"Faith and Hope in New Orleans:
Dominicans after Katrina"
The Power of Katrina
"At a Glance”
Snapshot # 1DOMINICAN LAITY IN NEW ORLEANS
BEFORE KATRINA
August 2005
- 40 Lay Dominicans prepare to attend their 3:00 PM monthly Chapter meeting
- Candidates in formation meet with their directors at 2:00 PM
- Some professed members arrive early to catch up on news of each other’s families
- At 3:00 PM everyone gathers in St. Dominic’s Church to pray Dominican Office, share reflection on the Scriptures, discuss the common study topic, conduct the business section of their meeting and enjoy some social time together
AFTER KATRINA
2007
- Family decisions to evacuate or to seek shelter scattered the members of the Lay Chapter of New Orleans Dominicans
- After several weeks, by using cell phones and text messaging, the leaders of the Chapter contacted all their members only to learn that many are surviving in dangerous, over-crowded situations, often with insufficient food and water
- People, transported out-of-state, live separated from family members
- Chapter Leader Bruce Trigo’s home – damaged but not destroyed – becomes “The Trigo Hilton” for homeless Chapter members and neighbors
- Shirley lost everything to the flood waters
- Greg and Maureen cannot rebuild their flooded home
- JoAnn’s home and career are both damaged
- Lou’s sense of sadness since the storm blocks her artistic talent
- The remnant 25 members of the Chapter meet wherever they can for common prayer and Dominican community support
Snapshot text by Peggy Ryan, OP (Caldwell)
