Crash of charter bus carrying Catholic pilgrims kills at least 14 in Texas

  • Thread starter Thread starter ethelzguy
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
E

ethelzguy

Guest
This horrible tragedy happened overnight, about twelve miles from where I live. Please keep them in your prayers.

**SHERMAN, Texas - Authorities say a bus has run off the highway 75 northbound at Park Street in Sherman, killing at least 13 people and injuring at least 29 others.

At least 19 of those injured have been taken to Wilson N. Jones hospital in Sherman, according to hospital CEO Pat Flynn. At last check two of those patients were in the operating room.

Authorities say Texoma Medical Center has four critical patients and six injured, and several other injured patients have been taken to Parkland Hospital, Baylor Hospital, John Peter Smith Hospital, Presbyterian in Allen, the Medical Center of McKinney, as well as Wilson N. Jones and TMC.

The condition of the other patients is not known at this time.

Wilson N. Jones officials say the passengers were on a bus affilliated with Angel Tours. That bus was reportedly chartered by Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church out of Houston, but we’re told several other churches were also involved in the trip. The group was headed to Carthage, Missouri for a pilgrimage called “Marian Days”.

Lt. Robert Fair with the Sherman Police Department confirms there were “multiple fatalities” at U.S. 75 northbound at Park Avenue in Sherman.

Fair says the bus had 55 people onboard, was and crashed around 12:45 a.m. Friday.

He said it had possibly “blew a tire.”

Crews at the scene report the driver is still alive.**
 
Father please have mercy on the souls of the dead, and bring comfort and support to their families.
Please assist in the healing and recovery of the injured, and help their families in their needs.
Have compassion on all involved.
Iask these things in the name of Jesus.
 
Oh my Jesus have mrcy on the soul of the dead, be with all those who suffer both injured and families. Holy Spirit guide the doctors,nurses and all who must be involved in this.Give voice to the grief and keep all from dispair.
Jesus I trust you ,help me to trust. Amen
 
Oh my Jesus have mercy on the souls of the dead and be with all those who are suffering, the injured, their families and friends.

Holy Spirit guide the doctors, nurses and all who are involved in the care of those involved in this accident.

Hear the cry & prayers of the grieving and keep them all from despair.

Holy Mother Mary keep all those involved covered with your mantel of protection.

Amen
 
It seems that one hears of many horrible accidents involving church groups. It seems incongrous, yet Our Heavenly Father must love these people very much and has given those who have died a great probability of being with Him and Our Blessed Mother immediately. I could be wrong, but this is a type of martyrdom, dying while actively proclaiming one’s faith.

I add my voice to the prayers for the injured victims and for the families and friends of all involved. May they be comforted by the knowledge that their loved ones were in the Lord’s service.
 
Crash of charter bus carrying Catholic pilgrims kills at least 14 in Texas

Dallas, Aug 8, 2008 / 01:07 pm (CNA).- At least 14 people died and 40 people were injured when a charter bus carrying a Vietnamese Catholic group to an annual pilgrimage slammed onto its side and then skidded off a freeway overpass in Texas early on Friday. As Texas Catholics mourn the dead and the wounded, questions have arisen about the bus company’s compliance with state and federal regulations.

More…
 
i just heard on the news that it was a Catholic group that was involved in the accident. very sad.

why are there always so many tragedies surrounding pilgrimages in all of the faiths?

just like what happended last week in India i think it was when 145 people were killed.
 
I just heard on the local DFW news that 15 people had now been confirmed dead, 40 injured. Families have turned to the Red Cross but still not all families have found their loved ones as victims were sent to different hospitals. The driver of the bus was not licensed to drive the vehicle, which belonged to a small 2-bus company that had received safety citations and was considered to be in ‘unsatisfactory’ standing.

Lord, have mercy on the victims and their families and on the families who don’t yet know whether their loved ones are among the dead or the injured.
 
From the “that was interesting” file…

Last evening, a Sherman TV station had coverage of the area response to the needs of the victims. Part of the coverage included people donating blood.

One of the people shown at the blood center giving blood was reading a Scott Hahn book.

🙂
 
FickleFreckled said:
I just heard on the local DFW news that 15 people had now been confirmed dead, 40 injured. Families have turned to the Red Cross but still not all families have found their loved ones as victims were sent to different hospitals.

Lord, have mercy on the victims and their families and on the families who don’t yet know whether their loved ones are among the dead or the injured.
Click to expand...
According to a deacon I spoke with this morning the total is now 17 😦
 
O Lord, Grant unto them eternal rest. Amen

All Holy Martyrs of Viet Nam, pray for them.

Blessed Cardinal Newman, pray for them.
 
I heard in one of the interviews that the parish priest had blessed the pilgrims before they pulled out and, referring to the Marian Days pilgramage, had said, “Don’t worry, you’ll see Mary soon.” And many of them have indeed.
 
deborahaz said:
i just heard on the news that it was a Catholic group that was involved in the accident. very sad.

why are there always so many tragedies surrounding pilgrimages in all of the faiths?

just like what happended last week in India i think it was when 145 people were killed.
Click to expand...
I think part of the reason is that church groups tend to travel as cheaply as possible, which in this case meant using a company that had been previously ordered to cease operations, an unlicensed driver, and a bus using illegal retread tires.

We can pray for God’s protection, but at some points I think He would want us to be a little more aware of the danger that we sometimes put ourselves in.

One unfortunate thing (among many) is that this bus company probably isn’t carrying nearly enough insurance to cover what they’re going to be legally required to pay out.

DaveBj
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top