100 miles from home, pastor celebrates Mass for evacuee parishioners

Published: 2005-10-13

GONZALES, La. (CNS) -- For Father Frank Lipps and 300 of his evacuee parishioners from Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Violet, about 100 miles southeast of Gonzales, this was no ordinary Mass. Father Lipps, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, celebrated a reunion Mass Oct. 8 for his displaced parishioners at St. Mark Church in Gonzales, where he has been in residence since the unprecedented flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina destroyed the homes of nearly all of his parishioners and obliterated their recently dedicated church. St. Mark Church was so crowded with Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners that ushers had to set up folding chairs along the back and side walls to accommodate the overflow. Father Joel LaBauve, pastor of St. Mark and one of the concelebrants, hosted a jambalaya reception for the evacuees after the Mass. Recalling the struggles and the blessings of the last six weeks, Father Lipps urged everyone in church -- evacuees and those hosting evacuee families -- to help each other out.

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 The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in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