Holy Week typhoon impacts two Jesuit high schools
Two Jesuit high schools in Micronesia suffered severe damage from Super Typhoon Maysak during Holy Week this year.
Xavier High School on the island of Chuuk (population 49,000) reported preliminary damage estimates of $50,000 to $100,000 from downed trees and wind damage to classrooms and the chapel. Fortunately, all staff and students were reported safe. Xavier serves 186 students from across Micronesia and is the only boarding school among the USA Northeast Province schools.
Several days later, the typhoon passed just north of the island of Yap (population 12,000), causing minor damage to Yap Catholic High School, which serves 40 students. Fr. Michael Corcoran, SJ, director and principal of the school, reported, “We prepared as best we could – covering windows with plywood and tying down all the roofs. In the end, there was only minor damage – a few upturned trees on campus and part of the roof of the new chapel was torn off.
Both schools are run by Jesuits of the USA Northeast Province, Jesuits of the Province of Indonesia, members of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and residents of Micronesia.
We are sorry to hear of such losses at Jesuit schools, but we are hopeful in the strength of the Jesuit community to come together in the relief process.
If you are interested in donating to support relief efforts at these schools, click here and select “Micronesia Typhoon Relief” in the gift dropdown section.
A Xavier High School student works to clean up a classroom.