Parish leaders in the Coachella Valley, in collaboration with the diocesan Emergency Operations Collaborative(EOC), are busy preparing for what has been called a “behemoth” El Niño predicted to hit Southern California this winter.
Active in this planning and preparation are Our Lady of Soledad parish in Coachella and its mission El Señor de la Misericordia in Thermal, led by pastor Father Francisco Gómez Aguilar, S.T., and The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mecca and its Mision San Juan Diego in North Shore, led by Father César Altillo Muñoz, S.T. The two priests have formed a regional team of parishioner volunteers who are working cooperatively to prepare for the impacts of the pending mega-weather event, described by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as unprecedented in strength and its potential impacts to agriculture, public infrastructure and supply chains that could cause trillions of dollars in damages around the globe, including in high-risk vicariate regions.
“Major impacts to North Shore residents from the recent Hurricane Rachel alone were significant,” said Fr. Aguilar, pastoral leader of the disaster response diocesan team for Coachella Valley.
Residences in this area experienced severe flooding, loss of critical household goods, accumulation of major sand and debris blocking access to and from home and workplaces, not to mention the fear and isolation experienced when such natural disasters occur.
“I cannot imagine the impacts of the soon-to-be record-breaking El Niño within our Coachella Valley communities,” Fr. Gomez continued. “The impacts experienced by the recent Hurricane Rachel and Hurricane Hilary in 2023, which were significant in and of themselves, will pale in comparison to what I fear is ahead of us if we are not united as a community and prepared for its impacts. It is part of our Catholic Christian ethic to assist our brothers and sisters in need, and we are working diligently to do so.”
Since Hurricane Hilary in August 2023, which devastated many portions of the Coachella Valley including its agricultural community, parish communities in the Low Desert (Coachella, Mecca, Thermal, North Shore) have been working together with an assembled team of public, private, non-profit and inter-faith-based organizations that can coordinate efficiently and effectively in times of natural disasters without duplicating efforts.
“This collaboration began in early 2020,” commented Ann Marie Gallant, EOC Director. “At the time, we faced horrendous challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This partnership between Diocesan EOC office and Riverside County University Health System, the County of Riverside departments of Public Health, Emergency Management and Emergency Services, including community partners such as TODEC, has delivered numerous emergency relief services to the under-served, high-risk areas of our faith communities in Riverside County, particularly those in the lower Coachella Valley.”
Gallant credits the success of this partnership with the vigilance and dedication of pastoral and civic leadership, who are committed to serving those impacted by natural disaster and other socio-economic circumstances, beyond their control, which often rob them of hope for their future and that of their children.
Beyond the regional partnership, a major donation collection effort is underway, led by Low Desert Vicar Forane, Father Mark Kotlarczyk, who is the pastor of Our Lady of the Valley parish in Yucca Valley.
“Assisting our fellow parishes during times of physical, economic and emotional loss is truly an act of love,” Fr. Kotlarczyk said. “Our hearts are with those who have been and will be affected by the cataclysmic weather events before us. Our Low Desert parishes will continue to support our brothers and sisters in need as we live the Gospel message of Christ, Himself.”
The Low Desert Vicariate parishes will be collecting many of the emergency supplies outlined in the EOC’s ‘12 Tubs’ program such as diapers, blankets, towels, socks, sweatsuit clothing for adults and children, as well as critical hygiene and sanitation supplies.
A regional Town Hall meeting has been scheduled for November 16, at 5:30 pm at Our Lady of Soledad parish. It will also be aired via the parish’s YouTube channel. The Town Hall will provide information on available resources to be donated and distributed to the households in need such as food, clothing, hygiene supplies and over-the-counter medicines. At the gathering, instructions on the distribution and delivery of these emergency essentials will be provided by Training Occupational Development Educating Communities (TODEC) to those who are unable to retrieve them directly from the parish inventory sites, due to medical limitations or fear of confrontation with government agents.