Priests on the front line in England to help the people hit by the floods which are devastating the South of Great Britain, during these days of bad weather, and with record figures: 10 thousand flooded dwellings, and 50 thousand houses without electricity, plus thousands of evacuees. “We are phoning parishioners – says Father Keith Miles, parish priest of the Church of the English Martyrs in Tuffley, Gloucester, – with priority for the more vulnerable people and those who live alone, to make sure they are well and to see if there is something we can do for them. However, because of lack of electricity, the telephone lines cannot be used. In these cases, we go and visit families ourselves”. The harder work is taking them drinkable water. “We are co-ordinating ourselves – went on Father Miles, – together with the Anglican parish of Quedgeley. We offered the police and local authorities the use of our church, for the people who lost their houses. Fortunately, the Church was not flooded, but we don’t know how long we shall be able to go on relying on electricity”. Another account comes from Father Richard Dwyer, parish priest of the Church of St. Joseph, in Tewkesbury. “The spirit of the community is really positive. The people helping each other are really a lot, and for me, this is an example of how the Holy Spirit is working”. The bishops- catholic and Anglican – in the area also offer the people help and prayers. “Our local churches – says the Anglican bishop of Oxford, Reverend John Pritchard – are there to help. We have people of ours in every corner in the streets to offer practical help, temporary shelters, food, clothes and hot beverages”.
