Jamaica: Update on Dominican hurricane relief efforts

St Agnes Church, Chester Castle

Source: Dominican Friars

Father Bede Mullens OP writes:

We are based in Kingston, which mercifully was left largely unscathed by the hurricane. Nonetheless, some of our poorer parishioners in August Town, an impoverished neighbourhood, did lose roofs, walls, and in one case, pretty much the whole house; St Martin's Missions funding has enabled purchase of materials for repairs.

We are also conscious that, after recent panic-buying, some food items are hard to come by, and food prices on the whole are set to go up in the coming months as the part of the island hardest hit is a major agricultural area.

On Friday, we distributed 300 meals to students at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus and to several of our less well-off parishioners, and we are trying to arrange sponsorship from local benefactors for students in need to receive support for food and personal hygiene items.

As regards the island-wide situation, we have been able to establish contact with a couple of parishes in the vicinity of Montego Bay and, for the time being, are focussing our attention on assisting them. We have coordinated provision of basic building materials (tarpaulin, plywood, nails) and essentials like water and baby food to be transported to Sacred Heart church in Reading, near Montego Bay, and St Agnes' church in Chester Castle (photos below). One of the churches is currently operating as a shelter with just half a roof! So the arrival of the tarpaulins tomorrow will be particularly useful.

As the roads open and we are able to make contact with further parishes, we will be looking to assist their efforts at rebuilding and supporting their local people on the basis of personal contacts. This small-scale way of promoting the relief effort is particularly valuable for building up bonds of charity among the Catholics within our local island Church, and indeed throughout the global Church. So far people have donated to our St Martin's Missions Appeal from across the UK, the USA, Europe, and the Far East. There is, of course, a massive need for material assistance, but for us it is very important that St Martin's Missions bears witness to our worldwide solidarity in the Body of Christ. We belong to a Church that is at once truly catholic and truly one, at once global and personal.

The Dominican Friars in Jamaica and Grenada rely on funds raised in the UK to support their work of spreading the gospel and providing material help to the poor. This year, as well as having to raise funds to support these usual needs, we are committed to providing additional funds in support of the Hurricane Melissa relief efforts.

Hundreds of donors have already given in the past ten days. You can add your gift now at: www.english.op.org/missions