Fresh News from the Xaverian Missionaries’ Worldwide Network
“OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE” PARISH – MARIKINA – MANILA – PHILIPPINES: SUPER TYPHOON “CARINA”
On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in the early morning, the volume of water in the Marikina River reached an alarming level due to the continued rain brought by super typhoon Carina. From the manageable 14 meters above sea level, the water climbed in just a few hours to 17 meters, which is the call for a forced evacuation. Thus, the entire population living near the riverbank had to abandon their homes and move to safer places.
Almost all of our chapels, including our parish office, are located in critical areas. So, like everyone else, in heavy rain and with little time to spare, we removed our belongings from the office and main chapel to get them to safety. Some volunteers came to help us. This is truly heavy work, but small compared to the hardships many families in danger endure. Nevertheless, we cannot afford to lose our belongings again, as it happened when we were hit by two flash and catastrophic floods: typhoon Ondoy in 2009 and Typhoon Ulysses in 2020. In the late afternoon, the water reached an incredible 20 meters, affecting most of our parish.
During the night, however, the water level lowered. One meter of muddy water invaded the office and main chapel; the level was much higher elsewhere. Thursday and the weekend were the times to clean and put things back in order. Many people have returned to their homes. Overall, more than thirty people lost their lives due to Typhoon Carina. In Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish, we did not directly suffer human casualties despite the severe damage caused by the flood. Already, poor families have become further impoverished due to the loss of many of their possessions. The piles of garbage have slowly been removed from the streets, and we are slowly trying to return to the so-called “normality.” Talk of normality is misleading. Another typhoon is already looming – no wonder we are in the middle of the rainy season.
We are glad to acknowledge that in this emergency, public institutions, private organizations, and individuals, including the Church, have stepped up to the plate, assisting the disaster-striicken population. We offer our thanksgiving and prayers to them. Fr. Emanuele Borelli, SX
LONDRINA, BRAZIL: 70 YEARS OF XAVERIAN PRESENCE IN LONDRINA
On Wednesday, July 24, 2024, the Xaverian Missionaries celebrated 70 years of presence in Londrina, Paranà, Brazil. To mark this event and as a thanksgiving to God for his goodness and for continuing to love us by giving us the mission ad gentes here in Brazil and in Londrina, our seminary and the Centre for Xaverian Culture have organized a spiritual retreat with Fr. Alfiero Ceresoli sx (July 02 to 4th, 2024), a festive agape (Wednesday, July 24) and the celebration of the Eucharist (Sunday, July 28). Fr. Gabriele Guarnier
