Four years later Katrina still feels like yesterday

As I sit at my computer getting ready for bed, my thoughts turned to four years ago as Katrina approached the Gulf Coast. It was an eerie Sunday night back in 2005. My family, with my then 83 year old mom with us and all our small animals in tow, was settling in to sleep in a Cullman, Alabama hotel room. Of course, nothing was "settling".

Our story was one of complete indecision. Living well north of I-12, some 20 miles north of the lakeshore and 45 miles inland from New Orleans, we really did not want to go. And the fact that I was scheduled for a medical procedure on Monday added to our indecision. Around noon, the forecast sounded more ominous. We loaded up, left our horses in open pasture and drove north. We packed almost nothing as we assumed a 24 hour stay on the road.

Reflecting back I also recall being in the first few weeks of my fourth session in formation to the diaconate. Our last class was just 3 nights earlier and none of us knew Katrina would disrupt our lives both personally and as formation classmates.

When we rose on Monday morning we were watching national coverage and things looked bad. Katrina was powerful and initial reports, even before the flooding, indicated to me we would be gone longer than we thought. We decided to head for North Carolina and bunked in with our son for a week. We had no cell phones on our drive and radio reports were sporadic. Not to we got to Jimmy's house did we learn of the floodwall breach and the profound devastation in New Orleans. By Tuesday morning, we were learning of the wind and tidal surge damage in lower Louisiana and the Mississippi Gulf Coast. We knew our area would have strong wind damage.

Our decision to come home was also frought with indecision. What would we find? How hard would it be to reenter? Would we be out of power for a week? We purchased a generator and assured my mom all would be ok. And relatively speaking it was. Overwhelmed by the miles and miles of down trees and power lines, our home was intact, a few shingles missing, damage to exterior buildings, nothing major. Our horses survived the 100 + mph winds.

We had no idea what life would be like for 4 weeks in hot, humid September Louisiana. All I can say is thank goodness for a generator and a window air conditioner. All our family did well and no one suffered any damage from floods. It was a strange month that I will never forget.

My classmates and I would find out in early October that the Archdiocese took a big hit and our formation program was put on hold for one full year. This too was a cause for concern but nothing really could be done. Both Wendy and I returned to work within days of returning home and Elizabeth was able to return to high school by the end of the month.

Much time and effort was spent helping and ministering to those in our own neighborhood and those from New Orleans and St. Bernard who came to our area for refuge; many still here four years later. Our church parish was overflowing with extra worshippers. Many area churches helped in feeding our community and supplying basics.

I remember long lines for gas, showering under an oak tree with a free flow artesian well, and everyone just trying to be nice and supportive.

Much of our area is back to normal; well, the new post-Katrina normal. Our friends south of us are still rebuilding and adjusting but overall, the entire area is coming back. Many still need basic services, health care, mental health services and, of course, our prayers.

I hope everyone in our nation remembers that Saturday, August 29, 2009 is the fourth anniversary of Katrina and the devastating flood caused by human and governmental error. Let us all pray that the infrastructure is in place to protect us and let's ask for the powerful intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor to keep us safe for the duration of this hurricane season.