Talked to Fr. Shane Tharp out in Oklahoma

He’s fine.  So that’s the good news.

Sadly, at least 51 people are dead and most of them are children killed when the tornado (according to Fr. Shane, perhaps the largest one ever recorded) struck the elementary school they were in.  The tornado was two and a half miles wide (!!!) and remained on the ground for an hours.  The devastation is reportedly horrrendous.

No doubt my Patheos colleague Rebecca Hamilton will have more information as things develop.  Meanwhile pray for the people of Oklahoma touched by this colossal storm.