Hawaii: Pope prays for victims of wildfires. Historic church lost

Boat sailing by old Lahania Luau. Photo by Max Harlynking on Unsplash

Pope Francis has expressed his deep sadness at "the loss of life and the destruction caused by the wildfires" in Hawaii, and assured those affected by the fires of his prayer, in a message sent on Friday by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin to the Apostolic Nuncio in the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre.

The telegram noted the Holy Father's "solidarity with all those suffering from this tragedy, especially those whose loved ones have died or are missing."

At least 55 people have been killed in the deadly fires and thousands have been displaced and are in immediate need of housing, according to Hawaii Governor Josh Green.

Authorities also report that about 1,000 people remain unaccounted for. "We're talking about the largest natural disaster of this generation in Hawaii," the governor said, adding that the death toll is expected to rise as rescue crews search for survivors.

Thousands of people have found refuge in temporary shelters, while tourists and visitors are attempting to leave the island. Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency, and has pledged that "every asset we have will be available" to the people of Hawaii.

Pope Francis' telegram assured victims of the fires that he is praying for those who have died, as well as for those who have been injured or displaced, "as well as for first responders and emergency personnel."

Finally, the Pope expressed his spiritual closeness and invoked "upon all the people of Maui God's blessings of strength and peace."

The United Methodist Insight report that the historic Waiola Church, a United Church of Christ congregation in Lahaina founded in the 1700s, is one of the many cultural treasures that has been lost in the conflagration.

Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, whose episcopal area includes Hawaii, writes on the California-Pacific Conference website: "Yesterday the wind was high as I took off from Honolulu to West Coast. We were aware of the presence of Hurricane Dora, as the wind had been high for the last part of our trip. This morning I woke up to hear about the fires on Maui and Hawaii island moving quickly because of the winds, and then the evacuation of the areas around Lahaina. We waited and prayed and reached out to our contacts. Finally, we heard that Pastor John Crewe and his family were safely evacuated from Lahaina to a shelter. Pastor Crewe reached out to District Superintendent (DS) Tom Choi and reported that they were able to get out and are spending time checking on members of the congregation to make sure everyone is safe.

"Communication has been sparse because cell phone coverage was out. It appears that the Lahaina United Methodist Church building has also been destroyed. Our biggest concern is that the people of Lahaina, Maui, and Hawaii island are safe, cared for, and surrounded by the love of God's people."

The Catholic Church of Maria Lanakila in Lahainia has reportedly survived. Mgr Terrence Watanabe, from the nearby parish of St Anthony's, told local media: "The church, Maria Lanakila (Our Lady of Victory), is still standing, as is the rectory."

Catholic Charities in Hawaii have launched an emergency appeal. See: www.catholiccharitieshawaii.org/maui-relief/