Bishop Leonard P. Blair asked Catholics to join him in prayer for the victims of recent flooding that devastated communities across the diocese. “All throughout the 19 counties of the Diocese of Toledo, the People of God have been affected,” he said in a diocesan statement. “Some have had their homes damaged, their personal property destroyed, their farm fields seriously spoiled and their hearts broken.”

Those who wish to offer support in addition to prayers are encouraged to contact their local chapter of the American Red Cross. In Findlay, pastors are working on an ecumenical response called “Calming the Waters Together.” They are addressing long-term needs of local residents, says Father Michael Hohenbrink, pastor of Findlay St. Michael. To help through this group, contact the parish office at 419-422-2646.

Dozens of parish properties around the diocese experienced water backing up into basements, but Joe Spenthoff, director of the diocesan Protective Self Insurance program, said none suffered severe structural damage.

Heavy rainfall particularly inundated southern parts of the diocese between Aug. 19 and 21, causing rivers and creeks to swell and overflow their banks. Gov. Ted Strickland declared states of emergency in Putnam, Allen, Crawford, Hancock, Richland, Seneca, Van Wert and Wyandot counties. Findlay, Ottawa, Bucyrus and portions of Shelby and Mansfield were some of the communities hardest hit by flooding. Hundreds of families had to evacuate, with some turning to shelters operated by the American Red Cross.

At Ottawa SS. Peter & Paul, staff and volunteers struggled to keep ahead of the rising Blanchard River waters Aug. 22 by piling up sandbags and emptying the lower levels of the school. Parishioners and non-parishioners alike did all they could to help, but “we weren’t able to keep up with it,” said Precious Blood Father Thomas Hemm, pastor.

They were able to pump water out of the church basement until about 11 p.m. that night, but water surrounded the priest at the parish the following day. “If people come, they’ll have to come on a boat,” he said.

Four classrooms in the basement of the old school building were flooded Aug. 23, and water also seeped into the other school building, day care center and the church basement. Fr. Hemm said water was up to his knees in the garage.

“A lot of our parishioners are in worse shape though,” he added. Most of the town was under water, including its main street along U.S. 224.

Downtown Carey, home to Our Lady of Consolation Shrine and Basilica, was under 3 feet of water Aug. 21 and the basements flooded in the basilica, friary, cafeteria and the original shrine church, where gift shop inventory was stored. Most of the water receded the next day, but the cafeteria basement was without electricity and still had 3 inches of water in it two days later.

Many parishioners and pilgrims called to offer help with cleanup, according to administrative assistant Donna Johnson. She said the shrine retreat schedule would not be impacted.

Shelby Most Pure Heart of Mary, located about a block and a half away from the overflowing Black Fork River, had about 2 feet of water in the church basement that damaged a pump and boilers. Water in the parish center basement also damaged a youth room.

North of Shelby, classes were cancelled for the first day of school Aug. 22 at Mansfield St. Mary of the Snows due to waterlogged roadways.

Floods in downtown Mansfield left St. Peter Church and Schools relatively unharmed, but the nearby 32-acre athletic complex was not so fortunate.

Bob Vaccaro, manager of St. Peter’s Spartan Fields, saw bleachers and picnic tables floating in water that spilled onto the grounds from the bordering Rocky Fork River and a drainage ditch. About 2 feet of water filled a concession trailer. “Our entire 13 acres of sports turf was covered in almost 4 feet of water,” said Mr. Vaccaro.

The complex located less than two miles away from St. Peter Schools is used by students in preschool through high school for soccer, baseball and softball. Mr. Vaccaro estimated even with cooperative weather it would be at least a week before athletes could get back on the fields, delaying the first soccer games of the season.
Because flooding was so widespread, parishes are likely to have a difficult time finding professionals available to get the cleanup work done in a timely manner.

“There’s so much water around and so many individual family units affected that they’re going to have to roll up their sleeves and do it themselves,” Mr. Spenthoff said.

The day after some residents had to be evacuated from flooded homes in Bluffton, Tiffin Franciscan Sister Carol Inkrott, the pastoral leader of St. Mary Parish, and leaders from other churches in the Bluffton Area Ministerial Association were already planning actions to help those who had been uprooted.

Sr. Inkrott said the interfaith group “anted up” money to rent storage units for elderly residents of a damaged apartment complex located next to the overflowing Riley Creek. The churches also planned to take up a collection for flooding victims at services the following weekend.

“Down the pike, we want to do a furniture collection for the people who lost everything,” added Sr. Inkrott.
The recently renovated St. Mary Church did not suffer any damage from flooding.
Earlier this summer, farmers of the diocese were praying for rain when much of Ohio was experiencing drought conditions.

Fr. Hemm expressed concern that crops that survived the drought would be ruined by excess water. Several neighbors he saw commented to him they could stop praying for rain.

In Upper Sandusky, where 9.34 inches of rain reportedly fell in a 24-hour period Aug. 20, Father Kent Kaufman, the pastor of Transfiguration of the Lord Parish, speculated about the dramatic rainfall.

The same thing happened years ago, he said, when the region was facing a drought. First the Catholics were praying for rain, then the Lutherans joined in and finally everyone was praying for rain. Then, as now, rain flooded the area.

“I think it’s a backlog of prayers for rain,” said Fr. Kaufman. “I learned from a wise old farmer that you don’t pray for rain, you pray for favorable weather.”
Angela Kessler contributed to this report.