‘We walk by faith and not by sight’

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

Typhoon Soudelor’s passing through the Marianas on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2015, left shock and awe at its strength and the extensive damage it caused by Monday morning, Aug. 3, 2015. Sparing the other islands in our chain, its intensity and landfall on Saipan caused destruction to homes and property, and disrupted lives, private enterprise, and public services. A declaration of emergency issued locally on Aug. 3, 2015, reached national recognition through a presidential declaration on Aug. 5, 2015.

The difficulties of recovery and challenges of rebuilding are real and seem, for now, untimely. For most, life on Saipan as we know it has shifted and some uncertainty lies ahead. But we as a community, as a people of faith, and through our unique cultures rooted in that faith, have risen before through similar adversity. We are a resilient people of God and this is evident through the coming together of islands, organizations, peoples, and programs to assist those in most need of help after Typhoon Soudelor.

In this instance, my brother priests and I are thankful to all those who have reached out to meet the needs of the parishes and peoples affected by Typhoon Soudelor. Your love, patience, and enduring kindness are priceless gifts in what can be very trying times in extreme conditions. We have received pledges of prayers and other assistance from other dioceses: Bishop Randolph Calvo of the Diocese of Reno who facilitated contact with Catholic Relief Services and Archbishop Anthony Apuron who sent his offer of assistance. Also, His Excellency Archbishop Martin Krebbs, D.D., Apostolic Nuncio to the Pacific and Apostolic Delegate to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, on behalf of Holy Father, assured his solidarity with us in prayer and support. We are indeed blessed with the outreach of so many from near and far.

Our next steps remain with personal choice and an attitude of hope in Christ, for “we walk by faith and not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) We can either continue to highlight the difficulties and challenges of our circumstances all the while knowing they exist, or, we can choose to overcome them. The resiliency of our island cultures is rooted in our faith, rooted in our Christ, and rooted in our belief that while everything changes, God is constant. He is amongst us and He is our strength. Let not the typhoon shake our convictions but, rather, wake them up to greater trust and hope in the Lord whose abundance is beyond the scope of our expectations. Let us continue to pray and help one another.

God bless us all as we start anew.

I remain with you in prayer,

Fr. Ryan P. Jimenez
Apostolic Administrator
Diocese of Chalan Kanoa