Diocese creates new 'Starfish' ministry to help meet evacuees' needs

Published: 2005-09-23

HOUMA, La. (CNS) -- The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux has created a new ministry to respond to the needs of thousands of Katrina evacuees in the area. "After the storm a few of us just showed up at the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center in Houma to see what the people who were there needed," said Father Mark Toups. "In talking and praying with the evacuees, we realized that they felt as though their dignity had been compromised by this tragedy," the priest said. "They were sleeping on the floors, wearing someone else's clothes, unable to even take a shower." The first thing friends and supporters of the ministry did was to put up shower facilities at the civic center and at a shelter at a recreation center. Father Toups, director of vocations in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, learned that many of the people at the shelters were searching for family members and for some word about how they were, where they were and if they had survived the storm. During the first four days of the project, 150 people were reunited with their loved ones.

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .