Catholic Charities of Southwest Louisiana

2019 Hurricane Season

As you probably know, Saturday, June 1st, began the 2019 Hurricane Season. I wanted to take this opportunity to let you all know that Catholic Charities is still involved (and almost finished with) long-term recovery from Hurricane Harvey and the 2016 Floods. Your generosity, as well as additional help from Catholic Charities USA and the United Methodist Church have provided many with help in recovery.

We ask you to join us in our daily prayer for safety during the upcoming Hurricane Season. Please know that we are working to ensure an effective response in the case of disaster, and are so grateful for the witness of this generous community, but let us pray together that the Lord spare us from a disaster.

Prayer for Safety during Hurricane Season

O God, Master of this passing world, hear the humble voices of your children. The Sea of Galilee obeyed your order and returned to its former quietude. You are still the Master of the land and sea. We live in the shadow of a danger over which we have no control: the Gulf, like a provoked and angry giant, can awake from its seeming lethargy, and overstep its conventional boundaries, invade our land and spread chaos and disaster.

During this hurricane season we turn to You, O loving Father. Spare us from past tragedies whose memories are still so vivid and whose wounds seem to refuse to heal with passing of time. O Virgin, Star of the Sea, Our Beloved Mother, we ask you to plead with your Son on our behalf, so that spared from the calamities common to this area and animated with a true spirit of gratitude, we will walk in the footsteps of your Divine Son to reach the heavenly Jerusalem where a stormless eternity awaits us. Amen.

Prayer written by:
The Most Reverend Maurice Schexnayder
Second Bishop of Lafayette

May 1st, is the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker! We, at Catholic Charities have very much to be grateful for. We prayed for many months for a refrigerated truck and also for the success of the Jazz Brunch, and Saint Joseph has provided both. Join us in our prayer of thanksgiving and also for the continued spiritual and temporal needs of Catholic Charities, those we serve and our benefactors.

Saint Joseph, whose protection is so great, so strong, so prompt before the throne of God, I place in you all my interests and desires.

O Saint Joseph, do assist me by your powerful intercession, and obtain for me from your Divine Son all spiritual blessings, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, So that, having engaged here below your heavenly power, I may offer my thanksgiving and homage to the most Loving of Fathers.

O Saint Joseph, I never weary contemplating you and Jesus asleep in your arms; I dare not approach while He reposes near your heart. Press Him in my name and kiss his fine head for me and ask him to return the Kiss when I draw my dying breath.

Saint Joseph, Patron of departed souls – pray for me. Amen.

This prayer was found in the fiftieth year of Our Lord Jesus Christ.