When a 5.9 earthquake hit 13 km southeast of Guanica, Puerto Rico on Jan. 11, the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima lost their motherhouse and general house. With their homes in ruins, the sisters are sleeping in tents as they continue to minister to the local community, responding to the earthquakes.

“God gave us another opportunity of life, and we are grateful for that,” Sister Judith Maldonado said in a video she posted on her Facebook page. “We are going to continue working as he gave our founder, Servant of God Mother Dominga Guzman-Florit, the charism of the evangelization of the families and to bring Christ to the families and the families to Christ. We are working to help the people in need, and even though we are also refugees here in our camps and tents, we are helping other people.”

Sister Judith served as a missionary alongside her twin sister who is also a Dominican Sister of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, Sister Maristella Maldonado, at St. Martin of Tours Parish in Gaithersburg, Maryland until the summer of 2018, when the two sisters were asked to serve at the motherhouse in Puerto Rico. 

Dominican Sister Mariana of Jesus, who is currently serving at St. Martin of Tours, said approximately 38 of the sisters in Puerto Rico are left without a home.

“Thank God they are all fine,” Sister Mariana told the Catholic Standard.

The sisters ask for prayers for Puerto Rico, where many families are suffering much. To help support the sisters financially as they rebuild their homes, please call Sister Judith at 787-315-6686 or donations can be made through PayPal: economafat@yahoo.com.