Posted on 08/30/2005 8:55:59 PM PDT by Siobhan
Starting a thread to keep track of Catholic churches, institutions, and Catholic family landmarks that have been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.
Please post what you know especially in the City of New Orleans and Southeastern Louisiana.
St Thomas The Apostle Parish
720 East Beach Blvd
Long Beach, MS 39560Reported by Pass Christian Alderman living in Long Beach...
Bookmarking for later. Has anyone heard about St. Frances Cabrini school/parish in NO? My daughter's class at her Catholic school had penpals with 2nd graders there last year. It's near the lake side of town per Google Earth.
What is the condition of St. Louis Cathedral in new Orleans? I've only heard that a statue of Christ with outstreched arms escaped injury from 2 giant trees that fell in front. But that report was made before the flooding started.
Some things are too horrible to think about.
It will be days before we know anything. The pictures from the air are all we have right now. Once the water goes down, is when the full extent will be known. I've never been through a hurricane, but plenty of floods and some things you just don't forget.
Also the St. Thomas the Apostle gym where evacuees took protection and survived Camille. Wiped out, according to the newspapers.
I know that St. James in Gulfport is ok because my b-i-l is Pastor there. SirKit's sister finally heard from him this afternoon. We were SO releived to know he was fine. His parish is only about 1/2 mile off the beach, so it was a real concern. I don't know about the parishes in Biloxi. St. Michael's did make it through Camille, but this storm did MUCH more damage to that area of Biloxi than Camille did. The Cathedral must be OK because the Bishop was making the rounds checking the parishes today. He came by my b-i-l's parish to make sure he was OK.
Did anyone else see Raymond Arroyo being interviewed on CNN tonight? He was on with Aaron Brown. As far as I could tell, Aaron never mentioned that Raymond was on EWTN. He only identified him as the owner of a restaurant in New Orleans. It is a restaurant that was started by Raymond's grandfather, so I guess it has stayed in the family even since. Apparently Raymond and his wife had a daughter who was born 10 days before the storm. He came down from Birmingham to get them before it hit, and he assumes his home is gone. He was very peaceful about it, though, because he said he was Blessed that his family was safe and all together.
Evidently as Raymond, his wife and their newborn fled the area, their home was destroyed. Was that the story?
Isn't Mother Angelica's headquarters done there somewhere? I tried to find an address this morning on EWTN website, but then left for Mass and abandoned the search.
Raymond's family owns..owned... a great restaurant in N.O. called Tony Angelo's -- best Italian food I ever had. It was definitely the Italian Catholic place to be. I'm just thankful to know that he and his young family got out and safely. (It is sad for me and my memories to know that the restaurant is gone.)
Mother Angelica lives in Hanceville, Alabama and EWTN studios and the Franciscans of the Eternal Word live in Irondale, Alabama. These are both around Birmingham, Alabama.
All of those Americans.
All that loss...regardless of race,creed or color.
Those are our fellow Americans out there tonight.
Let's include each of them in our hearts and our prayers.
Doesn't surprise me that Brown wouldn't credit Raymond Arroyo for being with EWTN.
Also doesn't surprise me that Arroyo is handling this so well. He has such an angelic character about him.
Any word on St. John's or St. Theresa's in Gulport?
St. Stanislaus in Bay St. Louis suffered significant damage, but no Brothers, students, faculty were hurt. Water reached the second floor of the school where the international students were staying. The 30-foot wall of water washed away the first and second floors of the Brothers residence. The elderly and infirm Brothers and all of the students were evacuated by a bus chartered out of Mobile Tuesday morning to Mobile. The Brothers are at McGill and St. Catherine's Rectory in Mobile. The students are on their way to Baton Rouge where they will spend Tuesday night at Catholic High School while arrangements will be made for them to fly to their respective countries. Brother Xavier at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday, August 30.
Somewhere in these posts is one wherein JFKjr blames it all on "Divine" intersession.
We sent this email because at 6601 Neshoba St., St. Martin the house and all it's belongings are totally gone... Wiped from the face of the earth... The house... Gone... The Shed... Gone... Everything Gone... Except one thing... In the middle of the yard is a $25 statue of Mother Mary still standing sted fast watching over everyone just as she always has... We thought this would be a great confidence booster for all those poor families...
Actually, we are learning a lot now from Miss. and Ala. And Churches across the USA can hold a second collection this Sunday for the Archdioceses of N.O. or Mobile or the Diocese of Biloxi. Parishes who know of a particular parish in distress can enter that parish on their prayer lists and look at ways to help them rebuild ...
ping
ping
She's near Irondale, Alabama, near Birmingham. Far from the brunt of the storm, I don't know if flooding was an issue there.
I would think not. It is far (250 mi?) inland and on relatively high ground.
Wow, I didn't realize it was that far inland. I'm guessing nothing more than heavy winds and rain. I didn't hear of any damage to them and nothing was on their website when I checked.
EWTN is in Birmingham in a hilly/mountainous area -- no way it floods unless Florida goes underwater first.
Mother Angelica's Shrine is along a small river, which makes it scenic. But it would take 20+ inches of rain to flood that area enough to reach the Shrine property.
I have been to Hanceville and Irondale. Unfortunately, I remember at the Shrine, a couple from Louisiana ran one of the Guest Houses... But they might have been more from Lafayette (LA) than New Orleans (LA).
Birmingham is almost in mountains, and I believe quite a bit above sea level.
I was thinking more in terms of water damage than a roof being blown off. Once the water in NO goes down, there will be a lot more that will need to be replaced - plaster, wood, some tile - than anyone can see now. Mold starts and it's awful to try and stop. Kneelers will have to be replaced. Marble should be okay (why don't we do all church floors in marble) and most stone.
Too many floods in this part of the Mississippi River Valley. :)
Actually, NO, once the water goes down, would make a great place for service projects.
I grew up in MS, and when my brothers were in high school, we played St. Stan's in basketball all the time. My brother got whacked in the face during a game one time there. My Mama started screaming because the ref kept bending down to pick up what she thought were his teeth. Turns out it was only one tooth, but it kept slipping out of the ref's fingers and he had to pick it up three times!
We always joked that the games with the other Catholic schools were much more wild than the ones with the public schools. I guess with the public schools, our kids were always on their best behavior, but let it all go when they played each other.
Numerous religious have been rescued from all over the city especially from Xavier University.
Praying for the dear Divine Word Fathers and for everyone in Bay St. Louis and prayers for the repose of the souls of those who have died and prayers for Divine Mercy for the unprepared.
Maybe seamole can look on Google Earth to check it out.
St. Louise de Marillac Catholic Church and School
6800 Patricia St.
Arabi LA 70032
Louisiana, Mississippi Dioceses Devastated By Hurricane; Poorest Dioceses Hurt The Most
Anyone know anything about Holy Cross High School in New Orleans? Is it underwater?
Please pardon my ignorance, but for which archdiocese is Hannan the ordinary? I thought Hughes was the Archbishop of New Orleans. Is Hannan retired?
Thanks for the info and pictures. My family are looking for somone who lives in Chalmette, but teaches at Holy Cross. We thought he might have taken shelter there as he has in the past.
Waiting and wondering is horrible.
Archbishop is the retired Archbishop in his 90s now
They are going to mount a ferry evacuation of 1600 people from Chalmette in the morning -- just heard it on the Louisiana scanner via internet.
Most folks don't know but Jackson Square in New Orleans is modeled after Place des Voges in Paris. Very few Americans go to Place des Voges in Paris but I love it and always recommend that American tourists make a special effort to go there because of the link to New Orleans.
Holy Cross is in New Orleans. The person we are looking for lives in Chalmette, but teaches at Holy Cross in NO. Thanks for the info. Can you ping me if you hear anything else?
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