I am sure most of you know of Hurricane Beryl that ripped through the Caribbean Islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (where I made 12 trips as a volunteer Caribbean missionary) and caused damage as it made its way all the way up to Texas and beyond.
While the damage in the islands of SVG goes far beyond this blog-post, completely destroying many homes and some churches, I want to focus mainly on two small churches on two islands where I had led an effort to provide several improvements. At least two churches were completely destroyed in the recent Hurricane Beyl and the other was destroyed in a volcano eruption on St. Vincent in 2021. Other destroyed or damaged churches, school roofs and homes we helped update are not included in this post.
At least two churches, maybe three, were outfitted with red chairs that had come out of our Louisville Cathedral as part of a major renovation of island churches: chairs, new ceiling fans, liturgical equipment and, in one case a new fence, gate and floor make-over.
THE TRAGIC LOSS
of our
OLD CATHEDRAL CHAIRS, NEW FANS, NEW ROOFS AND MANY OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
#1
PRE-HURRICANE BERYL
Immaculate Conception Church on Mayreau Island is part of a three-island parish cluster called Holy Family Parish. The other two churches are Our Lady of the Assumption on Canouan Island and St. Joseph Church on Union Island.
Notice the large ceiling fans that we installed inside that church!
Easter Vigil 2022 with visitors and Bishop Gerard County.
THE POST-HURRICANE BERYL DESTRUCTION
ACTUAL DESCRIPTION OF BEING CAUGHT IN HURRICANE BERYL
MORE IMPROVEMENTS LOST
New entrance, right before the new tall wrought-iron gates were installed.
New fence to keep roaming goats out of the parish gardens.
Thank God, none of these people, of the 50 who took refuge in the church during the hurricane, were killed!
Parish kids with their Easter Baskets that we sent down. They are holding a sign that says "Thank You Father Ron" meant for all who donated and helped send things down to them.
THE OTHER TWO CHURCHES OF THE THREE-ISLAND HOLY FAMILY PARISH
The Our Lady of the Assumption on Canouan Island with Cathedral chairs was not destroyed. Both sides of the altar have Cathedral chairs.
The St. Joseph Church and Rectory on Union Island with some Cathedral chairs and our new ceiling fans with lights was totally destroyed. Photo of that destruction is not available at this time. The new roof and other improvements on the St. Joseph Retreat House, up the hill from the church, suffered severe damage.
Our new roof on St. Joseph Retreat House being installed a few years ago was totally ripped off by Hurricane Beryl.
#2 PRE-VOLCANO
Our Lady Star of the Sea Church On Saint Vincent Island - Top Floor
(Episcopal Church - Bottom Floor)
Tim Toms, part of a group from Louisville who made a trip down to the islands and who helped with this project and others, standing in front (above) and sitting in the newly renovated church (this photo) - pre-volcano.
Notice the new ceiling fans, Stations the the Cross and Statuary and refinished floor.
POST-VOLCANO
You can see the very bottom tip of the crucifix (above) in the yellow wall opening in the center of this picture.
18 inches of volcanic ash on the roof crushed the new ceiling fans, the Cathedral's old red chairs and most of the liturgical furnishings as it fell in from the weight. It's all crushed under that volcanic ash!
MOTHER TERESA'S "ANYWAY" POEM
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy
overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
Inscribed on the wall of Mother Teresa's children's home in Calcutta.
I thought I had "retired" from work in the Caribbean Missions, but this hurricane breaks my heart. It destroyed much of our work. I feel I have to do something "anyway." If this moves you to help in "anyway," you can send a check made out to ST. BARTHOLOMEW CHURCH- SVG MISSION FUND and I will see that it is deposited in their account at a local TRUIST BANK. I still have some of their deposit slips. Don't make checks out to me, just send them to me for deposit:
No comments:
Post a Comment