St. Genevieve Catholic Church To Reopen
Special Dedication Mass Planned For Sundayhttp://www.wdsu.com/news/30200533/detail.htmlSLIDELL, La. -- One of the North Shore's oldest churches that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina will reopen its historic doors Sunday morning.
Six years in the making, the new St. Genevieve Catholic Church at Bayou Liberty stands as a testament to courage and determination.
"We all went through a lot, and yet you know we still were able to bring the best out of each other," the Rev. Jose Roel Lungay said.
Just as it has for 200 years, a historic church has drawn parishioners of St. Genevieve together, building a history that is rich and diverse.
"The Indians were here, and then the African-Americans, who were here with the Indians and the Europeans, and that melting a blending of those peoples into who we are at St. Genevieve, and our history goes back long before Louisiana was a state," Deacon Dan Haggerty said.
With the tradition of courage and resilience, church officials said the work began and continues to rebuild St. Genevieve using a budget of $4 million, paid for by the archdiocese and the folks who call the church home.
The treasured stained-glass windows rescued from the building Katrina took comfort the inside of the new St. Genevieve, church officials said, and its rich history will be empaneled in her welcoming doors.
"This is one of the warmest community, the most wonderful people that I have ever known," parishioner Lynn Holmes said.
Parishioners said they will dedicate the fruit of their labor Sunday.
"When I think of St. Genevieve, and the history, I think this church was built for the Creole population in this area, and now it's back for everybody," parishioner Rebecca Sapera said.
"I look forward to seeing people come back, come back from the other parishes, for whatever reason they were gone, just come home to the bayou," parishioner Kathie Lusch said.
"It's going to really bring people back. We need this in our church, we need this in our religion," parishioner Paul Caronna said.
"At the bottom of my heart, I'm just thankful to God for letting us see and experience this," Lungay said.
The special dedication mass begins 10 a.m. Sunday at St. Genevieve Catholic Church on Thompson Road at Bayou Liberty just outside Slidell.
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