Texas-Louisiana border areas hit hardest by Hurricane Rita

Published: 2005-09-26

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Information about damage from the parts of Texas and Louisiana that were hit hardest by Hurricane Rita Sept. 24 was still difficult to obtain two days later. The second hurricane to sweep into the Gulf Coast region in a month veered east of the most heavily populated parts of Texas, rather than hitting the Galveston-Houston area head-on as had earlier been feared. The storm's path brought it ashore closer to Louisiana at the Texas coastal town of Sabine Pass, near Port Arthur. Karen Gilman, editor of the East Texas Catholic, newspaper of the Diocese of Beaumont, told Catholic News Service Sept. 26 that she had seen photos showing damage to the dome of the recently renovated St. Anthony Cathedral, but had no idea yet what the extent of that damage was or what problems there might be for other church property. There is one Catholic parish in Sabine Pass, much of which was under 5 feet of water the day after the hurricane, Gilman said.

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 The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in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 .