the damage done to public infrastructure, homes and agriculture.”