THE heavy rains that have hit the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul since the end of April have flooded 31 churches in the four vicariates of the Archdiocese of Porto Alegre.
“Due to the height of the water, we lost all the items for Mass, equipment, liturgical books, everything,” Father Fabiano Glaser, pastor of Our Lady Mediatrix Parish in the town of Eldorado do Sul, said.
The largest flood in the history of Rio Grande do Sul has already affected 450 of the state’s 497 municipalities, nearly 90 per cent of its territory, according to the daily Civil Defense bulletin issued on May 14.
So far there are 147 dead, 125 missing, 806 injured, and more than 538,000 homeless.
More than 76,000 people and 11,000 animals have been rescued.
The level of the Guaíba River, which had dropped to 5m last Friday, May 10, rose again yesterday to 5.6m.
According to forecasts from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, the water could reach close to 6.2m this week.
Catholic churches flooded
Fr Glaser said the parish was located in an urban area that was 100 per cent affected by the heavy rains.
The parish includes six churches and only one was not inundated by the waters because it is located in a “neighborhood called Eldorado Park that did not have flooding,” so it was able to accommodate some “homeless people”.
According to the priest, “people are very discouraged because it is the third flood in nine months” and “many people” have said they will leave the city.
“Even parish leaders.
“So it’s going to be a long, hard job of rebuilding. I am trying to stay in touch with the parishioners by WhatsApp, by video, and I am trying to stay close [to them] with messages of perseverance,” the priest said.
Since the water invaded the rectory, Fr Glaser said he was taking refuge in the Our Lady of Fátima Parish in Guaíba, a neighboring city.
“I am in the rectory with a family of parishioners and there are around 140 people sheltering in the parish hall,” he said.
“Here in the parish I am saying Mass,” the priest said.
“So every time there is Mass, I tell the people and those who are nearby to come and participate.”
A parish rescues 1200 people
Immaculate Conception Parish, which has been in the Rio Branco neighborhood for 72 years, was “the first church devastated by the rains” in the town of Canoas, according to the parochial vicar, Father Rodrigo Barroso.
“The water went through the pews and entered the sacristy and the parish office. We lost a lot of material goods,” Fr Barroso said.
According to the priest, the parish “was the rescue point for about 1200 people who began arriving at the church looking to be rescued” by boat.
Fr Barasso said Immaculate Conception School, run by the Franciscan Sisters of Penance and Christian Charity, which is next to the church, “was also badly damaged.”
The nuns had to close the church because some people were “looting places and the church was at great risk,” he said.
“With the force of the water, we couldn’t even close the doors of the church. Today I was there and we managed to close the parish,” he said.
The vicar said he doesn’t know how long it will take to “return to normal” in the neighborhood, so Masses are being celebrated in St Louis Gonzaga Parish in midtown Canoas.
