The Puerto Rican dioceses of San Juan, Arecibo, Caguas and Fajardo-Humacao have been awarded $82 million from FEMA. The funding will be used for post-Hurricane Maria construction of approximately 1,000 resilient Catholic Church structures—including church buildings and schools—with a greater capacity to withstand future natural disasters and support the needs of more people.
The award comes as a result of efforts by Catholic Extension Society to gain access to these funds to begin community recovery and healing. This was accomplished in partnership with Hagerty Consulting, an emergency management consulting firm that specializes in disaster preparation and recovery.
Catholic faith communities stepping up after disaster
In the hours, days and months after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, the Catholic Church provided live-saving outreach to the people of Puerto Rico.
Thousands died in the wake of the Category 5 storm, and thousands more were left homeless, displaced, and without access to food and medical supplies.
Where government and relief agencies were unable to reach these areas, particularly in the most impoverished and isolated communities, the Church stepped up to organize life-saving relief efforts.
Randy Tejada, a young parishioner and lay coordinator at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Caguas, reached out to the most vulnerable after the storm and worked with the parish to provide humanitarian services.
Even those faith communities whose buildings were damaged found ways to carry out amazing works of mercy, lifting up the communities around them.
“In moments of great difficulty and challenge, you can see the power of faith communities alive in people’s hearts and lives,” said Catholic Extension Society president Father Jack Wall, during a visit to Puerto Rico. “People come together in faith in moments of crisis to strengthen one another and to realize that they are not alone.
“They are reaching out beyond themselves to become God’s healing touch and healing care for those in the communities around them. As faith communities, we embody the spirit of God. We are one together.”
The exemplary outreach of the Puerto Rican churches is also a result of and testament to the 112 years of Catholic Extension Society building churches on the island.
In a special way, I greet the members of Catholic Extension Society, with gratitude for their contribution to the work of rebuilding Puerto Rico.”
Pope Francis
Catholic Extension Society has financially supported the Church in Puerto Rico since our first church-building assistance to the Archdiocese of San Juan in 1908. Since then, Catholic Extension Society has supported 1,400 construction and repair projects of church buildings in Puerto Rico.
There are few churches on the island that Catholic Extension Society hasn’t helped at some point in time.
Working with the six dioceses of Puerto Rico, Catholic Extension Society has provided support for church construction, leadership development and ministry. After Hurricane Maria, our donors helped fund emergency relief to Puerto Rican parishes to help them rebuild.
Pope Francis recognized these efforts. “In a special way, I greet the members of Catholic Extension Society with gratitude for their contribution to the work of rebuilding Puerto Rico,” he stated.
Funding for a more resilient Puerto Rico
Several years after Hurricane Maria, Catholic churches and schools continue to struggle without fully repaired buildings.
For example, in Vega Baja, students are unable to use the gym at Our Lady of the Rosary School after the hurricane tore off the roof.
The federal funds will help rebuild not just the churches and schools, but also the communities that rely on them. The investment is a recognition of the pivotal role the Church has and will play following natural disasters.
This funding will ensure that the Church can be even more responsive and ready for action following future natural disaster.”
Father Jack Wall, president of Catholic Extension Society
Additionally, Catholic Extension Society has developed a Disaster Recovery Toolkit, which provides guidance on recommended steps to initiative the recovery process, as well as how to manage the ongoing recovery operation via cost tracking and reporting templates.
“Following Hurricane Maria, the Catholic Church of Puerto Rico demonstrated a remarkable ability to attend to the physical, educational, spiritual, and psychological needs of the Puerto Rican people, and this funding will ensure that the Church can be even more responsive and ready for action following future natural disasters,” said Father Jack Wall.
Joseph Boland, Catholic Extension Society’s vice president of mission, added, “Following a disaster, the government has access to data and resources, but it is the Church that has access to the families and people impacted, even in abandoned or far-flung communities, which is why the Church is such a critical and effective institution in moments of crisis.“
The investment is beneficial not just for the Catholic Church of Puerto Rico, but for all Puerto Ricans who benefit from the Church’s charitable services, advocacy and care for the poor and vulnerable of society.
