Did Faith Save Parishioners from Tornado in Emory, Texas?

This is one of those stories that makes you think. A group of 45 parishioners were miraculously spared as a tornado ripped their church apart Saturday night in Emory, TX.

Discovering this message on Facebook from the Diocese of Tyler was a heartwarming moment for me:

Dear friends, Saint John the Evangelist Church in Emory, Texas, was totally destroyed by a tornado last night. About 45 people were just 10-feet away in a hallway sheltering when the tornado hit. By the grace of God and the protection of Our Lady, no one was injured.

After seeing so many tragedies related to these storms this was an incredible moment of hope. CNN discovered the story and Youth Minister Monica Hughes recounts the event, “About 30 seconds after we went into the hallway, it hit.”

“We could see the beams bending and the aluminum roof being ripped away,” she told CNN. “Everybody dropped to the floor and protected one another. As soon as the worst was over, we began to sing to keep the kids calm.”

“Both ends of the building were blown out,” Peyton Low, director of public affairs for the Diocese of Tyler said.  “People are using the term ‘miraculous'” to describe what happened Saturday night — the same night that at least three tornadoes killed four people in East Texas.

Red Cross in East Texas

Here's How You Can Help Tornado Victims

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