[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 119, 109th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 7925--SEPT. 8, 2005
Proclamation 7925 of September 8, 2005
National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of Hurricane
Katrina
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Hurricane Katrina was one of the worst natural disasters in our Nation's
history and has caused unimaginable devastation and heartbreak
throughout the Gulf Coast Region. A vast coastline of towns and
communities has been decimated. Many lives have been lost, and hundreds
of thousands of our fellow Americans are suffering great hardship. To
honor the memory of those who lost their lives, to provide comfort and
strength to the families of the victims, and to help ease the burden of
the survivors, I call upon all Americans to pray to Almighty God and to
perform acts of service.
As we observe a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims
of Hurricane Katrina, we pledge our support for those who have been
injured and for the communities that are struggling to rebuild. We offer
thanks to God for the goodness and generosity of so many Americans who
have come together to provide relief and bring hope to fellow citizens
in need. Our Nation is united in compassion for the victims and in
resolve to overcome the tremendous loss that has come to America. We
will strive together in this effort, and we will prevail through
perseverance and prayer.
Americans are reaching out to those who suffer by opening their hearts,
homes, and communities. Their actions demonstrate the great

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est compassion one person may show to another: to love your neighbor as
yourself. Across our Nation, so many selfless deeds reflect the promise
of the Scripture: ``For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty
and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in.''; I
encourage all Americans to respond with acts of kindness in the days
ahead. By contributing time, money, or needed goods to a relief
organization and by praying for the survivors and those in recovery
efforts, we can make a tremendous difference in the lives of those in
need.
Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath resulted in a considerable loss of
life. We pray that God will bless the souls of the lost, and that He
will comfort their families and friends and all lives touched by this
disaster. As the American people unite to help those who are hurting, we
share a determination to stand by those affected by Hurricane Katrina in
the months and years ahead as they rebuild their lives and reclaim their
future. We are determined that the Gulf Coast region will rise again.
The tasks before us are enormous, and so is the heart of America. We
will continue to comfort and care for the survivors. We will once again
show the world that the worst adversities bring out the best in the
American people.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Friday, September 16,
2005, as a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims of
Hurricane Katrina. I ask that the people of the United States and places
of worship mark this National Day of Prayer and Remembrance with
memorial services and other appropriate observances. I also encourage
all Americans to remember those who have suffered in the disaster by
offering prayers and giving their hearts and homes for those who now,
more than ever, need our compassion and our support.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
thirtieth.
GEORGE W. BUSH