Catholic Schools Respond to Hurricane Harvey 

The memories of seeing or otherwise experiencing the devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey are all relatively fresh for everyone in Texas and around world. Who can forget the images of the wind, water and aftermath that we witnessed via the television or the internet. Those vivid descriptions of the damage done by the storm and the conditions it created made quite an impression. The first reaction most of us had to the tragedy was to be overwhelmed. Thankfully, that was only an initial reaction. Our Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Austin sprang into action as soon as they reconvened and began to process the needs.
    The students and families at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Taylor partnered with Catholic Charities to gather gift cards and hygiene packets with necessities to the coast as quickly as possible. Students and faculty at St. Dominic Savio Catholic School High School and St. Michael Catholic Academy were organizing drives for personal hygiene items and cleaning supplies almost before there were directions on where to take them. The Catholic schools in Temple, Holy Trinity Catholic High School and St. Mary’s Catholic School, had personal connections to Sacred Heart Catholic School in Rockport. Both schools raised money and collected supplies to rush to the coast. Their first effort allowed them to give a combined $4,700 to Sacred Heart Catholic School. St. Austin Catholic School has had multiple drives for the victims, including a student led drive to collect stuffed animals for the children who lost everything in the storm. Sacred Heart Catholic School in LaGrange has concentrated its efforts on those families in its own community that were directly affected by the storm.
     Schools throughout the diocese opened their doors to refugees from the storm. There was a heartwarming story of two students from the Rockport area taken in by St. Mary’s Catholic School in West. The students only stayed several days, but they informed the reporter from Dallas that it was a great experience and that they hoped to return to St. Mary’s Catholic School one day to attend on a more permanent basis.
     As that first week passed and some of the long term effects of the storm became more obvious, the school communities throughout the Diocese began to recognize the reality that being of true assistance would require a longer term commitment. In order to accomplish this our Catholic schools are participating in a program through the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops Education Department that pairs schools wanting to help with those in need. Holy Family Catholic School in Austin has partnered with St. John Paul II Catholic School in Houston. Holy Family has just signed a new laptop agreement and has decided to donate their current laptops to families from their partner school who can use these in their homes. St. Mary’s Catholic School in Temple will be loading a semi-truck with surplus furniture to send down to Rockport soon. Santa Cruz Catholic School in Buda delivered 50 handmade quilts and $10,000 to True Cross Catholic School in Dickinson and an additional $2,000 to Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School in Texas City.
      The response of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Austin has been nothing short of inspiring. Our Catholic school communities have all demonstrated what huge hearts they have and are committed to remain in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Christ who live along the Gulf coast. The loving responses of these Catholic schools is a source of hope for us all.