To assist victims, Bishop Gregory Parkes sent a donation of $50,000 to the Archdiocese of San Antonio on August 5, 2025. The donation was specifically earmarked for recovery efforts related to the flooding disaster in the Texas Hill Country.

“The Diocese of Saint Petersburg is all too familiar with natural disasters, particularly after the two hurricanes that hit our area last year.  Please know that we stand in solidarity with you and the faithful of the Archdiocese, and assure you, and all affected by this disaster, of our prayers which resulted in such great loss,” wrote Bishop Parkes in a letter enclosed with the check.

It has been one month since some of the deadliest and most destructive flooding in Texas state history took at least 136 lives over the Fourth of July weekend.

Of the confirmed dead, 108 were in Kerr County, located in the Archdiocese of San Antonio. Kerry County is in the Texas Hill Country where the worst flooding occurred, and home to Camp Mystic, a Christian all-girls summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River. Twenty-seven campers died from the flooding.

The donation for relief efforts was made possible from donors to the Diocese of Saint Petersburg Disaster Relief Fund. Since 2017 when Bishop Parkes established the Disaster Relief Fund, the Diocese of Saint Petersburg has donated approximately $4 million for disaster relief thanks to the generosity of parishioners, as outlined below:

• $1,785,000 for Hurricane Helene and Milton relief in the Diocese of Saint Petersburg (2024)
• $100,000 for Lanai fire relief in Maui in the Diocese of Honolulu (2023)
• $100,000 for Hurricane Idalia relief to Catholic Charities (2023)
• $238,000 for Hurricane Ian relief to Catholic Charities (2023)
• $250,000 for Hurricane Ian relief in the Diocese of Venice (2022)
• $100,000 for tornado relief in the Diocese of Owensboro (2021)
• $100,000 for Hurricane Ida Relief in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, Louisiana (2021)
• $75,000 for Hurricane Grace Relief in the Dioceses of Jeremie, Les Cayes and Hinche, Haiti (2021)
• $50,000 for Hurricane Laura Relief in the Diocese of Lake Charles, Louisiana (2020)
• $50,000 for Hurricane Laura Relief in the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas (2020)
• $150,000 for COVID-19 Relief in the Diocese of St. Petersburg (2019)
• $250,000 for Hurricane Dorian Relief in the Archdiocese of Nassau, Bahamas (2019)
• $300,000 for Hurricane Michael Relief in the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee (2018)
• $265,000 for Hurricane Harvey Relief (2017)
• $300,000 for Hurricane Maria Relief in Puerto Rico and St. Thomas (2017)
• $66,000 for Hurricane Irma Relief (2017)

To contribute to the Diocese of St. Petersburg Disaster Relief Fund visit: https://www.givecentral.org/dospdisasterrelief