Legionaries and Regnum Christi members respond to human and spiritual needs in wake of Katrina
Fr. Patrick Murphy LC expected his time in Louisiana to be a peaceful mixture of starting clubs for young people, helping local pastors and seeing to the spiritual needs of the areaÂ’s Regnum Christi members.
Instead, he found himself weathering one of the worst hurricanes in American history and enlisting in the nationÂ’s heroic relief efforts.
“The first week after the storm we just coped and tried to help people,” Fr. Patrick said. “Now, we’re trying to do everything we can to help the Archdiocese of New Orleans.”
Fr. Patrick said that means going to individual parishes and helping with whatever needs to be done. That might imply using a chain saw to clear tree branches from a church roof or just dragging trash from a sanctuary.
He is splitting his time among Lafayette, Baton Rouge and parishes across Lake Pontchartrain from New Orleans.
“It is unbelievable what our Regnum Christi people and many others are doing,” Fr. Patrick said. “I’m also amazed that the spirits of people who have lost homes, jobs and all their possessions is so high. Several people at shelters told me that the hurricane has proved to them that all they really need to be happy is their life and their faith.”
Fr. Matthew Kaderabek LC is one of many who have been working with Fr. Patrick in the relief effort. Also assisting are many Regnum Christi members from the Louisiana area, young RC members from the region and a growing band of RC members who are students at Louisiana State University. A team of Regnum Christi Consecrated Ladies and female coworkers are also working in the disaster area.
“One of our young RC members showed me an amazing photo,” said Fr. Matthew. “It was his mother and father sitting on a concrete slab in Mississippi where their home had stood a few days earlier. What moved me was that they were smiling. I think people are getting through this because of their faith.
“When I arrived in Lafayette to help, I was sent to the Cajun Dome, where hundreds of mattresses were lined up,” he said. “Volunteers were everywhere, making sure the victims of the storm had what they needed.
“But it was heartwarming to see how high the spirits of the people were. I talked with a lot of people, assuring them of God’s love.”
Fr. Matthew also worked at a couple parishes near New Orleans that had set up shelters for the homeless. There, too, he was struck by the strength of the human spirit.
“At one of the parishes in Eunice, Louisiana, they were using the parish center for a shelter, with a large number of people being housed, fed and cared for. There was such an atmosphere of hope and faith.”
Fr. Patrick said that Regnum Christi members, especially teams of young missionaries, would be coming to the area in the months ahead to help the diocese and its parishes in whatever way is needed. He said he expect that as the parishes resume operations, the Regnum Christi teams will branch out to focus on individuals and families in need of assistance.