Denver Newsroom, Sep 15, 2020 / 05:11 pm (CNA).- “Level one, which is get ready. Level two, get set. And level three – go, get out of there,” Bishop Peter Smith, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon, told CNA.
The people of Oregon and California are now all too familiar with those warning levels, as wildfires in both states continue to rage, burning millions of acres and killing at least 36 people, with dozens more missing.
Smith said while he was not yet aware of a Catholic church that had burned to the ground, there were several that reached level three evacuations, leaving some pastors hop-scotching to avoid the next blaze.
“We’ve had cases where pastors have had to pack what they immediately need and then take the Blessed Sacrament and the sacred vessels with them and leave, and move to another location,” Smith said. “I believe we have one pastor that is now in the process of a second move from one location to another, and then from that location to another location, in southern Oregon.
The blazes choked the air with so much ash and smoke that the skies turned orange, and the clouds of smoke were visible on satellite images.
“It’s just weird. Occasionally in winter, you’ll have days with this cool thick fog that comes on the city, and you get used to driving in fog,” Smith said. “But this isn’t fog, it’s smoke.”
Catholics in both Oregon and California are facing the loss of homes, property, and possibly loved ones to the fires, Smith said, while Church-sponsored charities gear up to assist both with immediate needs and in the long-haul recovery to come.
“I do know that there’s been some wonderful charity in some of our parishes where they’re organizing to take people in, to care for people, to provide a place for them to evacuate,” Smith said.
“As always in a major tragedy or crisis like this, you sometimes see the worst in people (like looters), and then you see the best in people,” Smith said. “Suddenly the neighbor who you just sort of said hi to you, now you’re trying to help them in a way that you wouldn’t have done before. These things bring out a lot of the inherent goodness in people to help support one another in moments of crisis.” Deacon Rick Birkel, executive director of Catholic Charities of Oregon, told CNA that it was too soon to know the full extent of the damage of the fires, as some of the worst-hit areas were still inaccessible by government agencies.
“In some of the worst impacted communities we haven’t even been able to get in,” he said. “The National Guard, Red Cross, no one has been able to even get into those locations yet, it’s still too hot.” “There is this grave concern that we’re going to find mass casualties and we’re preparing for that possibility,” he added.
Birkel said as with most crises, the wildfires were going to have the worst impact on the poor and the vulnerable.
“The people who are being impacted by the fires are very diverse, of course, but you still have the farm workers out working in this weather…they’re some of the most vulnerable people not able to shelter, they’re out working,” he said. Prior to the fires, Catholic Charities had been working on the streets to serve the homeless, “which now is just so much harder, but also so much more urgent because all these people sleeping outside are already vulnerable and now…the only way they’re going to get off the street is through the emergency room,” Birkel said. Catholic Charities has been partnering with agencies such as the Red Cross as well as local parishes to provide food and shelter during the fires, Birkel said. In both the short and long term, one of the biggest needs is going to be housing, he added, and so they are raising funds for a privately-funded emergency shelter as well as for longer-term housing solutions. “Housing is the critical, fundamental intervention that people need when things get really bad, whether it’s COVID or fires or whatever,” he said.
Catholic Charities USA also has a wildfire relief fund accessible online, while the Knights of Columbus in Oregon are also taking donations for relief, The Catholic Sentinel, a local publication, reported. In California, where wildfires have been burning since August, relief efforts are still “just barely scratching the surface” as more needs arise and the level of damage is assessed, Ashlee Wolf, development director for Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fresno, told CNA. Through partnerships with The American Red Cross and The Salvation Army, Catholic Charities has helped with both food and clothing distributions for these fires, Wolf said, though one of their current needs is for more volunteers to help organize the donations.
In an email to the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities of Fresno, shared with CNA, Wolfe noted multiple ways the charity has already responded to the immediate needs of those affected by the fires, including a call they received about the La Quinta Inn in nearby Clovis, which has become a shelter for numerous survivors and firefighters. “After speaking with the hotel manager, we learned that the hotel was housing 23 families displaced by the fires, as well as 20 firefighters who are staying there in between shifts. Many of the families were brought there by (a local) bus and had no transportation to be able to get to any of the other resource centers with access to food. Each room had a refrigerator and microwave, so Jeff and I called one of our most reliable food vendors, purchased two car loads full of microwavable and non-perishable food, and personally delivered it to the hotel for those evacuees and firefighters staying there,” Wolf shared in the email.
Judy Dietlein, President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul’s Sacramento council, told CNA that while she has experience working in wildfire disaster relief, this year has been a “unique disaster” in that the fires are so spread out, making relief difficult to centralize.
“In the (2018) Camp Fire, there was a disaster recovery center in Chico. Everybody went there and found out what they needed to do and FEMA was there and we were there. And it’s not the case now. There are these little offices here and there,” she said.
“These are so spread out that it’s really hard to find the people to get them the help that they need. They are being evacuated to hotels versus shelters, as they would be in the past,” she added. Dietlein said the council is “doing what they can” right now, including handing out gift cards, helping with resource referrals, and taking down contact information of the displaced. She said while St. Vincent de Paul isn’t necessarily equipped to be a first responder agency, they are gearing up to help people in the long-term, in the months and years after the fires when they are trying to rebuild their lives. Something the case workers of St. Vincent de Paul have learned from working with previous wildfire survivors is that they need a way to keep all of their paperwork organized, Deitlein said, and so they have been handing out binders to the survivors. “(Wildfire survivors) talk to so many people. They get names of people, they get forms to fill out from insurance…so they’re handing out these binders so they can put all of their important papers in one place. And that came out of experience from the Camp Fire,” she said.
When asked how Catholics can help, Dietlein said that prayers are always welcome. She said when it comes to donations, money is usually the best, because it can be difficult to organize donations of physical items like food and clothing. Bishop Smith asked Catholics to specifically pray that the weather would change in Oregon to be more favorable for the firefighters. The area was expecting rain Sept. 15, but then that got pushed back a few days. “Pray for the weather to change. Oregonians complain about the rain, but we could do with a bunch of it right now. And pray for the winds to die down to help the firefighters,” he said. “And pray for people affected by the fires, for their wellbeing and consolation. And then there are also other ways that you can support folks financially or with other resources…we will need to get a better sense of what the needs are and what people have lost through all this to help them move forward,” he said. He also encouraged Catholics not to despair, even though things may seem heavy right now. “We’ll get through this,” he said. “The Church has been through a whole lot worse than this, but the thing is when you’re in the middle of the storm, most of the time, all you comprehend is the storm. And when you’re in that storm, it’s like, when will this ever end? Because all your energy is focused on getting out of the storm and getting through the storm alive.”
“You lose sense that it was calm before the storm, and there’ll be calm afterwards and life will go on. There is a bigger picture, but we have to get through the storm first, and help people get through the storm and serve them as best we can.”
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He “identifies” as catholic in the same way that Biden does. Twisting it to suit his political purposes. I find that dishonest and disgusting. Since there is no chance of his winning the nomination, Christie should have at least kept his moral stance intact. Pathetic.
Catholics aren’t required to take everything that comes out of a pope’s mouth as gospel truth. This is a misconception of many Protestants.
To be fair, the Pope has never denied Church teaching on marriage. Gov. Christie’s use of the declaration to appear more current and politically woke is even more disheartening than Fr. Martin’s publicized actions. Unless Gov.Christie actually misunderstood the document as changing Catholic marriage requirements, which is
possible considering the confusing way it’s written and how it’s been presented by the media. And perhaps the level of catechesis in people of Gov. Christie’s generation. Who knows?
We live in strange times.
Well if he can say, as he clearly did in Amoris Laetitia, that a man can “discern” that in his concrete circumstances that he can abandon his family and run away with his mistress to start a new family, he can conclude that this is what God is asking of him at this time, then it sounds pretty clear to me that Francis’ idea of marriage isn’t exactly the same as a Catholic idea of marriage.
I don’t thin kit is wise for Christie to follow the “changing times” instead of the Word of God. First the Pope never said it was legitimate to bless gay marriage. The blessings he speaks of is the same as blessing a Rosary or a home. It doesn’t seem that Christie knows his ancestral faith very well.
Christie should run,
At a fitness center and away from the food.
Not for President.
I remember seeing an enormous chair especially built to hold the weight and girth of President Taft.
I’d never vote for Gov. Christie but it wouldn’t be based upon his size. You’re correct that he needs to be concerned about it though.
I think this comment is a little mean-spirited. Like many Americans, I have struggled with weight since my early 30s. I gained a lot of weight while pregnant and have had a terrible time losing it and have actually gained even more weight over the years–and lost it—and gained it back—and lost it—and currently, have gained back around 12 pounds of the 40 that I lost last year after retiring, and am determined to get back on track with healthy eating and walking daily and limiting my sweets–it’s HARD to lose excess weight, and I imagine that with Mr. Christie’s crazy schedule due to his choice to get involved with politics, it’s even tougher than for someone like me that has a lot of free time since retiring! Thin people have no concept, no understanding, and no sympathy for how someone like me can eat an entire large package of Oreos in 24 hours–I’m guessing that sweets are one of Mr. Christie’s weaknesses, too! It’s a lot harder than thin people think to change your entire lifestyle (which revolves around food!) and find healthy ways to deal with the cravings for sweets/salts/sofas! My motivation to continue the fight against fat is my beautiful 2-year-old grandson–I want to live long enough to see him graduate from high school! I hope that Mr. Christie can find a way to be healthy, and I pray that he and many others will continue to be wooed by the Holy Spirit (perhaps through his priests) into all truth regarding same sex couples.
I hope Gov.Christie sees the light too, Mrs. Sharon and I wish him the best for his health and weight issues.
He had stomach stapled if remember correctly
Yes.
I don’t look to Chris Christie for guidance on issues of moral probity. And, in a similar vein, I don’t look to Mr. George Bergoglio to explicate the perennial teachings of the Catholic faith. I look to Jesus Christ, the Scriptures, Church Tradition and the continuous Magisterium of the Church to guide my thinking. Bergoglio I consider to be an anomaly who will go down in the history of the papacy alongside those other popes who breached the mission of the office they held.
THE Gospels have no language condemning homosexuals. Christ instructs us to love our neighbors and homosexuals are our neighbors. We need our neighbors in Church where they can hear the Word of God—-that’s what changes people’s hearts. Whereas the Old Testament has language condemning homosexuals—-it also has language condemning the eating of pork and shellfish.
You seem to be leaving out the books of the New Testament written by St. Paul. He plainly taught against sexual immorality, which included homosexuality.
Gerald, I’d suggest that you exolore the teachings of the faith more deeply.
Gerald, the New Testament has plenty of language condemning that sort of deviancy. For goodness sakes. And Christ spelled out very clearly what and whom a marriage consists of.
There’s an extensive list of vices and disorders Our Lord didn’t specifically condemn in scripture but do you think that suggests a stamp of approval?
How about the New Testament which states there are no sodomites in Heaven? We must pray for them, not accept their sin.
Christie is just revealing how out of touch he is.
He might want to clue in on the excrement/fan response to FS before he rings in with his endorsement.
What a can of worms a few bishops and the Pope have opened. Does it help anything? Does it do harm? I have never felt such confusion in our Church as I have the past few years. Where does it all lead? When will it end?
It has all been prophesied. The second part of the Fatima third secret reveals that Satan has inserted himself to the highest reaches of the Vatican etc. This pope seems to be a Freemason who is leading the Church to the One World Church of the Antichrist. Remember, the Lord is in control. He seems to be making it clear who are the sheep and who are goats.
Perhaps it’s time to rethink the part we, as Catholics, should play in Democratic politics. Should we belong to parties, campaign, even vote? What does it mean to be “in the world but not of the world” ? What does it mean to be the leaven, salt, or light in the world? We live in a democracy but is this really compatible with Christianity. Don’t we live in a Kingdom right now. How can we have two masters? Arn’t we told that we are strangers and pilgrims merely passing through a foreign land? Why all this concern and bother about the temporal when we should be preparing ourselves for the eternal. Let’s come out from among them and get back on the straight and narrow path to eternity.
Not only are we Christians, but we are citizens of the United States of America. Your grandfathers, fathers, brothers, and husbands (and many women as well) have fought and died for this country, and every day, military, police, firefighters, and other first responders work to keep Americans safe. Our elected officials are mere men and women and make mistakes and go astray–AS WE ALL DO!!! It is our DUTY as citizens to participate in our government, which is OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, and FOR THE PEOPLE!! To not vote is to hand our country over to candidates who are willing to do anything to win–and I do mean ANYTHING-spend billions on a campaign, say anything, wine and dine anyone, endorse any policy–we can’t let this happen. We need to be involved as much as we are able and still manage to do our duty to our other responsibilities (church, family, workplace, etc.). And we need to do it all with the love of Christ as our motivation, and the teachings of Holy Mother Church and Sacred Scripture as our guide. If we lose and have to march into stadiums full of lions, at least we will know that we did our proper duty to our God and our Country. I love the United States and want it to be the shining beacon that our forefathers visualized.
James, be assured that there are many of us who have pondered the same dilemma – just how involved we ought to be in a government that’s corrupted beyond belief.
I don’t know about you James but I have 2 dozen descendants who have to live in this world after I’ve gone on to my reward. I have a duty to be involved in national and community affairs and elections even if I’d prefer not to.
What we neglect in our lifetime, our children and grandchildren will inherit.
Well said mrscracker.
Never does Christ instruct his disciples to go to Rome and write man-made laws to change the world. Christ gave us the Church to change people’s hearts and the world. The path to eternity runs through the Church, not Washington, DC. That is why everyone should be welcome in the Church to listen to the Word of God.
Everyone IS welcome in the church. After all, it is a hospital for sinners. The problem arises when sin itself is condoned.
give unto Ceasers what is Ceasers
in the G address, Lincoln reiterated that our country was basically an experiment:
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.
Who would have expected otherwise. The man is a product of post-conciliar catechesis at bests, if any at all. In essence, he is an example of the synodal katholic who live out of the virtue of convenience, with only a marginal grasp of up from down.
Chris Christie needs to read the Bible. You Cannot change Doctrine.
Politician, not statesman.
There is a world of difference.
God and Gods’ word never changes. God has sent numerous reformers to get this church back on track, but for some purpose He has hardened their hearts for His glory and purpose.
His presidential ambitions are one big fat joke. No doubt he will immediately get a private audience with the Pope if Father Jimmy Martin doesn’t get there first.
The new triumvirate: Obama, Christie and Fernandez? Read on…
Yea verily, the attitude of President Obama was also said to have “evolved,” between 2008 and the days immediately following his re-election in 2012. In 2008 he said, “‘I believe marriage is between a man and a woman; I am not in favor of gay marriage.’ This was a flat out lie according to his political advisor at the time, David Axelrod” (Recounted by Thomas McArdle, “Is Al Smith Dinner Still Worthwhile,” National Catholic Register, October 30, 2016).
Today, well, now candidate Christie already blurts that he’s in step with the signs of the times, whether married or not. But, let yours truly be the first to squash the possible rumor that Fr. James Martin is Christie’s campaign manager! Not at all! Martin is already too busy grooming Cardinal Fernandez.
Oh, now about Fernandez and his shunning of Scriptural citations…How about this less serpentine counsel: “…let your yes be yes, your no, no; that you may not fall under judgment” (James 5:12). Judgment, what judgment; who am I to judge?
“I had to change the way I’ve been raised both from a family perspective and what my mother and father taught me and felt and also from a religious perspective and what my Church taught me to believe”.
If Cardinal Fernández were not aware of the expected general interpretation of Fiducia Supplicans [FS] he must suffer a gapping cognitive blindspot. Whereas former governor Christie, a career in the judiciary as US attorney for NJ entirely capable of reading the message as sanctification of homosexuality. And isn’t this exactly what His Holiness Francis has had as a major objective during his pontificate?
Chris Christie’s sad conversion to the dark side of morality is a confirmation of Pres Biden’s all out promotion of disordered sexual behavior. How long will it take for a once staunch Catholic to acquiesce to abortion on demand? As scripture warned a time will come when even the elect will be in peril. What extravagant overtures of sanctity will we now hear from His Holiness to muffle the horror?
Love your neighbor means inviting everyone to Church to listen to the Word of God. The Church is the tool Christ gave us to change the world. It is an act of kindness to invite our neighbors to join us at Church.
I suggest Chris Christie and Pontiff Francis could just trade places, since it wouldn’t change anything.
It would be very mean to suggest that Governor Christie might be thinking that if the Church now allows blessings for homosexual couples that it could in the future declare that gluttony is no longer one of the deadly sins. Any comment to that effect should be blocked.
Perfectly understandable in the dim light of FS.
Chris Christie would do well to reflect before speaking, but he may be a bit desperate to continue as a Presidential candidate. However, we already have plenty of people who will slide with the times and strive to look “hip” and “with it.” Sadly, genuine leadership is a rarity, and so called leaders of today just run faster than their fellow followers.