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February 10, 2025
Dear St. Bede Parish and School Community,
It's hard to believe it's been a month since the Eaton and Palisades fires turned our world upside down.
As of today, we now know of 43 St. Bede school and/or parish families who have either lost or have been displaced from their homes and community. There are of course many more from our surrounding neighborhoods too. We are grateful to the many generous individuals who have reached out during this time of crisis to find out how to help. While we continue to prioritize our St. Bede families, we have also been able to offer support to others as well.
Our school has been able to accommodate a nearby student who lost access to their school due to the fires. The school is also talking to several other impacted families and will accommodate additional students as space allows.
I'm very proud of our St. Bede community and how we have quickly mobilized to support our brothers and sisters in need. I want to take this chance to provide a brief update of the support in place as well as the ongoing needs of our families who have been displaced.
EATON OUTREACH COMMITTEE
An Eaton Outreach Committee was formed made up of several key staff, Pastoral Council, and School Parent Board members. This committee has met frequently over the past 3 weeks, assigning a Bede representative to each displaced family to partner with them in determining immediate and ongoing needs.
Our St. Bede reps for both school and parish families are in ongoing direct conversations and contact with impacted families to facilitate needs and offer support.
To date, we have provided families with immediate essentials like cribs, bedding, diapers, temporary housing and shelter, clothing, furniture, gift cards, cash donations, and more.
As needs are assessed and change, we will continue to create pathways to secure what is needed.
EATON OUTREACH SUPPORT FUND
An Eaton Outreach Support Fund was established to enable our community to contribute their financial support to our families in need. We continue receiving much-needed donations which are reviewed by committee members for allocation and distribution to our families.
We expect the need to continue for many months, if not longer.
Family needs are continually being re-assessed as needs evolve on their road to rebuilding, recovery, and healing.
100% of these donations will go directly to our families in need.
Donations can be made online or in-person/mailed to the Parish Center.
We have added the ability to set up a recurring monthly gift online, if desired.
Make checks payable to St. Bede; indicate "Eaton Outreach Support" in the memo.DONATE TO ST. BEDE EATON OUTREACH SUPPORT FUND
GREATEST CURRENT NEED: GIFT CARDS | SIGN UP TO PURCHASE VIA OUR SIGNUP GENIUS
Families have indicated that the greatest current need is for specific gift cards, enabling them to purchase what they need as they need it, without space in temporary housing for volume purchases.
SIGN UP TO PURCHASE REQUESTED GIFT CARDS
NEIGHBORS OF ALTADENA (NOA) SUPPORT COALITION
NOA is a community of volunteers and neighbors working to connect people affected by the Los Angeles wildfires with the resources they need to rebuild and recover.
The committee is working closely and collaboratively with NOA, who are on-campus at St. Bede every Saturday from 12:00-4:00 pm.
Support to date for impacted families includes document recovery, computer and printing help, subscription cancellation, FEMA representatives, babysitting, insurance & legal guidance, mental health, and other services.
We will continue to keep you informed via monthly updates. In the meantime, check our Eaton Outreach section of our website often for new information.
I am grateful to be part of such a caring community. Again, thank you all for your kindness.
With gratitude and hope...January 29, 2025
I am very proud of our Eaton Fire outreach. We have a whole host of volunteers striving to assist those in need with paperwork, financial assistance, etc. This is our top priority at the moment as we all deal with the shock and trauma and displacement of many. I don’t have an answer for why these things have to happen; I sure wish I knew. Regardless, I do know that God is with us.
January 12, 2025
Dear St. Bede Community,
As we prepare to reopen the Parish Center and School, please note that our phone lines are down due to a fiber line damaged by the fire. We are working on a solution and hope to resolve this quickly and will keep you updated.
In the meantime, please use the dedicated emails below, provide us with your contact information, and we will get back to you within 24 hours.
PARISH CENTER: [email protected]
SCHOOL: [email protected]
Thank you for your patience… and stay safe.January 11, 2025
Dear St. Bede Community,
Yesterday's lifting of our La Canada mandatory evacuation order and change to evacuation warning status is great news that will now allows us to celebrate Mass together this weekend as a community within a limited Mass schedule on Sunday only.
St. Bede will hold the following Masses on Sunday, January 12. There will be NO evening Masses on Saturday at 5:30 pm or Sunday at 4:30 pm.
7:30 am - Fr. Jim Bevacqua
9:00 am - Fr. Christopher Iwancio
11:00 am - Fr. Jim Bevacqua
For those unable to attend in-person, we are doing our best to make a livestream or recorded version of today's 11:00 am Mass available on our website. Please be patient and understand that our power is still touch and go and as of now, we still have no internet.
While we continue to navigate the changing nature of these devastating fires in our community, we are grateful for this opportunity to join together to pray for all those suffering great losses and for continued strength and safety for our entire community, and for our heroic firefighters and first responders.
The School will remain closed through Monday, January 13, with current plans for students to return on to campus on Tuesday, January 14. Details will be sent directly to our school families.
The Parish Center and Church will open on Monday, January 13 conditions and power/internet permitting.
We will continue to communicate updated plans as they unfold.
God protect us all.January 10, 2025
Dear St. Bede Community,
This morning we received important information from Mayor Davitt's office advising that all mandatory evacuation orders for La Canada Flintridge remain in place. La Canada continues to be at fire risk, and all residents have been heavily impacted and displaced, although La Canada itself has sustained no significant losses within the city limits. You can read Mayor Davitt's update at the link below.
While we were hoping and planning to reopen for this weekend's services, unfortunately, that is not possible at this time. Without power or internet, even a Livestream Mass is not possible.
The School, Church and Parish Center are closed through Monday, January 13. We will re-evaluate Monday morning and communicate updated plans at that time.
In the meantime, we are working to compile a list of needs for families in our community that have suffered losses. We know needs will include gift cards for food, clothing, toiletries, etc., as well as used school uniforms.
We understand many of you are looking for ways to help. Please use this opportunity to begin procuring gift cards, used or new clothing items in various sizes, toiletries, etc. As soon as our campuses are able to reopen we will open a Donation Center at St. Bede for the families in need.
Additionally, the Archdiocese of LA has also set up the donation link below for those wishing to donate outside of our parish community.
https://lacatholics.org/california-fires/
'Please keep praying for all those suffering in the wildfires sweeping through southern California. My heart goes out to our neighbors who have lost their homes and livelihoods. Let’s pray for them and let’s pray for our firefighters and first responders. May God keep all of our brothers and sisters safe and bring end to these fires! '– Archbishop Gomez
Keeping our St. Bede community especially close in my heart and prayers. Stay safe.
Fr. Jim Bevacqua | PastorJanuary 9, 2025
Dear St. Bede Community,
As the devastating wildfires that have impacted so many in our community who are displaced and suffering unimaginable loss continue, please know you are all in my constant thoughts and prayers. While I am safe, my heart breaks for our brothers and sisters and many of our own parishioners and friends who have lost their homes. I ask that we all join together to lift and support them in prayer as we navigate other ways to offer our assistance as well.
Our Parish Center, Church, and School campuses remain under mandatory evacuation and will be closed for the remainder of the week through Friday, January 10 and as of now plan to reopen Saturday, January 11 starting with our 5:30 pm Saturday Mass, unless communicated otherwise. Please check your email, our website and social media for updates.
There are a number of opportunities to gather in prayer for those impacted by the fires and to pray for future protection as follows:
Archbishop José Gomez will be joined by Bishop Matthew Elshoff, Bishop Brian Nunes and Bishop Albert Bahhuth to celebrate special Masses for the victims and first responders in each of the respective pastoral regions that have been impacted.
All the Masses will be livestreamed at https://lacatholics.org/
california-fires/ .Special Masses for all Impacted by the Wildfires
TODAY, Thursday, January 9:
- Our Lady of the Angels Region – Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 12:10 p.m. Mass in English
- San Gabriel Region – Mission San Gabriel Arcángel, Chapel of the Anunciation, 6:00 pm bilingual Mass
Friday, January 10
- San Fernando Region – Incarnation Church in Glendale, 5:30 pm Mass in English
(Locations are subject to change due to the movement of the fires and possible evacuation orders. Please visit https://lacatholics.org/
california-fires/ It is at times like this that I am especially grateful for our amazing faith community here at St. Bede. ALL of us are impacted , most of us displaced, and many have lost their homes and all of their possessions. With broken hearts, I know we will surround them with love.
If you are one of our families impacted by this disaster, please reach out to us and let us know how we can best support and assist you and and your family.
Call the Front office at 818-949-4300.
You can also complete the form below to let us know your immediate needs.
Be assured I am working with our staff on specific plans to offer additional support and will be in touch shortly with more detail. For now, please join me to pray:
- May our Church be a place of welcome and safety; enable Church communities to offer hospitality and practical support to all in need
- In the midst of disaster beyond our control, empower us to reach out in love to others, mending what is broken, and bringing hope where there is despair
- We pray for all who have suffered physical harm; help us to accompany and support them in the process of healing
- May all who are displaced and suffering due to the fires, find shelter, support, and kindness through the loving actions of people of goodwill
- May the Christian community graciously accompany all those whose lives have been disrupted and endangered by fires, storms, and other severe weather as they seek refuge from harm, endeavor to recover, and find new ways to flourish
- May we strive to embody God’s promise of comfort for those who mourn for all who are grieving the loss of loved ones, homes, and livelihoods because of fires
- For all emergency responders – police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel – that God may protect them as they put their lives on the line to serve others
- For firefighters, police officers, paramedics, medical teams, and all first responders who work tirelessly during natural disasters, that they may be protected from harm, strengthened in their service, and guided by God’s wisdom in all they do.
Fr. Jim Bevacqua | Pastor