NEW ORLEANS PROVINCE AFTER GUSTAV HURRICANE

 Hurricane Gustav entered south Louisiana on Monday, September 1, 2008 and caused severe disruption to normal life throughout Louisiana.  Fortunately for the New Orleans Province the major disruption was primarily a loss of electricity and not physical destruction to its schools and houses.

Mobile (Alabama) was largely unaffected. St. Stanislaus (Bay St. Louis) evacuated north to Jackson, Mississippi. Five brothers and 30 resident students were housed in the St. Joseph High School gymnasium. They returned the day after the storm and resumed school the following day.

Brother Martin High School (New Orleans, Louisiana) had minimal damage as did the houses and province office in New Orleans. Once power was restored, life quickly returned to normal. Brother Martin resumed classes on September 8.

The most affected areas were Baton Rouge, Thibodaux, and Houma (Louisiana). Catholic High sustained some tree damage but no serious structural damage to buildings. The assisted living residence adjacent to the school had minor damage but both school and house are potentially looking at weeks without electricity. Thibodaux had some damage but nothing catastrophic and the brothers’ residence had no damage. Houma seems to have been ground zero for the storm and there is much destruction there. We are not yet sure the extent of damage to the school. Initial reports indicated some damage but lack of communication and electricity have made it difficult to determine the extent of loss.

September, 11, 2008