Caravan of need never stops

We who live in the Archdiocese of New Orleans have experienced the agony created by natural disasters. Anyone who lived through Hurricane Katrina 15 years ago understands that our lives, in many ways, are categorized as either pre-Katrina or post-Katrina.

Those are two different realities.

Now we look west and see the same pain and anguish produced by another natural disaster – Hurricane Laura – which has devastated southwest Louisiana, especially the Diocese of Lake Charles, and left our neighbors in great need.

As I drove to the Alario Center in Marrero last week to support the food distribution efforts of Second Harvest Food Bank, it was scorching hot, but the caravan of need never stopped.

The four-lane line of 2,000 slowly moving cars in the parking lot had their trunks propped open. Second Harvest, which is a vital ministry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, was doing what it always does: Feeding hungry people. They are serving people suffering from the pandemic and some from the Lake Charles area.

For us as Christians and as Catholics, the line of cars really brought to light Jesus' words: “When I was hungry, you gave me something to eat. When I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. When I was a stranger, you cared for me.” That’s exactly what we are doing for the people who are in need.

Already, many of our parishes have sent truckloads of supplies and financial donations to the Diocese of Lake Charles. Our Catholic Charities leadership is working with other Catholic Charities divisions from around the state to establish food and supply distribution sites. We are in touch regularly with Bishop Glen Provost of Lake Charles.

I’m also grateful and humbled that Second Harvest Food Bank was launched in the 1980s by Archbishop Philip Hannan. He saw hunger as a human injustice, and he directed then-Msgr. Roger Morin, who later became an auxiliary bishop of New Orleans and then bishop of Biloxi, to set up the food bank in a small warehouse facility.

Because of the generosity of so many people, Second Harvest has continued to get stronger and stronger. We are pleased that Second Harvest is a ministry of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

The combination of challenges we face today is almost unprecedented: We have been dealing for months with COVID-19, and now the people of Lake Charles are reeling after a devastating hurricane, where it may take many weeks and even months to restore power and water service.

Now is the time for the people of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, who received the blessings of so many others after Katrina, to give generously spiritually and with gifts. There is no end in sight to the storm recovery, and that’s the biggest concern.