Last week’s tornadoes brought much damage and suffering to many in The Diocese of Raleigh. Catholic Charities, through its Catholic Parish Outreach staff, has been on the scene assisting families in the Stonybrook Road area of Raleigh, where a tornado caused extensive damage to a mobile home park. Catholic Parish Outreach has distributed food to the residents in this area and has remained open during its regular hours, even as the Catholic Parish Outreach facility continues to be without power. This tornado tragically took the lives of three children, all of whom are parishioners at St. Raphael Catholic Church.
Catholic Charities has also been offering assistance in Bertie County, Sanford, Wilson, Roanoke Rapids, Fayetteville and Elizabethtown.
To assist with relief efforts, a 2nd collection will be made on Easter Sunday. This collection has already been scheduled to help meet the support our parish gives to Catholic Parish Outreach. These donations will now be used for storm victims.
If you would like to make a donation, you may use the Catholic Parish Outreach envelope that has already been mailed to you. Alternatively, you can write a check to St. Francis of Assisi and write “Disaster Relief” on the memo line. All donations received for tornado relief will be sent to Catholic Charities.
From: Office of the Bishop [mailto:OfficeoftheBishop@raldioc.org]
Sent: Sunday, April 17, 2011 4:42 PM
To: Priests
Subject: Update Regarding the Storms From April 16, 2011
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FROM THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP
Dear Brother Priests,
At this time, we are united in prayer, especially with those who have been impacted so significantly by the destruction from the tornadoes of yesterday afternoon. The Regional Catholic Charities directors have reached out to Deans or pastors in the impacted communities to offer assistance and to obtain reports of damage.
Some of the reports we have received so far which you may have heard on local news reports are as follows:
- Significant damage in the Sanford area, especially in the St. Andrew subdivision.
- Significant damage in the several areas of Raleigh, including South Saunders Street, the Cardinal Grove area, the Stonybrook Road area, and around Shaw University. A tree fell at the St. Monica Center building at Sacred Heart Cathedral.
- Significant damage to a mobile home park in Dunn, and a tree down at the yard at the rectory in Dunn.
- Significant damage in the neighborhood around St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Fayetteville.
- Significant damage in the neighborhood around Our Lady of the Snows Church in Elizabethtown.
- Significant damage in Bertie County. Brother Curt reported eleven deaths and one person missing in northwest Bertie County. The Glenmary brothers plan to visit the area as soon as it is accessible. Catholic Charities has offered trauma counseling via the County Emergency Center.
- Damage has been reported to homes and businesses in Roanoke Rapids but the pastor has not received reports of damage from parishioners and will continue to monitor the situation.
- While there have been some news reports of damage in Wilson, the pastor has not received reports of damage from parishioners and will continue to monitor the situation.
Currently, we have not received reports of any damage at any church properties, even though some of the church properties are located in areas that have been significantly impacted. We have not yet heard from all parishes, so it is likely that more reports will be coming in throughout the day and tomorrow.
