LAHAINA, Hawaii – As the Hawaii island of Maui struggles to recover from horrific wildfires that destroyed historic Lahaina, President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden toured the fire-ravaged town.
After touring the devastation caused by the deadliest fire in the United States in more than a century, the president spoke at a community event at the Lahaina Civic Center, telling survivors of the fires the nation “grieves with you.”
“Jill and I are here to grieve with you, but also we want you to know the entire country is here for you,” Biden said Aug. 21, adding that the federal government will support Maui’s recovery “as long as it takes.” “We’re not going to stop until it’s done. We’re going to build back better,” he said.
On Aug. 10, Biden issued a federal disaster declaration for Maui and the Big Island (Hawaii island), which also was affected by the wildfires, ordering “all available federal assets on the Islands to help with response.”
Under the declaration, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency coordinate assistance, which can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of a disaster.
Federal funding also is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations. Beyond the promise of federal funds to help the people of Maui rebuild, donations are being raised by entities such as Catholic Charities and the Diocese of Honolulu.
As of Aug. 22, the Honolulu Star Advertiser confirmed the death toll in Maui had reached at least 115 “as authorities continue working to identify the remains of those killed in Lahaina.”
The Associated Press has reported that the tally of those still unaccounted for varies “widely.” “Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said more than 1,000 remained unaccounted for. Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said that the number was 850. And during President Biden’s tour, White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall put it between 500 and 800.
In an Aug. 11 letter addressed to “our Catholic Faithful in Hawaii and Beyond,” Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva wrote, “As a community of faith, we are called to come together and provide unwavering support to those who are suffering. It is in times like these that our collective love, faith, and compassion can make a tremendous difference.” He said supporting the Church’s relief efforts for Maui “is an opportunity for us to show our solidarity as a Catholic faith community and lend a helping hand to those who have lost so much.”
Meanwhile, the Maria Lanakila Catholic Church in Lahaina being untouched by the fires is being called an answered prayer.
“For us, it’s like a miracle,” said Msgr. Terrence Watanabe, the Honolulu Diocese’s vicar of Maui and Lanai. “When we saw the news and saw the church steeple rise above the town, it was a great sight to see.”
The church is a block or two from Front Street, the famous waterfront stretch of visitors’ shops and restaurants that the Lahaina fire reduced to a smoldering pile of ashes. Pictures showed charred trees across the street from the church.
“As a community of faith, we are called to come together and provide unwavering support to those who are suffering,” Honolulu Bishop Larry Silva said in an Aug. 11 message. “It is in times like these that our collective love, faith and compassion can make a tremendous difference.”
“This is an opportunity for us to show our solidarity as a Catholic faith community and lend a helping hand to those who have lost so much,” Bishop Silva said.
“Let us also remember the power of prayer,” he said. “In our collective prayers, we ask for strength, resilience, and healing for the fire victims and their families. May we find the grace to rebuild our families, their livelihoods, and the physical structures that were lost. Let our faith guide us as we navigate the challenges ahead, knowing that with the grace of God, all things are possible.”
- How You Can Help
- To help with Maui relief efforts, the Diocese of Honolulu has two outlets taking donations via the diocese’s Hawai’i Catholic Community Foundation, and Catholic Charities Hawai’i.
- Catholic Charities USA also has made an appeal for donations on its website.
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