Prayer must be part of preparations for the hurricane season says Bishop Malzaire

Bishop Malzaire (with arms raised) at mass on Pentecost Sunday

Bishop of Roseau, Gabriel Malzaire is encouraging all citizens, including Catholics and all other Christians, to make  prayer a critical part of their disaster plan for the hurricane season.

The Bishop’s message coincided with the June 2 to June 8 hurricane preparedness week which was designated by the Office of Disaster Management (ODM).

He said that persons may never get accustomed to the hurricane season despite having to face it every year.

“Despite the fact the we face the reality of this hurricane season every year we never get accustomed  with it. This is frighteningly so as we live with fresh memories of the devastation of tropical storm Erika and hurricane Maria. They serve as reminders that we can never be over prepared,” Bishop Malzaire said.

He added that Hurricane Preparedness Week as designated by the ODM reminds us that the time to prepare is now.

“I join the office of disaster management in encouraging all to make a plan which includes evacuation options, a family communication plan and specific needs in your households such as food, drinking water, medical supplies and to secure your home and property in the case of disaster,” the Bishop stated.

“But above all,” Bishop Malzaire continued, “It is imperative that we maintain a constant disposition of prayer. I encourage all  Christians Catholics and others and all citizens to include in your individual or collective time of worship, prayer to avert any form of disaster. The God we serve is ever so close to His people…May the God who is the source of all life, see us through this Hurricane season.”

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30 Comments

  1. RandyX
    June 13, 2019

    Isn’t it strange that the biggest bible bashers on here (Joseph and Xavier) are also the the biggest Skerrit supporters and apologists. What I don’t unterstand for the life of me is how you can support a man like Skerrit and at the same time claim to be a Christian. It just doesn’t go together! It’s pure hypocrisy nothing more and nothing less!

  2. Captain Courageous
    June 12, 2019

    Hahahahahahaha…! Prayer. Nope, you fools…. praying will not help. But building better buildings, preparing for disasters, ensuring training to everyone involved, etc. Can mitigate the effects of the destruction….

    However, for those of you who doubt my word…. let half of you pray, and do nothing. Let the other half prepare for reality… then compare the outcomes.

  3. Joseph John
    June 12, 2019

    Our Dominica is also known as The Land of the Lord. Are we determined to reject this title ? Are we turning our backs on our Lord Jesus Christ ? Have we turned our backs on our God ? Are we refusing the saving power of our Savior?
    The message we are getting with the voice of the Bishop is a cry to return to Jesus. Our Lord is saying “return to me” in prayer ?

  4. Special Giftings And Anointing
    June 12, 2019

    That’s the realest comment I’ve read about Dominica in a long time! You hit the nail on the head. That comment brought out my smile because I am certainly sure you are a man or woman of God.. And As one of God’s humble servant with a prophetic anointing on my life, This is confirmation of what God wants in this nation. I have told people that already, that’s the only way God can and will intervene but we all know that its not gonna happen because there is alot going on in Dominica and the people have forgotten God and because of that the outcome is going to be very scary! I cried for Mercy for my country so much times because God has given me many dreams of what he is going to do if 2 chronicles 7:14 is not done. If Dominicans think they are really resilient wait till the wrath of God falls on this nation! There’s absolutely no escape for Dominica in this season because God has given them warnings and they are not taking Heed.

  5. Joseph John
    June 11, 2019

    It is not the singer it is the song. It is not the messenger it is the message. Jesus is sending a clear message through his servant and we need to listen to Him. We all had the experience of Maria so we know that the stakes are high. If we are paying attention to weather reports on USA media we know that things are not normal or predictable, and we should pay attention to His message. Its like the weather is angry and on the war path. The story of the burning house come to mind. If your neighbor’s house is on fire wet yours.
    In the case of hurricanes we can take precautions but we cannot prevent them. Only God can. So regardless of our affiliation we all must pray to Jesus to calm the storms. Amen

  6. June 11, 2019

    @Jesus Saves, tell it to them! Let them understand that “My People” is not just one man in Primary Minister, Sir Roosevelt Skerrit

    Moses, the man whom God chose to lead His people to the Promised Land, did not have the privilege to go there, himself, because of the rotten attitude of those people (it is a long story)–but God punished him for their behavior, so he died in the Wilderness.

    So God was not talking about Moses in that verse above, He was talking to the proud, selfish, and rotten minded Israelites -His own people; so are we in Dominica.

  7. Zandoli
    June 11, 2019

    Instead of wasting time praying, people need to make sure their homes are inspected and made hurricane resistant before the hurricane season gets into full swing. No amount of prayer is going to save Dominica from the ravages of a hurricane. Preperation will go a long way to helping people ride out a hurricane.

    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      June 11, 2019

      Prayer, and praying  is not a waste of time!

      Nevertheless, one cannot be hypocritical about it; one should not wait until fear of imminent or pending danger, and disaster to pray

      For the bible teaches one should pray without ceasing; that does no mean one commence praying and never stop, in my opinion I believe it means praying   and worshiping God everyday.

      In Chronicles 7:14-15 we read: “If my people which are called by my name shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 

      15. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.”

      In order for God to hear one prayer, there are conditions, first the individual must first accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and confess (admit that they know that they are a sinner). 

      Theism means many gods!

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        June 12, 2019

        “In Chronicles 7:14-15 we read: ”
        Let that be “2 Chronicles  7:14-15.”

      • Joseph John
        June 12, 2019

        I just wish to add. God is not selective. Jesus said “ask and you shall receive”, no conditions. Regardless of our status in spirit/life, we just have to ask for our needs. He also promised: “before you ask I will answer”. We just have to trust in him.
        Jesus is great at doing what we cannot do for ourselves like preventing the damages of natural disasters.

      • Joseph John
        June 12, 2019

        Oh yes, HE ALONE can calm storms.

    • viewsexpressed
      June 12, 2019

      Zandoli, the Disaster and Local Authorities in their respective districts with local Government field office assigned to these districts have been engaged in dialogue and meeting to advice and ensure that everyone is in the state of preparedness to be ready for a storm, or Hurricane. What the Bishop and other religious people have rightly done is to lay a role in sending the message in support of the Disaster preparedness team in supporting and advocating to all that they must be prepared. From the point of view of the religious body their role is to encourage and yes offer prayer at that stage that we are all reminded of the hurricane season and support the relevant department resources to ensure and encourage that our people are safe and well stocked. Bless you Bishop Malzaire and other religious people. We applaud you for standing firm in assisting in prayer and preparedness that our people will be safe. God`s Guidance and Blessings. People, please be guided accordingly. Amen

      • Joseph John
        June 12, 2019

        Yes let us be guided, “LET US PRAY.”

  8. Dan Tanner
    June 11, 2019

    Belief in such nonsense hampers real preparation and development.

  9. Sa Sa yay
    June 11, 2019

    Everything is a politics. Stupess. They say we have to pray for our country allu putting politics in it. What does Skerrit have to do with praying for our country during the hurricane season. When God does what he does to the country we wonder why these things are happening. Stop allowing politics to darken your lives.

    • June 11, 2019

      @Sa Sa yay, I agree with you! Some people simply believe that politics is the norm of the day–it is to them that nothing can happen without politics.

      The worse part of this is that they are always blaming PM Skerritt for the ills of Dominica. But if God wants to deal with one person, He will not cause the whole Nation to suffer–as it happens in Dominica.

      So in our case, it is we, the people, whom He is trying to humble because He wants to heal our Land. But who can understand this with this carnal state of mind, which cannot respond to God and His Laws? What a pitty!

      • viewsexpressed
        June 12, 2019

        Elizabeth, you are right, with this statement. Read again & be reminded of the failure this clown we have in office has failed us worse than any hurricane. “The worse part of this is that they are always blaming PM Skerrit for the ills of Dominica.” Who else is to be blamed, Pappy? Skerrit has to be blamed. You see, rather than running here there and traveling all over uselessly, he has to ensure that matters are at hand before he runs out and returns with nothing substantial to make a difference. People like you Elizabeth are blind loyalist and follow failed Skerrit for what, we dont know.
        Dominica needs change, ASAP. Skerrit has failed, His worthless so called Ministers have failed, his blind disloyal advisors are politically illiterate and have failed, so this man Skerrit is immature and has ruined the development of our villages into poverty and our island Dominica in poverty and 25 years behind. We have work to do, not selling our passports but “Go to Hell, Get Skerrit Out…

  10. Pipo
    June 11, 2019

    Sorry bishop, no offence but praying does not buy me a new roof or good reinforced walls. It is nice for sure but a luxury when your bodo is on the line.

    • June 11, 2019

      There they go again! The lack of faith in God, so no hope in Life

  11. Joseph John
    June 11, 2019

    Yes, we should pray every day for our Savior’s safety, defense and protection from all calamities and disasters man- made or natural . We should pray specifically for His protection from volcanoes, earthquakes, floods, storms and hurricanes because there is no way we can control the activities of nature which have a free will. Nature is beyond human control. But not beyond His power and control.
    . God does not control anyone’s free will but he has the power to do so. Prayer is the only way we can obtain Gods intervention and protection from these dangers.
    We just have to ask in Prayer. PRAYER WORKS, you just have to trust Jesus and believe.

    • June 11, 2019

      @Joseph, in other words, we simply have to pray with faith that is sincere. And be patient to wait for God to answer–He very seldom does that immediately, you know!

      Sometimes He takes years and years. Like the man who was born blind and lived for 38 years before he received his sight by the work of Jesus. That was God’s plan for both the man and the Christ, the Son

      The man in the Bible had that kind of faith, to the extent that he sent his servants to say to Jesus: “You don’t have to come to my home to heal my sick servant, just say the Words from where you and my servant will be healed.

      Jesus applauded that man’s faith; He said He had never found that faith anywhere, not even among His own people, the then, Children of Israel.

      In Dominica, we are not paying attention to our own mentality; we are busy blaming PM Skerrit for all our bad happenings, yet it is through him that God always pulls us out from our debris. So how can that be?

      • Joseph John
        June 12, 2019

        Elizabeth, I wish I could understand God perfectly. But based on my personal experience Jesus says yes or no according to his will. His ‘yes’ response in a process. Sometimes it is instant like the snap of a finger, sometimes it take years. When the Jews left Egypt it took them 400 years to get to their destination, a trip of one month or less. I had an experience that took me 3 years to get a yes. We just have to trust him with confidence. AND PRAY.

        • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
          June 13, 2019

          “When the Jews left Egypt it took them 400 years to get to their destination, ”

          John, I believe the duration in slavery, and bondage in Egypt was 400 years.
           However, he made them wander for forty (40) years in the wilderness in order for the old disobedient generation to die.

          If you remember only Joshua and his family and one other from the millions who left Egypt made into the promises land. 

          Sorry, I cannot detail it according to the Bible, since the submissions are limited to only 170 words!

    • Joseph John
      June 11, 2019

      Amen and amen !

  12. Neville
    June 11, 2019

    The have to pray alright but for a specific hurricane called Roosevelt. It keep on damaging our small island beyond repair.

  13. Ibo France
    June 11, 2019

    Prayers for our safety during this specific time of the year are absolutely important. The Bishop is right. However, Dominicans need to bruise their knees and fervently pray unceasingly for protection from this manmade disaster that has plagued the country for nineteen unbroken years. The evidence is quite conspicuous that the present occupants of the current ruling administration has been more of an existential threat than any natural disaster can ever be. Dominica needs prayers from the unbearable hardships and misery that so many are presently experiencing. Some don’t even know where their next meal is coming from. Dominica really needs prayer from the relentless persecution ( Mr. Linton and others) by Skerrit’s dictatorial, military, tyrannical junta. No doubt for me that there are now two dictatorships in the Caribbean, Cuba and Dominica. General election in Dominica has been a farce for the last fifteen years without fair and sensible electoral reforms.

    • mine
      June 11, 2019

      what politic has to do with praying for hurricane preparedness.

      • Ibo France
        June 11, 2019

        Skerrit and his henchmen are much more dangerous than any natural disaster. We must implore our Lord to protect Dominicans from the disastrous daily policies of the incumbent government. Dominica needs unceasing prayers until the darkness turns to light. (DLP OUT, UWP IN)

    • June 11, 2019

      “However, Dominicans need to bruise their knees and fervently pray unceasingly for protection from this manmade disaster that has plagued the country for nineteen unbroken years”.

      @Ibo France you must be thinking so smart to write the above, but how foolish!

      In one breath you say Dominicans need to pray and in the other breath, you curse God’s work, through PM Skerrit, by calling it a plague.

      Can’t you see that it is because of you people with that rotten sentiment, that our homeland is so slow in development? How can you ask for prayers from God through one tongue and curse His work with the other?

      Whatever you are, where is your conscience, what is wrong with your mind, where are your eyes, what is wrong with your heart?

      You and yours will have to accept the fact that Dominica is under God’s control, by His servant, Mr. Roosevel Skerrit, His work will go on for as long as His plan it; you and yours cannot change that.

      So give up!

  14. Jesus Saves
    June 11, 2019

    2 Chronicles 7:14 King James Version (KJV)
    14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

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