As the harrowing stories continue to proliferate from the survivors of the devastating wildfires that ravaged Lahaina, there are also encouraging and perhaps miraculous stories, too.

As the rest of the city was razed to the ground, a strange sanctuary from the fire was left almost unscathed. Maria Lanakila Catholic Church, as well as its Rectory (home for the priest), were spared from the flames. The Parish's Catholic school did take some damage, but compared to the damage sustained to the surrounding area, the priest there is understandably ecstatic and thanking God for being spared from the flames.

It's difficult to say for sure that anything is truly a miracle and not just chance. In the photo above, a nearby gas station was also seemingly spared; which might have set off a mighty explosion that would have severely damaged the church grounds. Perhaps some fire prevention measures at the gas station contributed to the saving of the church. However, after working around fire suppression systems for enormous oil filled transformers at power plants across the country, I can't imagine a fire control system that would have protected a nearby building the size of Maria Lanakia Catholic Church and the nearby rectory to the extent they were saved in the type of fire they would surely have been lost to.

Miracle or not, the surviving parishioners at Maria Lanakila parish are now uniquely positioned to serve their neighbors who are in dire need.

Let's give thanks for the safety of Maria Lanakila Catholic Church and pray for the parish and their neighbors as they cope with the devastating toll the fire took on everyone in it's path.

If you want to do more than pray, consider making a donation to Catholic Charities Hawai'i who are actively working to provide relief to the victims in the name of Jesus Christ and rebuild what was lost.