NOLA archdiocese "in exile"
The records are still being inspected, but it does appear as if Sunday was the first time since 1725 that Mass was not said in a parish church in New Orleans. The city's archbishop and the spiritual leader of 500,000 people in one of the most heavily Catholic regions in the United States, Alfred C. Hughes, said he was preparing to establish his archdiocese "in exile." With most of his parishes submerged, the faithful scattered and half of the city's 300 priests unaccounted for, the task facing Hughes is, well, Herculean. But he's a fighter and a good shepherd:
"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."
And this is what we're inclined to forget once we've been numbed by the constant TV images. The suffering is indeed terrible.
