Friars begin cleanup following Hurricane Melissa

Friars living in Jamaica and Cuba are safe following Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest storms to form in the Caribbean. 

In Havana, the friars have power again following an eight-hour outage. The western portion of the island has received rain but has been spared from damage caused by wind. 

The friars in Jamaica have been providing regular updates on Mary, Gate of Heaven’s Facebook page. The most recent update, posted at 10:30 a.m. Central time on Oct. 29, reads as follows: 

Today, the Brother Friars began the daunting task of clearing our yard from debris, tackling fallen coconut and uprooted mango trees. We took time to assess the damage around our buildings and strategize our next steps. 

Our first priority is to check in on St. Anthony Kitchen to see if we can resume food operations tomorrow. We’ll also visit the three parish locations to evaluate the damage and connect with the communities to understand their immediate needs. 

The road ahead looks long, and we’ll need your prayers and support more than ever. Please keep the people of Jamaica, our friars, the government, and all the nonprofits working tirelessly to assist in your thoughts and prayers. Together, we can help rebuild and restore hope in this beautiful island.

The friars kept St. Anthony Kitchen open for as long as possible prior to the storm’s arrival, serving around 200 meals on Monday, more than its usual service. St. Anthony Kitchen was one of the only services operating in Jamaica that day.  

The friary itself, after initial inspection, does not have damage. The church roof peeled back in two spots.  

In response to the overwhelming need in Jamaica, Franciscan Friars Charities, the charitable arm of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe, has mobilized the Franciscan Relief Fund to support recovery efforts. Click here to donate.