Gulf Coast governors declare Sunday day of prayer for spill

BATON ROUGE, La. (RNS) Gov. Bobby Jindal called on all Louisiana citizens to unite in a day of prayer for perseverance on Sunday (June 27) as the battle continues to control the BP oil spill disaster. Jindal’s proclamation follows one adopted by the Senate last week at the request of state Sen. Robert Adley, who […]

BATON ROUGE, La. (RNS) Gov. Bobby Jindal called on all Louisiana citizens to unite in a day of prayer for perseverance on Sunday (June 27) as the battle continues to control the BP oil spill disaster.

Jindal’s proclamation follows one adopted by the Senate last week at the request of state Sen. Robert Adley, who called for a day of prayer last Sunday. The Legislature on Monday also held a brief prayer service for those coping with the spill.

Separate declarations naming Sunday as a day of prayer for the Gulf were also issued by the governors of neighboring Texas, Alabama and Mississippi.


In the proclamation released by Jindal’s office, the governor said that prayers are needed “as our collective fight to recover from this crisis and prevent future damage continues.”

The document states that the oil spill has “already . . .had a profound effect on Louisiana, its coastline and its people and our entire Louisiana way of life.”

Jindal said that many of the coastal communities affected by the oil spill are the same ones that have been hard hit by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike in the last five years.

He said many displaced fishers, shrimpers and oyster harvesters are now on the “front lines of the oil spill fighting to protect our coast.”

The proclamation for the day of prayer for perseverance comes as the spill and the battle to contain it enters its 10th week.

Louisianans “all across the world are united in hope for an end to this catastrophic event and pray for the recovery of our coastline, the rehabilitation of our fish and wildlife and the restoration of our extraordinary coastal areas that are unlike any other place in the world.”


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