Like other evacuees, Louisiana priests who fled Rita face unknowns

Published: 2005-10-07

TYLER, Texas (CNS) -- Five LaSalette priests from Sulphur, La., who fled to east Texas in advance of Hurricane Rita said they were happy to find refuge in the Tyler Diocese but now face the same uncertainties as other storm evacuees. "We're getting bits and pieces of information," said Father Donald Jeffrey. "What we know is that Sulphur won't be habitable for about a month. There are a few priests we don't have any word on, so we're hoping to find out that they're all right." His parish of St. Theresa of the Child Jesus in Carlyss, just outside Sulphur, and Father John Blumm's parish, Our Lady of LaSalette in Sulphur, are in the Diocese of Lake Charles, La., an area hit hard by Rita, which made landfall near the Texas-Louisiana border Sept. 24. The diocese's Web site lists four churches in Cameron Parish, a civil entity, along with four mission chapels, that were destroyed by wind and water. Severe water damage has left the chancery building in Lake Charles unusable, according to the site, and the Catholic Service Center, which offers social services, was destroyed.

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