Progress being made two years after Harvey

In late August of 2017, Hurricane Harvey, the second-largest natural disaster in U.S. history hit the Texas Gulf Coast. In its aftermath, Bishop Michael Mulvey saw the devastation left in its wake and knew the road to recovery was not going to be an easy one. It would forever change the lives of people along the coast. 

His first priority was to make sure aid was given to those in need. Food, water, cleaning supplies and lumber were distributed via Catholic Charities along with organizations such as the Knights of Columbus. In the days following the storm, churches were visited; assessments of damages and inspections of the stabilization of buildings had begun. 

Due to the magnitude of the devastation, the diocese contracted a disaster recovery firm, The Sulzer Group, to help coordinate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) public assistance grants program and provide project/construction management and grant administration support. The Sulzer Group is assisting the Diocese of Victoria who was also impacted by Hurricane Harvey. With the firms help, the diocese is pursuing public assistance grants for all eligible structures damaged by the hurricane. 

“The Diocese of Corpus Christi is one of the single largest private nonprofit organizations in Texas to file FEMA assistance in repairing catastrophic damages from Hurricane Harvey,” said Deacon Arnold, Disaster Relief Coordinator for the diocese. “There are currently 310 damaged structures on church properties in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.” 

Developing a public assistance claim is no easy undertaking. It takes time and expertise. The process, though a lengthy one, involves identifying facilities eligible for FEMA funding and developing damage descriptions; detailing the dimensions of said damages and the corresponding scope of work to repair or replace those damages. The diocesan construction team performs onsite preliminary inspections, and the team then goes back with FEMA personnel to verify those damages on a Site Inspection Report (SIR). A detailed examination with the FEMA critical infrastructure team is then necessary to determine the repair or replacement of each damaged facility, not to mention providing FEMA with countless Essential Elements of Information (EEI’s) in support of each damaged facility. 

When Hurricane Harvey reached the Gulf Coast the brunt of the storm’s impact hit Aransas Pass, Port Aransas, Rockport, Lamar and Fulton. Then as the storm continued inland, it caused major damage to Ingleside, Refugio, Bayside, Woodsboro and many places throughout the Diocese of Corpus Christi. 

St. Peter Church in Fulton, which received significant damage, is one of the top priority projects underway. Demolition of the Church is in the works and rebuild will soon follow. The new facilities will be built to the latest building and safety code with materials that will sustain hurricane-force winds and a windstorm certified roof. Currently, the parish is using a facility in Rockport for Masses and various parish activities located at 1010 Palmetto Ave. 

Matt and Rina Dysarz began attending St. Peter Church several years ago and came to know many Vietnamese people in the community. “They talk about St. Peter’s as being the first Vietnamese church in the United States. A lot of them came from a town called Rockport in Vietnam,” Matt Dysarz said. “For years now, when we have the Oysterfest, everyone talks about going to St. Peter’s booth for good food. So, the Vietnamese people are ingrained into our town. 

“Our town is not just a church, but a whole culture of people and the hurricane has galvanized us. It made us an even stronger – one body in Christ. I believe that when it’s all done, St. Peter’s is going to be much bigger and better than before. Even the kids who went through the hurricane will have something to look back on. It’ll be a focal point in their history,” he said. 

Unlike St. Peter, Sacred Heart in Rockport still has a church, but the rest of the campus suffered major damage. The diocese has built an entire temporary campus for classrooms and offices. The rectory received a new roof, a new fence and some windows were replaced. The parish hall still has extensive damage and is pending a FEMA claim repair. 

The demolition of St. Peter Church and Sacred Heart Parish in Rockport is next on the agenda. “We are currently getting bids for demolition,” said Orlando Zepeda, Construction Manager for the diocese. 

St. Joseph in Port Aransas, another heavy hit area has also begun to see the fruition of the public assistance claim. Architects and contractors have evaluated the floor preparing it for polished concrete with patterns from the narthex to the altar, in lieu of vinyl composite tile and carpet, which is what was previously laid inside the church. “The altar is being tiled and the windows are being resealed,” Zepeda said. 

Roofs have been repaired or replaced at St. Theresa of the Little Flower in Woodsboro, St. Mary, Star of the Sea, Our Lady of Refuge and St. James in Refugio, but there is still extensive interior and some exterior damages awaiting FEMA approval. 

For St. Anthony of Padua Mission in Austwell, “major required upgrades were made,” said Rose Wind, Construction Manager for the Diocese of Corpus Christi. The church has a new roof, all new insulation, drywall, and the altar was redesigned. A new bell tower was installed as well as new floors. “We paid close attention to detail because our plan was to rebuild with the goal of using new techniques, that will minimize damage from any future disasters” 

Sixteen parishes have “Recovery Team Meetings.” The purpose of these teams is not only to keep parishioners informed of the rebuild process but to give the parish communities input in the recovery and how the structures can serve them more efficiently to better suit their needs.