• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Effie Caldarola
          • John Garvey
          • Father Ed Dougherty, M.M.
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
  • CR Radio
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
This is a view of flooding from the rainstorm-swollen Sacramento and American rivers near downtown Sacramento, Calif., Jan. 11, 2023. Catholic agencies were responding to the needs of those displaced by the historic flooding caused by relentless rain battering California up and down the coast. (OSV News photo/Fred Greaves, Reuters)

Catholic agencies in California organize outreach, relief for storm victims amid historic rainfall

January 13, 2023
By Nicholas Wolfram Smith
OSV News
Filed Under: Catholic Charities, Environment, Feature, News, World News

OAKLAND, Calif. (OSV News) — Catholic organizations in California, strengthened by years of responding to disasters in the Golden State, responded quickly to bring aid to those affected by the ongoing brutal winter storms.

Since late December, a series of atmospheric rivers have brought record-setting rainfall to the state, leading to flooding, mudslides and evacuations. Nineteen people have died, while a 5-year-old boy remained missing after being swept away in a flash flood earlier in the week. One state official estimated the storms could cause more than $1 billion in damages, and more than two-thirds of California counties are eligible for federal emergency assistance.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Jan. 11 the state “is soaked and even an inch more of rain can bring catastrophic impacts like flooding and mudslides. These conditions are serious and they’re deadly, and we want all Californians to be mindful and follow all guidance from local emergency responders.”

Fallen trees lie on the street following a bomb cyclone in Rio del Mar, Calif., Jan. 11, 2023, in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. (OSV News photo/Twitter@GaryLeeDance via Reuters)

In a statement, the California Catholic Conference offered prayers for “those who have lost their lives, those in flooded areas or who are at risk of flooding, for those who continue to be without power, and for emergency personnel who are working tirelessly to keep people safe.”

At Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Santa Rosa, in Northern California, the disaster response has been focused on safety check-ins, matching resources to those who need them, and bringing warm clothing, baby supplies and other items to local emergency shelters.

Years of disasters in the region, especially wildfires, have given Catholic Charities and other nonprofits critical experience in emergencies.

“During a disaster, the key is to have strong communication and collaboration with other nonprofits and state governments to get help quickly to those who need it,” John Pavik, communications director for Catholic Charities in Santa Rosa, told OSV News. “We’ve learned lessons with each previous disaster and are really seeing it come to the front now.”

Pavik emphasized that once the immediate crisis passes, Catholic Charities has case workers available to help people recover from the damage. “Disasters happen in a short time frame, but the impact is long term,” he said.

For Judy Dietlein, a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the western region chair of its Disaster Services Corporation, what changes in a disaster is the scale of the assistance that is offered.

“SVdP conferences will respond to their community on every level they can, as they do day to day,” Dietlein said, adding that the local knowledge the parish-based conferences have makes them “very savvy” in connecting people to the resources they need.

Dietlein said conference members, who are all volunteers, are the “boots on the ground, who are doing the work, meeting people every day, and certainly a disaster never stopped them from helping anyone.”

The national Society of St. Vincent de Paul organization has provided Walmart gift cards and hygiene kits for people staying in shelters and given money to conferences to address other needs, especially blankets, food and gas. Case managers employed by St. Vincent de Paul also are available if a major disaster is declared by the federal government.

California’s homeless population, estimated at more than 170,000, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of the weather, and at least three unhoused Californians have died due to storm-related accidents.

San Francisco’s St. Anthony Foundation has seen a significant increase in people visiting for daytime shelter, showers, and laundry services since the dangerous weather arrived. CEO Nils Behnke said about 50 more guests arrived each day than they had capacity for during the first week of January.

“It is a horrible disaster. If you just think about what many of us experience in our own buildings, it’s a nuisance compared to if you sleep on the street, where it becomes dangerous and difficult. It makes living unhoused a lot harder,” Behnke said.

In response, the nonprofit has extended hours for programs, handed out ponchos and set up tents to keep belongings dry.

Two more storms are forecast to hit California before the weather possibly subsides next week.

Nicholas Wolfram Smith is an OSV News correspondent who writes from California.

Read More World News

West Virginia parishes, people help Ukrainians find safe haven in Mountain State

Rosary project supplies ‘long-range, heart-changing weapons’ to Ukraine

Bishop calls ‘reproductive justice’ lecture series with abortion doula ‘scandal,’ ‘unworthy’ of Notre Dame university

Church calls for ‘international protection of holy sites’ after attack on church at Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem

Papal message to focus on people’s right not to migrate

Medically changing person’s sex characteristics to those of opposite sex ‘not morally justified,’ say bishops

Copyright © 2023 OSV News

Print Print

Primary Sidebar

Nicholas Wolfram Smith

Our Sunday Visitor is a Catholic publisher serving millions of Catholics globally through its publishing and communication services.

View all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • Archdiocese dispenses with meatless obligation for St. Patrick’s Day
  • Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history
  • Trainor to retire from post as Mount St. Mary’s president in 2024
  • Movie Review: ’65’
  • Sister Mary Kathleen Marie Saffa dies at 86

| Latest Local News |

Sister Joan Cooper, O.S.F., dies at 94

Pathfinders: Five Archdiocese of Baltimore women who made history

Sister Elizabeth Ellen Kane, O.S.F., dies at 81

| Latest World News |

West Virginia parishes, people help Ukrainians find safe haven in Mountain State

Rosary project supplies ‘long-range, heart-changing weapons’ to Ukraine

Bishop calls ‘reproductive justice’ lecture series with abortion doula ‘scandal,’ ‘unworthy’ of Notre Dame university

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • West Virginia parishes, people help Ukrainians find safe haven in Mountain State
  • Rosary project supplies ‘long-range, heart-changing weapons’ to Ukraine
  • Bishop calls ‘reproductive justice’ lecture series with abortion doula ‘scandal,’ ‘unworthy’ of Notre Dame university
  • Movie Review: ‘In Viaggio: The Travels of Pope Francis’
  • Church calls for ‘international protection of holy sites’ after attack on church at Tomb of the Virgin Mary in Jerusalem
  • Sister Joan Cooper, O.S.F., dies at 94
  • Papal message to focus on people’s right not to migrate
  • Medically changing person’s sex characteristics to those of opposite sex ‘not morally justified,’ say bishops
  • Pope Francis is praised in U.N. talks for efforts to combat anti-Muslim prejudice

Search

Membership

Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2023 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED