Florida Catholic | After Fay, ‘Please stay in your homes’

After Fay, ‘Please stay in your homes’

Parishes and schools in the Diocese of Palm Beach fared well, but some in St. Lucie and Martin counties were closed on Wednesday due to street flooding.

LINDA REEVES | FLORIDA CATHOLIC PALM BEACH BUREAU EDITOR

Published: 08.20.08

Courtesy Photo
One hapless driver found the deep water of a swollen retention pond attempting a turn into a shopping center in the 3300 block of NW Federal Hwy., Jensen Beach Aug. 19. Road flooding apparently obscured the drive.

PALM BEACH GARDENS | A call to St. Bernadette Parish in Port St. Lucie Wednesday, Aug. 20, a day after Tropical Storm Fay began dumping rain there, found a telling announcement: “Our office is closed due to the aftermath of the storm. Please stay in your homes.”

St. Bernadette’s pastor, Father Victor Ulto, summed up the transportation situation: it’s tricky to get in and out of town unless you “have a boat, are a scuba diver or happen to be a duck.”

According to media reporters, more than 800 homes were flooded in the eastern portions of St. Lucie County and more than a quarter of the roads were impassable Wednesday morning.

“We are doing OK,” he said. “We are following the directions of the county, city and diocese. We are being good citizens.”

Church grounds are low and the parish just begun construction on new facilities. At the present time, activities take place in modular buildings.

“We thank God that it is not worse. We had Mass yesterday morning. There were eight of us. It was beautiful. That was when I could drive. It is drizzling here. There are lots of flooded streets. The water level is getting higher. I just received a message from the St. Lucie Water District and the city,” Father Ulto said.

The message distributed by city officials encouraged people to stay off of the streets.”

St. Bernadette was one of a several parishes and schools in St. Lucie and Martin counties that were closed Wednesday. But most of the schools and parishes in the Diocese of Palm Beach County were up and running. The Pastoral Center is open and its staff back at work.

The Florida Catholic received one report of flooding at the Our Lady of Florida Spiritual Center in North Palm Beach. Staff there said water was coming through a door from high winds and heavy downpours. They were cleaning the mess Wednesday. The center will be open Friday for programs.

Don Kazimir, coordinator of the diocesan Respect Life Office, admitted he was a little concerned when he heard about the wet situation at the spiritual center, as he is helping plan a retreat there this weekend.

“We wanted to set up Thursday. It just means we have to shift things around a little. It is no great problem. Things will be OK,” he said.

The town of Wellington in the western area of Palm Beach County, is also cleaning up after Fay. A tornado touched down there Aug. 19, uprooting trees and destroying buildings. A call to the local parishes, St. Rita and St. Therese de Lisieux, found both churches open and without any damages.

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