Letter from the Pastor
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August 27, 2023St. Peter in his letter writes to the early Church and to us: Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind”
(1 Peter 3:8).
As the one family of God, we are called to come together and provide unwavering support to those who are hurting and suffering. We are at our best in times like these when our love, compassion and faith come alive in loving service to our brothers and sisters.
At all the Masses this weekend, and throughout this week, we will have a special collection for our brothers and sisters in Hawaii. We will send the collected money to Bishop Larry Silva, Bishop of Honolulu, Hawaii from our parish.
We have all seen the pictures, heard the heartbreaking, as well as the heroic stories of the people of Maui following the wildfire that burned to the ground the beautiful and historic town of Lahaina.
The bishop wrote in a pastoral letter to his flock: “Let us also remember the power of prayer. In our collective prayers, we ask for strength, resilience, and healing for the fire victims and their families. May we find the grace to rebuild our families, their livelihoods, and the physical structures that were lost. Let our faith guide us as we navigate the challenges ahead, knowing that with the grace of God, all things are possible.”
At least 114 people have died and dozens more were injured; 850-1,000 people missing, 11,000 evacuated, 3,000 homes may have been destroyed. Other Maui communities affected by fires include Kihei and Kula, which burned more than 500 acres.
The Maui blaze began the night of Aug. 8. Strong winds from Hurricane Dora funneled through the mountains that fueled the fires. Many of the buildings, particularly the historic ones were constructed solely of wood.
Then there is the story of the ‘miracle’ of the Lahaina’s Maria Lanakila Catholic Church, which miraculously survived the fire. Nothing was damaged, not even singed; even the flowers that were on the altar weren’t wilted!
The church is a block or two from Front Street, the famous waterfront stretch of visitors’ shops and restaurants that the Lahaina fire reduced to ashes. Pictures showed charred trees across the street from the church. The Maria Lanakila Church was established in 1846. The Church has become the symbol of hope to the people.
So, whatever you can donate will be blessed by God. We also firstly offer our prayers for those who have died, the survivors, the victims in hospitals, the firefighters, police, and first responders and all those protecting the community. We also remember those who are helping the many people in need. The name of the miracle church is Maria Lanakika, which means, Our Lady of Victory, and the people will be victorious because of her motherly help.
