Cori Fugere Urban

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A woman rows a paddleboard down a flooded main street with American flags lining the street

Jul 13, 2023

Vermont parish offers hot meal, place to sleep for those waiting out floods

As flood waters rose throughout Vermont during the July 10 torrential rains, at least one Catholic parish opened its facilities for people who needed a place to wait out the flooding and make post-flood plans.

Emergency personnel maneuver a boat used to rescue residents of flooded homes in Stony Point, N.Y., July 9, 2023. Severe storms that left at least one dead in Orange County, dumped heavy rainfall at intense rates over parts of the Northeast, forcing road closures, water rescues and urgent warnings about life-threatening flash floods.

Jul 11, 2023

Biden declares state of emergency in Vermont due to flooding

Torrential rains brought up to 9 inches of rain to the Green Mountain State July 10, leaving Vermont highways closed, roads eroded and homes and businesses flooded. President Joe Biden declared a state of emergency in Vermont July 11.

Father Benny Chittilappilly stands in his garden plot in Newport, Vt., May 25, 2023, before planting.

Jul 10, 2023

Gardening helps priest from India connect with Catholics in Vermont

Gardening helps Vermont's Fr. Benny Chittilappilly, a Vocationist priest from southern India, better understand his parishioners who farm and garden and sometimes struggle with the weather. Gardening also helps him better understand the parables of Jesus, who often used examples from nature to make a point.