Parish Updates For Hurricane Gustav

« See Photos from Our Parish During Gustav

 Sunday, Sept 7 at  9:15 am

Greetings everyone! I'm pleased to inform you that Our Lady of the Lake Roman Catholic Church is fully operational. Thanks to our many volunteers, our parish staff and our maintenance team, God's house is back in order. All of our buildings have utilities.

Please note the following:

• OLL Parish Offices will re-open on Monday.

• Our Weekend Mass schedule will resume this weekend.

• RCIA, CCD, and Confirmation Classes are post-poned one week.

• OLL School will re-open on Monday. (Children must bag their lunches)

• All parish meetings and activities will resume on Monday and remain suspended through the weekend.

• The Blessed Sacrament Chapel will re-open on Tuesday at 9 am

If you or any member of our parish has an immediate need, please email me as soon as possible or leave a message on the Church Emergency Phone.

Have a blessed weekend. In Christ, Fr. John (Pastor)

Good evening parishioners. I am very pleased to inform each of you that we have made tremendous headway as regards OLL Parish clean-up.

Today, a group of 25, including our Parish staff and maintenance men, worked tirelessly cleaning up around the grounds, removing fallen trees, and picking up branches strewn everywhere. By the end of the day today, we completed about 85 percent of what needs to be done around our beautiful property. Our focus can now shift to returning our school to operational status.

After 8am mass, we will complete the work already begun behind the middle school and begin cleaning up around the rectory. We still need your help! After lunch tomorrow, we should be able to begin putting the inside of our classrooms back together. If you are able, please give us a hand.

One of our parishioners have already emailed me regarding another parishioner's home which has extensive damage. Unfortunately, there may be many others. Please send me names and phone numbers of our parishioners who are in great need. OLL, the Archdiocese of New Orleans, and Catholic Charities are poised to assist.

For those of you who have not yet made it in, safe travels tomorrow. I'm offering Masses for you daily. Please pray for us as well. WE ARE SO BLESSED!

In Christ,

Fr. John (Pastor)

 

Hurricane Gustav Update

Tuesday, September 2 - 10:00 p.m.    

Hello everyone and best regards! Today was a day of work for 11 of us. Our maintenance staff, together with some parishioners, Fr. Kenny and myself worked all day cleaning around the property. I'm very happy to report that the Parish Church has been returned to pre-storm status. I returned the Blessed Sacrament this morning. At the end of the work day, at 5 pm, we celebrated Mass after cleaning the church, returning all the furniture and vestments, restoring all the the parish offices, the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, picking up most of the sand bags, cleaning the rectory (which still has 3 feet of water in the street and front yard) and beginning to clean the parish grounds.

Implementing our parish plan of action, the remainder of the week through Saturday will be as follows:

8am Mass - 8:30am work  - 12 Noon Lunch  - 5pm end of work day

If you or your family are able to assist after checking your own homes, please give us a hand. School is scheduled to return on Monday. Please also know that myself and Fr. Kenny will be offering Mass for you and your families. During this stressful time be at peace. God loves you! If you or your friends or neighbors need assistance, please contact me as soon as possible.

Fr. John (Pastor)

 Please note that the Archdiocese has closed schools until next Monday. 

Parish Staff, School Staff and Faculty are expected to  return as soon as it is safe and possible. Please follow the directives of the civil authorities. 

 

Tuesday, September 2 - 9:00 a.m.    

As of 9am this morning, all our buildings were spared. Straeder Building and Holy Family Hall were very close. The rectory did get water into the garage. The water has not yet receded. Our maintenance staff has already begun clean-up. Myself and Fr. Kenny will spend the day with our maintenance personnel cleaning up as much as possible. We are so blessed! I can hardly wait to see everyone when you and your families return.

 Please note that the Archdiocese has closed schools until next Monday. 

Parish Staff, School Staff and Faculty are expected to  return as soon as it is safe and possible. Please follow the directives of the civil authorities. 

Clean up and preparations for re-opening the parish and our school will take a concerted effort. We'll need each of you. Currently the power is still down in Old Mandeville.  Things could be much worse for us all. Let's be grateful! I'll keep everyone informed.

In Christ, Fr.John.

Rising Tide  - Monday,  September 1, 2008
10:15 p.m.

The water is still rising in Old Mandeville.

Myself and Fr. Ken did an extensive tour through the grounds and every building at Our Lady of the Lake. Our initial assessment is that we have no water damage and very little wind damage to the buildings.

Old Mandeville does have flooding near the lake. Coffee St., Jefferson St., and Carroll St. are all under water. Water has now entered the Rectory garage. Holy Family Hall is now in danger of receiving water, as the water is steadily rising. There is currently about 5 feet of water on the street in front of the rectory.  The water has not yet reached Monroe St., but it is close. The rain and wind still continues.

Please note that the Archdiocese has closed schools until next Monday. 

Parish Staff, School Staff and Faculty are expected to  return as soon as it is safe and possible. Please follow the directives of the civil authorities. 

Clean up and preparations for re-opening the parish and our school will take a concerted effort. We'll need each of you. Currently the power is still down in Old Mandeville. I'm in contact with our Mandeville Fire Chief and those of the West Bank of the Mississippi. Things could be much worse for us all. Let's be grateful! I'll keep everyone informed.

In Christ, Fr.John.

 

Hurricane Gustav Update  - Monday,  September 1, 2008

7:45 p.m.

Deo Gracias! (Thanks be to God!) I believe the Good Lord has spared us.

Gustav Update - Tuesday, September 1, 2008
12:30 p.m.

At last check the surge for Mandeville has been downgraded to 6'.   Currently there is no water being reported overtopping the Lake Front seawall.  The Rectory, and Parish plant are doing fine so far.  

Please continue to pray as now we get the southern winds from the storm.  However, if current predictions run true, we should come out very well.  Fr. John has been checking in with both the West Bank and Mandeville Fire Chiefs for updates.  

We are still not out of danger, and will offer Mass this afternoon for everyone's intentions, for everyone's safety and ongoing protection of life and property.

Fr. John and Fr. Ken will make an onsite inspection this evening.  We will make a report as soon as possible thereafter.  

In Christ,
Fr. John

 

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Hurricane Gustav Update - August 31 - 3:00 p.m.

Fr. John and Fr. Ken are evacuated to a safe area very near the Parish, and will re-enter the Parish as soon as possible.

Please  know that as we celebrate daily Mass each one of you will be in our prayers. 

In Christ,

Fr. John

 

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Hurricane Gustav Update - August 30 - 8:35p.m.

All Masses are canceled until further notice.

There are no Masses on Sunday August 31, 2008.

As of 8:30 p.m. this evening, a mandatory evacuation of  St. Tammany Parish has been called by  Kevin Davis, Parish President,  which includes all of those south of Interstate 12.  It will take effect beginning at 7:00 a.m. Sunday Morning,  (August 31, 2008.) 

Following Archdiocesan and Parish guidelines, all Masses in our Parish are canceled this Sunday. 

President Davis, and Mayor Eddie Price are predicting a 17 to 20 foot storm surge in the Mandeville area. 

We must take this very seriously, and comply with the local government's request, and the requests of our Bishop, and of course with the demands of common sense.

          • All Masses and Parish activities are suspended until the evacuation is lifted

          • OLL School is closed until further notice

          • All Parish offices will remain closed until further notice.

Be safe! Let’s ask Our Lady of Prompt Succor to continue to protect us and our beloved city.  In Christ,