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 areas Regnum
Christi members.
Instead, he found himself weathering one of the worst hurricanes in
American history and enlisting in the nations heroic relief
efforts.
The first week after the storm we just coped and tried to help
people, Fr. Patrick said. Now, were 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. Im 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 Gods
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.