Originally published at National Catholic Register
Recovery from the Eaton and Palisades Fires which hit the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on Jan. 7 is well underway, with parishes, schools and other facilities affected engaging in repairs, rebuilding and reopening.
The epic disaster has been devastating to the city of Los Angeles, resulting in the deaths of at least 29 people and the destruction of 16,000 structures in the Pacific Palisades and Altadena communities.
Retreat Center Still Stands
Among the Catholic sites most severely affected include the Mater Dolorosa Passionist Retreat Center in Sierra Madre, which is just east of Altadena and backs to the Angeles National Forest. The center, founded in 1924, encompasses 83 acres and is operated by four Passionist fathers and one Passionist brother. Today, it offers a variety of retreats and is open to the general public for prayer and one weekly Mass.
Sixty of the Passionists were on retreat the evening of Jan. 7, reported retreat center director Father Febin Barose, adding, “The hill was aglow with fire. We got the order to evacuate, and we had to leave quickly.”
All left the center safely. However, the next day when Father Barose returned to assess the property, he discovered
