Baltimore archbishop prays for victims of bridge collapse

Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore says he is “saddened … to learn of the tragic incident” of the incident that led to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge over the Baltimore harbor.

The cargo ship Dali reported losing power just before it struck a column on the bridge on March 26. All six workers missing after the bridge collapsed are presumed dead.

Among the missing were people from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, according to diplomats from those countries.

A senior executive at the company that employed the crew, Brawner Builders, said they were working in the middle of the bridge when it fell.

“This was so completely unforeseen,” said Jeffrey Pritzker, the company’s executive vice president. “We don’t know what else to say. We take such great pride in safety, and we have cones and signs and lights and barriers and flaggers.”

The Francis Scott Key Bridge once spanned the Patapsco River, a vital artery that along with the Port of Baltimore is a hub for shipping on the East Coast of the United States.

In his message after the tragedy, Lori asked the population to pray with him for all involved, “especially the victims traveling over the span at the time of impact, the construction crews on site and all of the first responders acting with urgency to rescue survivors.”

“Let us join in prayer asking the Lord to grant consolation and strength as we cope with this terrible tragedy,” the archbishop said.

Baltimore’s Apostleship of Sea said it was ready to assist anywhere needed.

Andy Middleton, the organization’s director, told the Catholic Review they are trying to provide any service the crew might need while they are in port.

“We take them to Mass, take them shopping, provide a place for them to relax. We’re that friendly face they see when they come to the Port of Baltimore. We do everything from provide Catholic religious services to transportation for shopping,” he said.

Middleton told the archdiocesan newspaper he reached out to his contact on the ship shortly after the collision, who assured them that the crew was all safe and didn’t need anything at the moment.

“They were pretty well stocked because they were prepared for a long trip,” he said. “When they do make it back to a berth, we will be ready to assist them in any way we can.”

Video of the incident showed vehicle traffic was still moving across the bridge when the ship approached, and some vehicles appeared to escape with only seconds to spare. The crash caused the bridge to break and fall into the water within seconds. Police said there is no evidence that anyone went into the water other than the missing workers.

At a Mass held the evening of the disaster, Lori said that while “we know that our lives are fragile, a moment such as this reminds us what can change in but an instant.”

“Seafarers from across the globe, people who already labor under very difficult conditions, are now stranded in the Port of Baltimore,” the archbishop said.

“Many men and women throughout our region whose livelihoods depend on our port are filled with fear and uncertainty as they look at the road that lies ahead,” he continued.

“It is often the case that when tragedy strikes, we are shaken from our normal way of seeing things; our hearts are moved to think of those who are impacted and suffering,” Lori said.

“But as time goes by and the normal demands of daily life impose themselves upon us, it is easy for us to forget this experience and to forget those whose lives will not go back to normal,” he said.

This article used material from the Associated Press.