By CatholicVote | Created at 2024-10-23 17:28:50 | Updated at 2024-10-23 22:24:47
4 hours ago
CV NEWS FEED // Venice Bishop Frank J. Dewane sent a consoling message to Boca Grande’s Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church after two hurricanes rendered the church and most of its other buildings unusable, the Boca Beacon reported.
“The area suffered a great deal because of Milton,” said Bishop Dewane, emphasizing the need for solidarity and prayer, “and a lot of people are much worse off than others, but still, we gather in prayer to ask God’s blessing; that he place his healing hand upon all who suffer as a result of Hurricane Milton.”
The church, rectory, and preschool, overseen by the Diocese of Venice, Florida, are closed until further notice due to significant damages caused by the back-to-back hurricanes.
Hurricane Helene hit the region September 26 as a Category 4 storm and was quickly followed by Category 3 Hurricane Milton October 9. Catholic Charities had to pause aid to Hurricane Helene victims to prepare for Milton, the Beacon reported.
The Boca Beacon reported that Fr. Anthony Hewitt, the pastor of the parish, has relocated daily Mass to the Life Center and will celebrate one Mass on Sundays at the same location.
Describing the extent of the damage, Fr. Hewitt explained that the preschool was flooded from Milton, and much of the flooring and drywall will need to be removed.
Water damage has affected everything within the preschool, and the playground equipment needs decontamination before staff and children can return. The church and rectory also suffered from significant flooding, with water levels reaching four to five feet in both buildings.
The recently constructed Life Center was relatively unscathed due to its new build and higher elevation, according to the Boca Beacon.
Despite the challenges, the community has come together to support Fr. Hewitt and his two puppies, offering temporary accommodation while inspections and restoration efforts are underway. The Diocese of Venice is collaborating with the parish to expedite the recovery process for the affected facilities.
The Diocese of Venice covers all of southwest Florida and has numerous churches and schools needing repairs from the hurricanes. Diocesan officials made initial assessments as soon as it was safe to do so, according to a press release.
Catholic Charities, a vital support system within the diocesan administration, is actively responding to the disasters by establishing distribution points that provide essential supplies such as water, ice, and food to those in need.
Those wishing to contribute to the recovery efforts can find more information on how to help at catholiccharitiesdov.org.
