The ruins of business and homes are pictured in the ravaged town of Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui Aug.15, 2023. Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva is urging the faithful of the diocese to "come together and provide unwavering support" to those who have lost everything in the Maui wildfires that destroyed Lahaina and damaged other communities Aug. 8 and 9. (OSV News photo/Mike Blake, Reuters)
HONOLULU — "For us, it's like a miracle," Msgr. Terrence Watanabe, the Honolulu Diocese's vicar of Maui and Lanai, said about Maria Lanakila Catholic Church in the town of Lahaina being seemingly untouched by the fierce Maui wildfires Aug. 8-9.
The blaze burned Lahaina to the ground in the deadliest natural disaster in Hawaii's history and the deadliest U.S. wildfire in more than a century.
"When we saw the news and saw the church steeple rise above the town, it was a great sight to see," the priest said in an interview with the Honolulu Star-Advertiser daily newspaper Aug. 10.
There were conflicting news reports on the fate of the church -- whose name translates as "Our Lady of Victory" -- and its parish school, Sacred Hearts School, which had lost half of its roof to heavy winds Aug. 7. The parish's priests, women religious and staff were safe and accounted for.
The Star-Advertiser had reported that the church had burned down, while another news source reported the church was still standing. The Star-Advertiser corrected its report Aug. 11 with a story that the church had indeed survived. Before that some photos and video footage posted on a parishioner's Facebook page clearly showed the church was standing.
The church is a block or two from Front Street, the famous waterfront stretch of visitors' shops and restaurants which the Lahaina fire reduced to a smoldering pile of ashes. Pictures showed charred trees across the street from the church.
Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva echoed the vicar in saying Maria Lanakila Church "was miraculously spared, as was the rectory." He said the adjacent convent, school and hall were "burned, along with neighboring homes."
In comments Aug. 14 to the Hawaii Catholic Herald, the diocesan newspaper, he also reported that the pastor, Father Kuriakose Nadooparambil, a priest of the Missionaries of Faith congregation, "was allowed to go in (to the church) with a police escort, and he reported that not even the flowers in the church were wilted or singed. There was only a covering of ash on the pews."
"We thank God for this blessing! Of course the church cannot be used until the area around it is cleared and deemed suitable for passage," Bishop Silva added.
Early Aug. 17, Maui County officials reported that at least 111 deaths from the wildfires have been confirmed, with about 38% of the burned area searched so far, but the death toll was expected to keep rising as crews continue to "scour the ruins." About 1,300 people remained missing. About 11,000 others evacuated.
U.S. census data from 2020 shows that Lahaina had a population of about 12,700 out of an overall population on Maui of about 165,000.
As many as 3,000 homes may have been destroyed. Other Maui communities affected by fires include Kihei and Kula, with more than 500 acres burned. According to research done by Moody's Analytics, the economic cost to Maui from the wildfires could reach $7 billion.
The White House press secretary announced Aug. 16 that President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will travel to Maui Aug. 21 to meet with first responders and survivors, as well as federal, state and local officials. On Aug. 10 Biden issued a federal disaster declaration for Maui and the Big Island (Hawaii island), ordering "all available federal assets on the Islands to help with response."
In the days since the fires, Msgr. Watanabe has been fielding hundreds of calls and emails "from all over the world." The outpouring of concern is "overwhelming," he told the Hawaii Catholic Herald. "It's unbelievable."
The church where Msgr. Watanabe is pastor, St. Anthony in Wailuku, held an ecumenical prayer service for victims the evening of Aug. 15, hosted by Bishop Silva.
"We should do what we do best -- pray," the monsignor said.
Prayer has been a watchword for Bishop Silva, too, as well as calling for the faithful to give "unwavering support" to the fire victims.
"As a community of faith, we are called to come together and provide unwavering support to those who are suffering," he said in an Aug. 11 message to Hawaii Catholics,. "It is in times like these that our collective love, faith and compassion can make a tremendous difference."
"This is an opportunity for us to show our solidarity as a Catholic faith community and lend a helping hand to those who have lost so much," Bishop Silva said.
"Let us also remember the power of prayer," he said. "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." Bishop Silva said.
The diocese's Hawai'i Catholic Community Foundation was established to support Hawaii's parishes and schools. It has a dedicated webpage for donations to Maui wildfire relief efforts: https://tinyurl.com/MauiCatholic. Catholic Charities Hawai'i also is collecting donations for wildfire victims at catholiccharitieshawaii.org/maui-relief.
"Many people have been offering prayers, donations, and their own time to help with this crisis. The outpouring of love and care has also been remarkable!" Bishop Silva.
The bishop flew to Maui late Aug. 12, touring the Lahaina area Aug. 13 and celebrated Mass that Sunday for 200 people about nine miles away in Kapalua at Sacred Heart, the other church that belongs to Maria Lanakila Parish.
"To arrive in Kapalua, we had to drive on the upper road above Lahaina town. At several places along the road we saw spots that were destroyed by the fire, whether homes or businesses, it was hard to tell. We could also overlook Lahaina town, which was shockingly devastated," he said.
Lahaina holds deep cultural significance for Hawaiians as the district "was once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom." The Lahaina Historic District, which encompassed downtown Lahaina, Front Street and its vicinity, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962.
While at the church in Kapalua, "I heard stories of people who lost one or more of their loved ones or neighbors, whose houses burned down, or who lost their livelihood," Bishop Silva told the Hawaii Catholic Herald. "One of my friends, who often serves as my liturgical master of ceremonies when I am on Maui, told me that his uncle, uncle's wife, their daughter and their grandson all were burned to death in their car, while they were trying to escape.
"My friend and his wife opened their home to other relatives who lost their home and suspects they will be living there for a couple of years."
Bishop Silva also noted that because cell towers had burned down and the internet was down, most people "were not aware that Pope Francis had sent a letter expressing his concern, prayers, and support -- even though I had published the letter on our diocesan media platforms. I read the letter to them, and they were very grateful."
The pope's prayers and support for the people of Maui were in an Aug. 10 telegram sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state. On Aug. 13, after he led the recitation of the Angelus prayer, the pope again assured the people of Hawaii of his prayers.
Bishop Silva noted that Maria Lanakila's pastor and the parish school's principal "are looking into using some nearby hotel conference rooms to set up a temporary school," because one of their priorities "is to get the children back to school, so that they can continue their learning, have the support of teachers and peers, and allow time for their parents to fill out insurance forms, FEMA applications, finding new employment, etc."
The Maui blaze began the night of Aug. 8. The National Weather Service said strong winds from Hurricane Dora, passing hundreds of miles to the southwest of the Hawaiian Islands, were partly to blame for fueling the fires.
When the fire struck, Bishop Larry Silva was taking a few vacation days in California on his way back from World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal. His office quickly organized a Zoom virtual rosary to pray for the victims.
"What is needed is prayer for those who have lost their homes and businesses," he said, introducing the virtual prayer session that was attended by about 300 people, "prayers for our firefighters and first responders and police, and all those you are trying to protect the community, prayer for our social service agencies, which are gearing up to help those who are most in need in this time of crisis and trial."
"And so we pray to our Blessed Mother for victory over all these tragedies," he said.
— Patrick Downes, OSV News
Catholics appeal for help as Biden declares Maui's deadly fires a federal emergency
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Catholics appeal for help as Biden declares Maui's deadly fires a federal emergency
Smoke and flames rise in Lahaina, Hawaii, on the island of Maui Aug. 8, 2023 in this still image from video obtained from social media. (OSV News photo/Jeff Melichar, TMX via Reuters) Catholic Charities Hawai'i in the Honolulu Diocese has appealed for donations to help the agency meet housing, food and other needs of what could be thousands of victims from wildfires raging on the island of Maui that wiped out an entire town and drove people to seek refuge in the ocean.More than 11,000 people were evacuated as wildfires burned the historic town of Lahaina "to the ground," as numerous news outlets reported. Maui County officials confirmed Aug. 12 that at least 93 people have died, with two of them identified. Maui police have asked families of people still unaccounted for to submit DNA samples to aid in possible identification.
An assessment of the Lahaina fire by the Pacific Disaster Center and Federal Emergency Management Agency reported 2,170 acres burned and more than 2,200 structures were damaged or destroyed.
Other Maui communities affected by the fires include the Kihei area and inland communities known as Upcountry. Firefighting crews continued to extinguish flare-ups in Lahaina and Upcountry into the evening Aug. 12, and the Pulehu/Kihei area fire was declared 100% contained to avoid further spread of the flames.
News reports said that wildfires also were affecting the Big Island (officially named Hawaii), and crews were battling a total of six fires, with three simultaneously torching Maui.
Various news outlets have reported on survivors supporting one another and receiving aid from local volunteer relief efforts. The Hawai'i Emergency Management Agency website maintains a page listing where to find the latest updates online and via radio, along with various agencies and resources on the ground for supplies, shelter, services and finding missing loved ones. Hawai'i Governor Josh Green said Aug. 13 that a Temporary Housing Task Force has been formed to work with federal partners, and has already secured 1,000 rooms to house those displaced by the fire with longer-term housing plans in the works.
"We can only imagine the distress and heartache that many are currently experiencing from the destructive wildfires on Maui, and our thoughts and prayers are with everyone impacted," said a statement posted on the website of Catholic Charities Hawai'i, which urged people to make a donation to the agency for Maui relief at catholiccharitieshawaii.org/maui-relief.
"As a community of hope we can help those in need to overcome this tragedy and rebuild their lives through recovery efforts. Thank you for your consideration and for your continued support as we navigate through this challenging time together," the agency said.
As the fires continued to burn and as the death toll continued to rise, Pope Francis offered his prayers, his encouragement to firefighters and rescue workers, and invoked "upon all the people of Maui Almighty God's blessings of strength and peace," according to a telegram sent by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, to Cardinal-designate Christoph Pierre, the apostolic nuncio to the United States.
The Maui blazes began the night of Aug. 8. The National Weather Service said strong winds from Hurricane Dora, passing hundreds of miles to the southwest of the Hawaiian Islands, were partly to blame for fueling the fires, though authorities had not yet identified what caused the fires.
During an Aug. 10 visit to a Veterans Affairs medical center in Salt Lake City, President Joe Biden issued a federal disaster declaration for Maui and the Big Island, ordering "all available federal assets on the Islands to help with response." Green requested the declaration, which makes federal funds available to affected individuals by providing grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other assistance. The federal funds can help businesses as well as state and eligible county governments, and nonprofit organizations.
"This is a tragic day for everyone in Hawai'i and the nation. Our hearts go out to the families of the victims and the survivors suffering through the deadliest natural disaster the state has seen in generations," Green said in an Aug. 10 statement.
"In the coming days -- as more and more details emerge -- I ask that we as a state provide all the emotional and financial support we can to the people of Lahaina and Maui," he said, adding that as governor, "I pledge to spare no resources to combat the destructive wildfires, shelter the displaced, treat and bring comfort to the traumatized, support our first responders, restore communication lines and enlist the aid of our federal and county partners to confront this this once-in-a-lifetime catastrophe."
Lahaina's Maria Lanakila Catholic Church miraculously survived the blaze.
In the days immediately following the fire, the Diocese of Honolulu had been unable to verify the fate of the church and its nearby parish school, K-8 Sacred Hearts School. The day before the fire, Aug. 7, half of the school's roof blew off from the heavy winds.
Father Robert Ni Ni, a Missionaries of Faith priest who is pastor of the neighboring parish of St. Rita in Haiku and recently had been assigned to Maria Lanakila as parochial vicar, said he had heard conflicting reports on the fate of the church. He said it would be a "miracle” if the church survived.
The daily Honolulu Star-Advertiser had reported that the church had burned down. Another news source reported the church was still standing, Father Ni Ni told the Hawaii Catholic Herald, Honolulu's diocesan newspaper, by phone Aug. 10.
The Star-Advertiser corrected its report Aug. 11 with a story that the church was still standing.
The Lahaina fire ripped down Front Street, leaving the famous waterfront home to visitors' shops and restaurants a smoldering pile of ashes. The church is a block from Front Street.
With all the power and cellphone service out, the fate of Maria Lanakila Church was for several days the subject of rumor. The day after the fire ripped through Lahaina town, the word going around was that the church was "gone." However, diocesan vicar general Msgr. Gary Secor said that on Aug. 9 he had yet to talk with someone who had actually seen the destroyed church, much less shown him a photo of it.
By Aug. 10 the diocese had received enough ground and aerial photographic evidence to determine that the church and rectory survived intact, while the school was heavily damaged. However, no one from the church has been able to visit the site because the area is closed off indefinitely as the search for victims continues.
Father Ni Ni reported that the pastor, Father Kuriakose Nadooparambil, and a visiting priest are safe as are three sisters of the Missionaries of Faith who work for the parish, and all the school and parish lay employees. At least five lost their homes, however.
Father Ni Ni has been one source of information about Lahaina as communication lines are down all over.
When the fire struck, Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva was on vacation in California as he returned from World Youth Day. His office quickly organized a Zoom virtual rosary to pray for the victims.
"What is needed is prayer for those who have lost their homes and businesses, prayers for our firefighters and first responders and police, and all those you are trying to protect the community, prayer for our social service agencies which are gearing up to help those who are most in need in this time of crisis and trial," he said, introducing the virtual prayer session that was attended by about 300 people.
"And so we pray to our Blessed Mother for victory over all these tragedies," he said, noting that Maria Lanakila translates into "Our Lady of Victory."
"We ask the Lord to quench those fires immediately, so that they will no longer do any damage, so that they will be a memory of the past so we can begin the work of recovery and rebuilding," he said in closing.
According to the National Park Service, Lahaina holds deep cultural significance for Hawaiians as the district "was once the capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom." The Lahaina Historic District, which encompassed downtown Lahaina, Front Street and its vicinity, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962, according to the park service's website.
The first Mass was celebrated in Lahaina in 1841 by Sacred Hearts Father Modestus Favens, in a grass structure belonging to the Spanish cowboy Joakini. A bronze plaque on Front Street marked the spot.
According to the parish website, Maria Lanakika Church was established in 1846.
On May 4, 1873, a stone church replaced the old adobe building and grass hut chapels that originally served the community of Maria Lanakila.
In 1918, Sacred Hearts Father Bruno Bens renovated the termite-eaten walls of the church.
According to the book "A Pilgrimage Through Time," edited by Dominican Sister Malia Dominica Wong, that church was torn down in 1928 by Sacred Hearts Father Engelbert de Fries and rebuilt with red tile bricks.
The picture of the Ascension of Our Lord above the sanctuary, a copy of a painting in the Vatican Museum, came from France. The paintings of Sts. Joseph and Mary to the left and right of the altar were said to be donated by Hawaiian King Liholiho and Queen Emma.
In 1862, Sacred Hearts Father Aubert Bouillon opened Sacred Hearts School with two classrooms. The English-speaking school was run by laywomen until the Sisters of St. Francis took it over from 1928 to 2001.
A new school building and convent, built of donated second-hand lumber, were blessed in 1951 by Bishop James J. Sweeney.
An arsonist burned the school down in 1971. The sisters rebuilt it with donations and by selling sweetbread, pickled mango and other items.
— Patrick Downes, Julie Asher OSV News
How to help
Make a donation to the agency for Maui relief at catholiccharitieshawaii.org/maui-relief
