Statement by Archbishop Alfred C. Hughes about the devastation of Hurricane Katrina

In the midst of the unprecedented devastation of Hurricane Katrina, I offer to you, the faithful of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, my sincerest prayer for your safety and the safety of your loved ones. We have experienced an extreme human catastrophe of immense proportion. I want to assure you that my brother priests and bishops are committed to working with you as soon as feasible to address the rebuilding of our beloved Church in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

Our first concern is the rescue of people who are trapped in all sections of the archdiocese. Our next priority is the collaborative work of Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans, Catholic Community Services of Baton Rouge and the American Red Cross to offer relief, food, water and shelter and to help people who have been separated from one another to regain communication.

I have met with a number of priests currently located in the Baton Rouge area. Since we cannot return yet to significant segments of the archdiocese, we are developing a pastoral plan to offer priestly ministry for New Orleanians in areas where there is a significant concentration of evacuees. This includes Baton Rouge, Alexandria, Lafayette, Houston, Dallas and Atlanta. I urge you to make yourselves known to the pastor where you are living and attending Mass. I also urge priests who have not already done so to call into Father Than Vu, director of priest personnel in Baton Rouge, at (225) 344-8595 with your whereabouts. How incredibly important it is when we do feel overwhelmed to recognize that nothing can separate us from the love of our God and that he offers us the grace and power to respond. This is a moment for us to pray for those who have been taken from our midst and for those who are organizing and carrying out the rescue and recovery operations.

At this moment it is very important that we take to heart the words of St. Paul that for those who love God, everything works together for the good. Our resources are limited, but our people are innumerable. If we can mobilize and partner and enable people to reach out and care for one another, the possibilities are limitless that can be reached. I am convinced that God is going to work things in a way that counteracts the terrible suffering people are experiencing.

In the wake of such massive destruction, I have decided to launch a satellite office in Baton Rouge to make key decisions about restoring social services and rebuilding schools and churches in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. This is very important because we need to begin to organize both our immediate short-term response and our more long-term response. Obviously, we face extreme devastation, the likes of which we have not felt in this country since the War Between the States.

I am meeting daily with our key archdiocesan personnel to determine how best to respond to the crisis and to assess damage reports, which have not yet come in because of sporadic communications. We do know through media reports that the death toll will be high, and we pray for the repose of the souls of those who have been lost and for their families.

Through Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans and other archdiocesan agencies we are partnering with Catholic Community Services of Baton Rouge, the American Red Cross and FEMA and others in our local community to bring relief from hunger and thirst and to provide counseling for those who have been forced to evacuate.

One of the major issues we face is restoring our Catholic school system. On Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 10 a.m. in the Catholic Life Center of the Diocese of Baton Rouge (1800 South Acadian Thruway), our schools Superintendent Father William Maestri will meet with all available school administrators, teachers and support personnel to discuss the transition and recovery. More information on the schools’ recovery is available on this Web site.

Another major issue is setting up a payroll plan for employees who are now scattered over several states. A significant percentage of our archdiocesan, parish and school employees are paid through paper checks, and their whereabouts are unknown. It is critical that all these employees who are paid through a paper payroll check contact the toll-free archdiocesan hotline 1-888-366-5024 and give the operators the information needed to verify employment, along with a current mailing address. These employees also may contact the Archdiocese through the Web site www.archdiocese-no.org, which will be updated regularly. Please use the Web site to get the latest information on the Archdiocese of New Orleans. With people spread out over such a large geographic area, the goal is to regularly update the Web site with key information on policies and news items. As a first step to assist you we are pledging full payment for this month. Further information will be made available as decisions are clear.

God bless you and your families during these challenging weeks and months ahead. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us.